Unwanted Facial Hair? Try Dermaplaning

By Lisa Ellis

Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

Peach fuzz, also known as "vellus hair," can grow on your body and also your face. Over time, genetics and hormones can also cause it to become more prominent.

"Vellus hair helps to regulate body temperature and sensory function," explains Teri Kotantoulas, Licensed Esthetician of Face To Face Esthetics in Colorado. Nonetheless, most women find its presence can be more bothersome than practical. No worries, an exfoliation treatment called dermaplaning may help remove the unwanted hair while revealing radiant skin.

How Dermaplaning Works

If you have unwanted peach fuzz, you might want to consider a technique called dermaplaning to remove it—at least for the short term. "Dermaplaning is a wonderful skin exfoliation procedure performed by a licensed esthetician that, as an added benefit, temporarily removes vellus hair from the surface of the skin," Kotantoulas says. It's a painless process that's done using a surgical scalpel blade to scrape the skin, which removes the dead skin cells and in the process, also takes off the layer of light hair and all of the dirt, makeup, and oils that are trapped there. This can reveal fresher, smoother, hairless skin.

Since the hair is only removed from the surface, though, the results are temporary. Therefore, many women need to repeat this procedure on a monthly basis.

Benefits of Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning can help:

Reveal fresher, more refined skin
Increase circulation of blood and lymph flow
Improve the skin's immune response and vitality
Promote natural shedding process of the skin
Soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Minimize the appearance of pores
Reduce hyperpigmentation
Create a more even skin tone
Improve the skin's elasticity and texture

Finding an Esthetician to Do Dermaplaning

When considering dermaplaning, Kotantoulas says you should find a licensed esthetician. Also ask up front what the cost is and what's included. "I personally include a complete, customized facial when performing dermaplaning on my clients so they may get maximum benefits from the procedure," she says, adding that each professional may handle the costs differently.

"In order to receive the maximum benefit from your professional treatments, it's important to follow your esthetician's recommended skin care regimen at home," she stresses. Doing so will give you longer lasting results.

Following dermaplaning, you'll need to take extra care of your skin in the sun, since it won't have any hair to protect it from the elements. This means you'll have to wear sunscreen every day and also avoid the sun entirely immediately after the procedure and for the next four or five days.