5 Dermaplaning Myths You Shouldn’t Believe

Of all our favorite skincare treatments, dermaplaning (sometimes called face shaving) may be the most misunderstood. While many people are comfortable using peels and serums, many have yet to try dermaplaning themselves. Once available only through in-office treatments, dermaplaning is a simple exfoliation technique that’s now easy to do yourself thanks to new user-friendly devices like our Dermaplaning Tool, Standard Dermaplaning Blades and Precision Dermaplaning Blades.

Like shaving, dermaplaning removes fine facial hair and dead skin on the face with a blade, instantly revealing smoother and softer skin. Performed regularly, dermaplaning helps refine and brighten the skin, diminish the appearance of dark spots and fine lines, and enhance product penetration. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation swirling around the internet about dermaplaning. To help you out, we’re myth-busting five of the most common misconceptions about this treatment.

MYTH #1

Your Peach Fuzz Will Grow Back Thicker & Darker

Let’s get this rumor done with once and for all: no matter where it grows on your body, shaving does not cause hair to grow back thicker or darker. Many people think that shaving your legs or underarms causes thicker hair growth. This is false. It’s biologically impossible for hair to grow back thicker because of shaving. Shaving simply creates a blunt tip on the hairs, which many people interpret as greater thickness. When you dermaplane, you are removing very, very fine hair called vellus hair. This hair is so thin and soft that removing it with a dermaplaning tool will have little to no impact on how it looks when it grows back. After removing the vellus hair, your skin will instantly feel and look smoother and brighter. It will take about a week for the hair to grow back, at which time you can dermaplane again.

MYTH #2

Dermaplaning Is Painful

Dermaplaning is actually one of the least painful ways to remove facial hair and dead skin—especially when compared to other hair removal techniques like sugaring, threading, and waxing. Think about it: shaving your underarms isn’t painful, so why would shaving your face be painful? Many people describe the feeling of dermaplaning as a gentle tickle or brushing sensation. 

MYTH #3

Dermaplaning Will Cause Breakouts

Like most exfoliation techniques, dermaplaning prevents breakouts rather than causes them. While dermaplaning can’t be performed on skin with active acne, it will prevent clogged pores and pimples from forming. By removing the top layer of dead skin cells, dermaplaning prevents these cells from getting trapped inside your pores. Less dead skin = fewer breakouts. By gently exfoliating the skin, dermaplaning also makes it easier for acne treatments and serums to penetrate into the pores to prevent and treat breakouts.

MYTH #4

Dermaplaning Isn’t for Darker Skin

While some exfoliation methods (like scrubs) aren’t recommended for darker skin, dermaplaning is 100% safe. Dermaplaning is a type of manual exfoliation like a face scrub. However, unlike a scrub, dermaplaning doesn’t irritate or cause micro-abrasions in the skin so it won’t cause hyperpigmentation. It’s actually one of our favorite exfoliation methods for dark skin because it instantly removes the dark baby hair that can make deep skin look duller than it really is.

MYTH #5

Dermaplaning Is Time-Consuming

While it may take you slightly longer during your first few uses as you get used to performing the treatment yourself, dermaplaning shouldn’t take you longer than 3-5 minutes. Plus, you only need to dermaplane once a week to see noticeable results.