Dermaplaning, and what it actually does.
Dermaplaning is manual exfoliation with a sterile surgical blade held flat against the skin. It lifts away dead surface cells and the fine vellus hair that sits with them. There is no significant downtime, it is performed in clinic by a registered nurse, and whether your skin has a use for it is settled at assessment.
What is dermaplaning?
A sterile single-use blade is drawn across taut skin at a shallow angle, in short strokes. It takes off the outermost layer of dead cells and the fine, soft vellus hair — the down most people have on the face and rarely think about until it catches the light.
It is a physical exfoliation, which is what separates it from the other two routes in the clinic. Microdermabrasion abrades the surface with a vacuum tip. A peel dissolves the bonds between cells chemically. Dermaplaning cuts across the top of them. Same intention, three different mechanisms, and they suit different skin.
It is often done before something else — a serum, a facial, a peel — because removing that surface layer changes how the next step sits on the skin. That sequencing is a clinical decision, not a package.
Does the hair grow back thicker?
No. Cutting hair does not change the follicle it grows from, and the follicle is what determines how thick a hair is and what colour. Vellus hair grows back as vellus hair.
What changes is the end of the hair. Untouched vellus hair tapers to a fine point; cut hair has a blunt end, and a blunt end can feel coarser to the touch for a while as it grows out. That is a difference in the tip, not in the hair.
The belief is common enough that it is worth stating plainly rather than leaving people to wonder.
When it is the wrong choice.
Dermaplaning is not right for every skin, and a blade over a surface that is already compromised is the wrong move. It is generally set aside where skin is actively inflamed or broken, where there are raised lesions in the treatment area, or where the barrier is already worn down by other actives.
Skin that reddens easily and stays red often does better with less done to it, not more. That is an assessment conversation, and it is the reason this is not simply bookable off a menu.
Anything on the skin that needs identifying goes to a GP first. We describe what we see; naming it is a doctor's job.
Time, price, timing.
Stated plainly, as everything here is. If a number below is not filled in, it is because it is not confirmed — not because it is available on enquiry.
- Price
- [TALIHA: dermaplaning price]
- Session length
- [TALIHA: session length — and whether it is offered standalone or only added to another treatment]
- Downtime
- None to speak of. Skin can look a little pink for an hour or two and feels noticeably smooth immediately.
- How it is booked
- Assessment first. Whether your skin suits a blade is a clinical judgement, and it is made before rather than during.
What about aftercare?
The outer layer that normally sits between your skin and the world has just been taken off, so for a few days the skin underneath is newer than it was. That is the whole of the aftercare logic.
Sunscreen matters more than usual for the rest of the week. Leave strong actives — acids, retinoids, scrubs — alone for a few days. Skip heat: sauna, hot yoga, a long hot shower. Makeup is usually fine the next day rather than the same day.
Follow the written instructions you are given on the day — they are specific to what was done. If something does not look right, ring the clinic on 0466 310 045 rather than waiting it out.
Part of a plan, not instead of one.
Dermaplaning does one job well and does not do anything else. It will not change pigment, it will not change texture below the surface, and it is not a substitute for what you use at home.
Where it earns its place is as a step inside a written plan — usually because something else needs to reach skin that is not covered by a layer of dead cells. Whether that applies to you is what the ninety minutes is for.
Asked about dermaplaning.
Answered the way they would be answered in the room. The full list is on the FAQ page — no email required.
What is dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is manual exfoliation using a sterile surgical blade drawn across taut skin at a shallow angle. It removes the outermost layer of dead cells along with the fine vellus hair that sits with them. It is a physical exfoliation, as distinct from microdermabrasion (abrasion under vacuum) or a chemical peel (which dissolves the bonds between cells).
Does hair grow back thicker after dermaplaning?
No. Cutting a hair does not change the follicle it grows from, and the follicle determines thickness and colour. Vellus hair grows back as vellus hair. What changes is the end of the hair — untouched vellus hair tapers to a point, cut hair has a blunt end, and a blunt end can feel coarser for a while as it grows out. That is a difference in the tip, not the hair.
Is there downtime after dermaplaning?
None to speak of. Skin can look a little pink for an hour or two and feels noticeably smooth straight away. Sunscreen matters more than usual for the rest of the week, and strong actives are best left alone for a few days. You are given written instructions specific to what was done.
Who should not have dermaplaning?
It is generally set aside where skin is actively inflamed or broken, where there are raised lesions in the treatment area, or where the barrier is already worn down by other actives. Skin that reddens easily and stays red often does better with less done to it. That is an assessment conversation, which is why it is not bookable straight off a menu.
Dermaplaning or microdermabrasion — which one?
They do a similar job by different means. Dermaplaning cuts across the surface with a blade and takes vellus hair with it; microdermabrasion abrades the surface under vacuum and does not. Which suits your skin depends on what it is doing, what you already use at home, and how reactive it is — which is settled at assessment rather than by preference.