If you’ve ever wondered if you could do some of your favorite dermatological procedures at home to save a couple hundred bucks, you’re in luck. Dermaplaning – the fantastic treatment that gives you the coveted “dolphin skin” look – is now easy to do at home with the right tools.
So how do you get the benefits of dermaplaning at home? The most important thing is to get the right tools and follow a proper technique that will allow you to do the procedure safely.
In this post, we will go over what dermaplaning is, how to do it at home, and what you should keep in mind to get that glass skin look safely and effectively on your own.
What Is dermaplaning? Dermaplaning is a process of exfoliating the skin that originally involved using a scalpel to remove the outermost layer of the skin cells and tiny hairs from your face. It reduces the look of fine lines and pores, evens the skin tone, and creates a smooth canvas for makeup.
Dermaplaning has originally been done in a dermatologist’s office because it requires a lot of skill and a sanitary environment to do it safely.
The benefits of dermaplaning include:
- Smoother skin
- Glowing skin
- Evened skin tone
- Helps absorb skincare products better
- Reduces breakouts
- Removes dead skin cells, oils, and gunk from the skin
- Removes peach fuzz
- Reduces the look of fine lines
Dermaplaning was popularized by celebrities who would get it done before big events. The terms “dolphin skin” and “glass skin” refer to the effect of freshly-dermaplaned skin that glows and shines in the light.
Can You Dermaplane At Home?
Yes, these days it’s totally possible to dermaplane at home. This can save you hundreds of dollars and allow you to get that glowing look whenever and wherever you need.
You no longer need to call up your doc and drag yourself to her office to achieve the skin of your dreams. With the right tools and a good technique, you can do your own dermaplaning at home.
Instead of a surgical scalpel, home dermaplaning kits rely on razor-like tools that are much safer to use and won’t cut you as badly as a scalpel could. This allows the procedure to be done in a home setting.
But the technique matters, too. Even home dermaplaning tools can leave you with cuts, scrapes, and even scars if you don’t do it right. We’ll go over some tips for safe dermaplaning in a moment.
In the meantime, you should make sure you have the right dermaplaning tools. There are quite a few of them on the market, from high-tech electronic ones to simple manual ones.
At-Home Dermaplaning Tools
Here are a few we recommend based on overwhelmingly positive reviews:
- Stacked Skincare Dermaplaning Tool – This one comes highly recommended by a lot of beauty experts. It was designed by a licensed aesthetician Kerry Benjamin. It has a replaceable blade made out of surgical steel that effectively removes dead skin cells and gunk that accumulates on the surface of the skin, revealing beautiful glowy skin in its place.
- Dermaflash Luxe – This dermaplaning tool takes things to the next level by adding sonic waves to the process, allowing for better exfoliation and more precise anti-aging results.
- Schick Hydro-Silk Touch Up – For those looking for a simple budget-friendly solution, these Schick dermaplaning tools come in a pack of three and feature high-precision blades.
Equipped with these tools, you can dermaplane at home. For the best results make sure you follow the steps below to exfoliate your skin safely and effectively.
How To Dermaplane At Home
Dermaplaning is safe and easy if you have the right tools and follow the proper steps.
Before you begin, make sure you have a high-quality dermaplaning tool. Next, you’ll want to find a place where you can dermaplane in a clean and well-lit environment.
Your bathroom is a good spot to do this because there is usually a mirror and good lighting. But if your bathroom won’t work, you can set up a personal “dermaplaning station” anywhere in your house. Just remember that you’ll need a mirror, a clean space, and good lighting.
We also recommend you watch some Youtube videos to get a good idea of how others set up their dermaplaning spaces and how they work the tool on their face to get the best results. Watching someone else do it can be helpful in learning the technique.
When you’re ready, follow the steps below:
1. Start With A Clean Face
It’s important to start with a freshly cleaned face. Make sure to remove any makeup and product from your face and use a gentle cleanser to wash your face. Then dry it with a clean towel.
Since dermaplaning can sometimes cause microscopic cuts on your skin (especially if you’re a newbie to the practice) it’s very important that your face is free of dirt and bacteria so that you don’t cause an infection.
2. Prepare Your Tool
Next, make sure your dermaplaning tool is clean and ready to go. If you’ve used it before, make sure to sanitize it before you use it again. Even if it’s brand new, you want to make sure it’s clean before you put it to your face.
Rubbing it with a little bit of alcohol is usually enough to get it sanitary. Make sure if your tool requires electricity or a battery charge that it’s plugged in, charged, and ready to go.
3. Hold It At The Right Angle
When dermaplaning, you want to avoid cutting yourself at all costs. Your goal is to gently remove the peach fuzz and the outside layer of your skin, which is mostly made up of dead skin cells.
The best way to do that is the hold the dermaplaning tool at a 45 degree angle from your skin.
4. Work Your Way Downwards
Once you’re ready to begin dermaplaning, hold your skin taught with one hand, and work the tool with your other hand. Use quick downward strokes while applying light pressure to your skin.
5. Dermaplane The Right Parts Of Your Face
It’s best to start near the edge of your face by your ears and work your way down towards your jawline. Then start moving closer to the nose by continuing to use short downward strokes from your cheekbone area down your cheek towards your jawline.
Once both cheeks are covered, you can work on the forehead and temple areas. Lastly, if you wish, you can dermaplane your neck by working down from your jawline to the base of your neck.
Never bring the dermaplaning tool to your eyelids, and avoid the hairline, mouth, and sides of the nose.
6. Avoid Cuts
Dermaplaning tools are pretty sharp – even the ones that are available for use at home. It’s very important that you avoid cutting your face. If you have any irritated bumps or pimples on your face, try to avoid them because they are more likely to get nicked – and to get infected.
When in doubt, ease up the pressure with which you’re dermaplaning your face. It’s best to under-do it than to over-do it.
7. Rinse
Once you’ve dermaplaned all the parts of your face that you wanted to cover, make sure to rinse your face with cool water and a gentle cleanser. This will remove any left-behind dead skin cells, hairs, and dirt.
At this point you are ready to continue your skincare and makeup routines as normal, and you should be admiring your freshly exfoliated glowing skin!
What To Do After Dermaplaning
One thing to keep in mind after you’ve dermaplaned your face is that your skin might be a little more vulnerable than usual. This means you should be extra gentle with it for a few days.
1. Moisturize
Dermaplaning exposes newer skin and breaks down some of your skin’s natural moisture barrier making it vulnerable to dryness. It’s important to moisturize well after you’re done with the treatment.
We recommend putting on a hydrating serum immediately after moisturizing and sealing it all with a good moisturizer before you do anything else.
2. Avoid Irritating Products
Since your skin is going to be a little more fragile than usual for a few days, avoid putting irritating products on it, even if they are normally well-tolerated by your skin. This includes chemical exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acid (BHAs), and retinols.
3. Protect With SPF
Freshly exfoliated skin is very susceptible to sun damage, so wearing SPF after dermaplaning is a must! Make sure to go with a strong broad-spectrum sunscreen that is SPF 30 or above.
4. Enjoy Your Beautiful Skin
Other than the few tips above, your skin is ready to go! Freshly dermaplaned skin is better at absorbing products and makes a perfect base for makeup. Once you’ve properly hydrated and protected your skin, you can treat it like you normally would.
We hope this guide helps you achieve the perfect glow at home. Get ready to receive lots of compliments!
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