Seven Questions to ask before having your Face Shaved to improve your appearance

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning has been around for a while, I know. But after having quite a few patients ask me about it and friends reach out with a “HELP!” for dermaplaning gone wrong, I figured it was time I investigate and weigh in.

What is Dermaplaning? Dermaplaning is a procedure where a razor blade is used to remove the peach fuzz vellus hairs from the face. The procedure also scrapes away the most superficial layers of the skin. The goal of dermaplaning is to give the skin a smooth, polished appearance.

Who performs dermaplaning? Dermaplaning is a procedure most often performed by a non-medical professional. We do not do dermaplaning at Appalachian Spring Dermatology, but it is done at many local spas. In my research, I could not find any regulations determining any licensing or training requirements to perform dermaplaning in our state of WV. In California, it is considered an invasive procedure that is “NOT within the scope of practice of those licensed by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.” Most states do not have any regulations regarding who can perform dermaplaning.

This is of great concern to me. Let’s use some common sense here…. Should you allow an individual with no
medical training, or for that matter, no training at all, scrape your face with
a razor blade?

Before allowing someone to perform dermaplaning, these are
the questions I would ask?

Have you had any training?

Have you been trained on how to do procedures under sterile conditions?

Have you had training in Blood Borne Pathogen spread? This means training in the spread of HIV, Hepatitis, etc.

How do you cleanse the face prior to performing the procedure?

Do you use a sterile razor blade?

Do you reuse the razor blades?

Are you able to help me if I have an infectious side effect?

Proponents of dermaplaning would argue that it is very superficial and that the following questions are not a serious concern. But again, I would caution, an untrained individual without sterile conditions with a razor blade on your face could be disastrous.

Read this industry bulletin for more on the regulations on dermaplaning.

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