Just imagine a cosmetic treatment that effectively tackles some of the skin’s most frustrating issues. A treatment that can significantly improve the appearance of fine lines, breakouts, and more. Well, imagine no more; at Revive MD Center in Glen Allen, Virginia, we perform this very real treatment – known as dermaplaning – with the skill of our highly-trained staff. Let’s see, does hair grow back thicker after dermaplaning?
The Details of Dermaplaning
This treatment gently removes the outermost layers of your facial skin using an exfoliating blade. You might liken this to shaving, but it does far more than remove hair. As we already stated, it removes dry, dead skin cells that contribute to common skin problems. After your treatment, you’ll have smoother, softer skin with a more radiant complexion.
This therapy can be used for any skin type and is beneficial for:
- Acne scars
- Dull skin
- Dry skin
- Sunspots
- Fine wrinkles
How It Works
The premise of this treatment is fairly simple: a sterile blade is held at a 45-degree angle and gently guide it across your skin. This process removes scar tissue, dead cells, and other debris that can make skin look tired and uneven. It is a relaxing therapy that takes about 30 minutes, with no downtime afterward. Patients enjoy dewy skin and a pain-free process.
It’s important to remember your skin is exposed every day to irritants and toxins contained within the environment. Being outside, even on a cloudy day, causes sun damage, and skin naturally becomes less resilient with age. The combination of these factors can make the skin look dull and tired. Our treatment clears away damaged skin cells to reveal newer cells sitting below the surface.
Explaining the Sensation
This is one of the least painful ways to enhance your appearance, especially when compared to other treatment options. Think of it this way: shaving your legs doesn’t hurt, and this experience won’t either. Some patients describe the sensation as a gentle tickle or brushing sensation that glides smoothly over the face.
Who Is a Candidate?
This is a great treatment option for men and women with dry or roughly-textured skin. It can also benefit those with mature skin, as dead skin cells tend to accumulate faster with age, and those with acne scars or hyperpigmentation. Last but not least, expectant or breastfeeding mothers who are unable to pursue other treatment options can get a relaxing, revitalizing lift with this therapy.
Does Hair Grow Back Thicker?
Patients commonly think that after dermaplaning, facial hair will grow back thicker and darker. Let us reassure you this is not true. Only a change in hormones can affect your hair’s appearance. Additionally, after we remove your facial hair, your skin will immediately look brighter and smoother.
When hair does begin to grow back–a process that will take about one week–it may feel slightly different because it was cut straight across during your treatment. You may think it feels coarser, but this is only because hair grows with a blunt end. Your hair will be the same color and texture as before, and this will hold true for each subsequent time you choose to dermaplane.
How This Compares to Shaving
Some patients similarly believe that shaving causes hair to grow back with renewed vigor. But we want to point out that hair removed from any part of your body by any treatment will grow in the same color and texture as before. This is simple biology at work.
Shaving and dermaplaning appear similar, but the latter is a more thorough and surface-safe treatment (you don’t have to worry about nicks or cuts) that also works for sensitive skin. Shaving is more for removing large, thick portions of unwanted hair. In addition, it does not improve skin tone or texture, and it cannot combat the appearance of fine lines and acne.
A Few Words About Facial Hair
The hair we will remove from your face is called vellus hair. You probably know it more commonly as peach fuzz. This is a soft, translucent growth that appears during childhood. We all have vellus hair; it’s intended to regulate the body’s temperature with insulation and cooling processes, as needed.
Removing this hair is perfectly fine. In fact, it even has some benefits for the face. To start, makeup applies more evenly without the presence of peach fuzz, giving you that soft, dewy finish you crave. In addition, skincare products can work more effectively without having to push through the barrier made by the hair and dead skin cells. This means your serums and moisturizers will provide you with greater benefits.
Benefits of This Treatment
A leading advantage for patients is the correction of acne. By removing the skin and hair that commonly clogs pores, we eliminate the leading causes of breakouts. This process also reduces bacteria on the surface of the skin for a cleaner, clearer complexion. Finally, this therapy can help reduce the appearance of acne scars and balance skin tone.
Additional benefits include the following:
- Gentle enough for sensitive skin
- Minimal redness
- Causes no trauma to the skin
- Minimizes the appearance of pores
- Clears the surface layer for a more refined appearance
- Stimulates blood circulation
- Improves elasticity and texture
- Reduces hyperpigmentation
- Clears away debris that traps dirt and oils
- Diminishes the look of fine lines
- Works on all skin types
How It Differs From Simple Exfoliation
You might think a simple exfoliation process at home can provide the same benefits, but it can’t. To start, exfoliation scrubs do not target peach fuzz, and if used in excess, they can irritate the skin. In addition, scrubbing can damage the delicate surface of your face.
Some formulas are designed to target specific problems – for instance, sugar scrubs may help dry skin. This means you may have to buy several different scrubs to get the results you want.
But dermaplaning is gentle enough for nearly all skin types. It is a non-invasive exfoliation technique that also eliminates hair, so it yields twice the benefit as traditional exfoliators. In addition, this treatment can be repeated as necessary to help you meet your beauty goals, allowing it to be somewhat personalized.
This Is Not Dermabrasion
This treatment is not similar in any way to dermabrasion, which is a mechanical exfoliation technique that uses micro-crystals and suctioning to exfoliate the skin. Dermabrasion causes bleeding and may pose some discomfort. It is largely considered an aggressive therapy that, although yields results, is not recommended for all skin types.
Significant differences also exist between dermaplaning and microdermabrasion, yet another therapy that can improve the signs of wrinkles, acne scars, and fine lines. The latter creates abrasion, pressure, and suction during treatment to provide a smooth and exfoliated canvas, but it, too, is somewhat aggressive in nature. Dermaplaning poses the most gentle option of these three treatments.
Understanding Your Face
Every 30 days or so, your skin undergoes a natural cycle of turnover. The upper layer (the epidermis) sheds to reveal new skin from your middle layer (dermis). This cycle, however, isn’t always as neat and perfect as we would like it to be. Sometimes, dead cells don’t fully shed and lead to flaky skin, clogged pores, and dry patches.
The rate at which cells turnover changes throughout each of our lives. Babies and young children have a much faster turnover because they’re growing quickly. But as we age, the turnover rate slows. In addition, skin that doesn’t function normally is that in which dead cells remain stuck to the surface and within the follicle. This plug of cellular debris and excess oil forms a blackhead or, if bacteria invade, an inflamed blemish.
Going Below the Surface
When you think of your skin, you probably envision only the surface. This is, after all, what’s visible to you. But so much that happens there, including fine lines and dryness, is impacted by activities deep below the surface.
The dermis is where most of the skin’s magic happens. It houses blood and lymph vessels in charge of delivering nutrients to your skin and removing toxins. This layer also holds oil glands and hair follicles, and any debris that becomes trapped in either can lead to skin issues.
How Treatment Helps
You already know dermaplaning gently removes old skin cells to smooth dry patches and clear the complexion. It also “tricks” the skin into turning over at a faster rate than it normally would. This makes the treatment beneficial in ways that go beyond appearance. Understanding this also helps you understand how the therapy grants you a more youthful-looking face with improved clarity and fewer lines.
What to Expect During Your Treatment
Our practice is committed to giving you a great experience delivered by friendly, professional staff members. On the day of your treatment, we will use a specialized blade to remove dead skin cells and fine hairs from the epidermis, leaving skin soft and smooth. Next, a hydrating mask will be applied to nourish your skin. As a final step, we will apply moisturizer and sunscreen to calm and protect your face.
Consider the Results
This therapy is painless and involves no incisions, so your skin won’t be irritated or need to heal. You’ll have no downtime and be able to return to normal activities immediately. Using our gentle and experienced technique, we’ll enhance your natural features and improve skin without the possibility of side effects or complications.
One important note is that this treatment can clear away up to three weeks’ worth of dead skin cells. We already talked about the immediate visibility of results, which include brighter and softer skin. This makes it ideal for people of nearly all ages.
Enhance the Effects
After your treatment, incorporating other skincare modalities can boost the effects and improve overall skin health. For instance, a light chemical peel delivered immediately after can provide an even brighter glow and further improve skin texture.
We recommend you discuss your skincare history and treatment goals with our office during your consultation. This will allow us to develop a fully-integrated treatment plan that may or may not include secondary therapies.
Because we’re committed to educating you on skincare options, we will ensure you not only completely understand your treatment, but that you’re also comfortable with the expected outcomes.
An Option You Should Try
Dermaplaning is a gentle, pain-free therapy that can leave your skin looking and feeling refreshed. It’s also quick, around 30 minutes, and can fit conveniently into almost any schedule. Additionally, it is so safe that we recommend it to almost anyone.
Our qualified staff of physicians, physician assistants, and nurses are ready to help you look and feel your best. Call Revive MD Center in Glen Allen, Virginia, today. We look forward to scheduling your consultation appointment and answering all your questions.
