Dermaplaning: a treatment gone viral
For several years, social media has been full of videos praising a new beauty ritual: dermaplaning. Presented as a miracle technique for smooth, luminous skin, it particularly appeals to young adults. According to an aesthetic treatment booking site, it is now among the most requested treatments for those aged 18-30.
Offered in many salons at 80 to 200 CHF per session, dermaplaning, or facial shaving, exfoliates skin by gently "scraping" with a scalpel. Its purported dual aim is to remove dead cells and facial vellus hair for softer texture, a brighter complexion and better cosmetic penetration.
Despite enthusiasm, the technique carries risks. Apparent simplicity may suggest harmless care, but it requires complete technical mastery and detailed skin physiology knowledge.
What is dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is superficial mechanical exfoliation. Using a fine blade, a beautician gently scrapes the stratum corneum, the epidermis's outermost layer of dead cells. This also removes fine facial hair.
In theory, this improves cell renewal, stimulates microcirculation and enhances complexion radiance. Cleared of impurities, the epidermis reflects light better, appearing smoother and more even. Subsequently applied serums, masks or moisturisers penetrate more, reinforcing an immediate "new skin" effect.
The principle is not new. Dermaplaning draws on facial shaving techniques long popular in Japan and the United States. However, widespread beauty influencer promotion and tutorials have transformed professional care into an accessible trend, sometimes practised at home with online kits. This trivialisation precisely concerns doctors.
The benefits of dermaplaning
Precisely performed by a trained beautician, dermaplaning visibly smooths and brightens skin. Removing dead cells and fine hair that dull the complexion improves light reflection and immediately clearer skin. Mechanical exfoliation also stimulates renewal, improves microcirculation and optimises subsequent cosmetic active penetration. Skin feels softer, irregularities fade and make-up adheres better. Occasional use can therefore genuinely boost radiance and restore a fresh, even appearance without chemicals.
Dangers for the skin
Although often presented as painless and safe, dermaplaning requires rigorous technical training. Using a facial blade is never trivial: slight imprecision can cause microcuts, irritation or, in serious cases, infections.
The first risk is injury. Even tiny wounds allow bacterial entry and can cause folliculitis, pustules or infectious dermatitis. Thin, vascularised facial skin reacts strongly to mechanical damage, increasing this risk.
The second risk concerns barrier function. Removing the stratum corneum weakens natural protection. Skin becomes more permeable and vulnerable to ultraviolet rays, pollution, wind or irritating cosmetics. Short-term effects include redness, tingling and hypersensitivity. Overly frequent repetition can durably impair skin tolerance.
Finally, some skin types contraindicate treatment. People with inflammatory acne, eczema, rosacea or active lesions must not use it. Mechanical abrasion could worsen symptoms, cause secondary infection or spread irritation.
A practice not always mastered
In beauty salons, trained beauticians generally perform dermaplaning. Yet absent specific regulation and growing home-kit sales encourage improvised practice. Numerous videos promote home dermaplaning without always mentioning necessary precautions.
Doctors are concerned. Poor technique or inadequately disinfected equipment can cause microtrauma, irritation or bacterial contamination. Unlike a simple scrub, dermaplaning directly contacts a sharp instrument. It should remain professional care under strict sterile and hygienic conditions.
Antiseptic application before and after care, disposable blades and mastery of shaving direction are decisive safety factors.
The relationship between exfoliation and rejuvenation
Supporters claim removing dead cells stimulates regeneration, making skin look younger. Theoretically, exfoliation does promote epidermal renewal and improve skin quality.
However, this effect is temporary and purely superficial. Dermaplaning affects neither dermal structure nor collagen production, both essential to firmness and elasticity. Unlike some medical peels or controlled microdermabrasion, it does not act deeply.
Immediate soft, radiant skin is often perceived as a radiance boost rather than genuine anti-ageing treatment. Repeated friction may also cause hyperreactivity or chronic inflammation in some patients, paradoxically accelerating ageing.
Dermaplaning may therefore be occasional maintenance care rather than a lasting solution for sagging or wrinkles.
Microdermabrasion or dermaplaning: what are the differences?
For patients wishing to exfoliate without risk, microdermabrasion is a safer, more controlled alternative. It uses microcrystal flow or a diamond tip to gently polish skin without blades or cuts.
Microdermabrasion produces finer texture, a more even complexion and better tissue oxygenation. It causes neither bleeding nor significant inflammation and suits most skin types, including sensitive skin.
It can also combine with LED, light peels or Hydrafacial to optimise results. However, professional expertise is still required: a qualified operator adjusts device power and passes to skin tolerance.
In summary, microdermabrasion differs in precision, control and safety while providing comparable immediate radiance.
Skin after dermaplaning
After dermaplaning, skin immediately appears softer and brighter but also more reactive. With its barrier partly removed, it is particularly sensitive to external aggressors.
Appropriate aftercare is essential: intense hydration, daily sun protection and exclusively non-irritating products. Formulas containing acids (AHA, BHA, retinoids) should be avoided for several days while the barrier reforms.
Without vigilance, patients risk inflammatory reactions, pigmentation or impaired skin quality. Professional follow-up and advice preserve benefits without side effects.
The cult of perfect skin
Dermaplaning's success belongs to a broader pursuit of smooth, even, flawless skin. Digital filters and social media beauty standards fuel this perfectionism.
This has consequences. Trivialising technical procedures once reserved for professionals confuses aesthetic care and professional acts. Even simple procedures require detailed skin physiology understanding and must be safe.
The doctor's educational, informative and preventative role is essential. Rather than yielding to fashion, each technique needs scientific and medical context so beauty remains synonymous with health.
Conclusion: an appealing treatment requiring supervision
Dermaplaning perfectly illustrates current aesthetic trends' ambivalence: immediate radiance promised through delicate, potentially risky manipulation. Although an experienced professional can temporarily boost radiance and improve skin quality, it must never be considered trivial.
Poor technique or excessive frequency weakens the barrier, increases sensitivity and risks infection. For effective, safe exfoliation, doctor-performed microdermabrasion or gentle peels are more reliable alternatives.
Ultimately, facial beauty lies in preserving healthy, protected, respected skin rather than completely removing vellus hair or artificial perfection. Like every aesthetic technique, dermaplaning must be performed by a trained operator, never improvised.
