Beautiful skin requires maintenance, and one of the most important ways to maintain skin health is through regular exfoliation treatments. Dead skin buildup can lead to dull skin and poor skin texture, as well as acne. There is a simple treatment that you can safely add to your monthly skincare routine that will help you achieve and maintain beautiful skin each month. At Oceana Luxe Medspa in Corpus Christi, TX, we offer dermaplane sessions to help you do just that.
How Often Should You Dermaplane?
The benefit of dermaplane sessions is that you can add them to your regular skincare routine to maintain beautiful, exfoliated skin each month. Most patients schedule monthly appointments to maintain smooth and healthy skin, while others schedule more or less frequent appointments as needed. Your dermaplane schedule is customizable and is completely based on your unique skin needs and ultimate goals.
The skin re-growth cycle takes approximately 30 days, so while the results from this treatment are long-lasting, they won’t last forever. During your initial consultation with one of our skincare experts, we will help determine the best treatment plan, including how often you should undergo these exfoliating treatments to get the best results.
What Is Dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is one of the simplest, most effective forms of physical exfoliation. The process involves the use of one tool, a straight, medical-grade scalpel. This scalpel gently exfoliates the top layer of the skin and, in doing so, removes dead skin cells and peach fuzz. It has many benefits and has become a popular treatment for its ability to:
- Improve overall skin texture
- Create smoother, more uniform skin
- Reduce the appearance of acne scars
- Improve hyperpigmentation
- Reverse sun damage
- Improve dull, uneven skin tone
- Eliminate the dead skin cell barrier
- Improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
How Does It Work?
Your skin naturally exfoliates itself every 30 days. Old skin cells are shed through the natural exfoliation processes initiated by the body. However, even though your skin creates a new top layer of skin each month, it needs some help removing the old cells so that your new, youthful layer can shine through.
This treatment works by assisting the body by removing dead skin cells and peach fuzz, and other unwanted facial hair from the surface of the skin. It provides immediate, skin-smoothing, and skin-brightening results.
What Happens During a Typical Dermaplane Treatment?
Your Consultation
Qualifying for Treatment
An initial consultation is also important because it helps us determine whether dermaplaning is the right choice for you and if it will help you meet all of your goals. We’ll discuss any previous skincare treatments you may have experienced in the past, your skincare routine, whether you use certain topical products like Retin-A or if you are on Accutane. We’ll also discuss your current hair removal techniques in your treatment area as well as other exfoliating treatments.
Preparing for Your Appointment
Before your appointment, there are some directives you must follow to prepare for your appointment to ensure positive results. If you use Accutane, you need to discontinue its use for at least six months temporarily. One to two weeks before your scheduled appointment, discontinue the use of all harsh topical products that exfoliate the skin, including prescription Retin-A or other products that contain retinol.
If you wax your face, make sure that you schedule your waxing appointment at least one week before your dermaplaning appointment. You should also avoid the sun the week before your appointment because sunburned skin is not suitable for this treatment. You should also increase your water intake to keep your skin hydrated.
The Dangers of Over-Exfoliating
When To Reschedule
Your Appointment
If possible, on the day of your appointment, arrive with a clean face free of makeup or products. Before beginning treatment, your aesthetician will analyze your skin to ensure it is ready for treatment and start the dermaplaning session. She will use a surgical, medical-grade scalpel to carefully exfoliate your skin at a 45° angle. This angle is critical because it effectively removes dead skin cells and hair without harming or cutting your skin.
The entire treatment is completely painless and does not require any topical numbing creams or medication. Dermaplaning is twice as effective when added to a chemical peel or facial since it opens up the skin and allows for product absorption. During your consultation, we can discuss whether adding this treatment to another treatment will help you reach your skin goals.
Caring for Your Skin Post-Treatment
One of the main benefits of this treatment is that it doesn’t require any downtime. You’ll be free to return home immediately after your treatment or carry on with your day as needed. You may be asked to wait for one to two days before applying makeup to avoid irritating your skin. However, you should continue to apply moisturizers throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated.
Avoid harsh exfoliating treatments post-treatment and avoid using irritating products like retinol, AHA’s, or BHA’s until one week has passed. Continue to avoid excess sun exposure and if you plan on being in the sun for any length of time, be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your new fresh layer of skin from getting burned. The easiest way to do so is to apply sunscreen at the beginning of each day and reapply as needed.
Enjoying Your Results
This treatment delivers immediate results. Once your treatment is over, you’ll be free of all the dead skin cells and peach fuzz that has stood in the way between you and bright, smooth skin. You will notice an improvement in your skin texture, especially when you begin applying makeup again post-treatment. Your products will work better because there will no longer be a barrier blocking your pores from fully absorbing all of the ingredients in your skincare products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Dermaplane at Home?
Many products on the beauty market promise to deliver the same kind of effects as an in-office dermaplaning session that you can use from the comfort of your home. Most of these products are equipped with a blade similar to what you would use to shave your legs. A proper dermaplaning session involves the use of a medical-grade single blade scalpel to exfoliate the skin and remove peach fuzz.
The average person is not skilled to perform a true dermaplane treatment with a scalpel from the comfort of their own home, nor would it be safe to attempt to do so. Doing so could put your skin at risk and could lead to nicks and cuts, and even scarring. When it comes to dermaplaning, know that it cannot be safely replicated at home. The safest, most effective way to get results is to schedule an in-office treatment.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
Ideal candidates for this treatment come from all walks of life. Pregnant women who cannot undergo more intense in-office exfoliating treatments due to safety precautions can safely schedule this treatment to exfoliate their skin and improve its overall appearance. It also is an effective solution for men and women who want to improve their skin texture, target and treat problematic skin conditions, remove peach fuzz, and improve their overall skin health.
While this treatment is open to most people, specific individuals do not qualify for treatment, including those with extremely sensitive skin, rosacea, or with significant skin issues that may require more advanced exfoliating treatments to achieve the best results. Those with active acne must wait until that heals to schedule treatment since active acne can be irritated during treatment, leading to bacteria spread on the rest of the skin’s surface.
What Are the Benefits?
There are many benefits associated with this treatment, which is why it has become and continues to be such a popular treatment among both men and women alike. It’s simple, quick, natural, and effective. It increases product absorption and helps your makeup apply flawlessly. It doesn’t use any harsh chemicals and still delivers results. It can be combined with other skincare treatments to increase their efficacy.
Schedule Your First Session Today
If you want to exfoliate your skin without doing anything invasive, dermaplaning is the perfect solution. Contact us today at Oceana Luxe Medspa in Corpus Christi, TX, and schedule your initial consultation with one of our skincare experts to find out more about dermaplane and how you can add it to your skincare routine to improve your skin health, correct skin conditions, and maintain beautiful skin year-round.