Should you dermaplane your own face?

Peach fuzz can crop up anywhere on the body. But when those wispy little hairs appear on the face, they can make some people self-conscious. The good news, experts say, is that dermaplaning is a great way to get rid of them.

Whether you try it at home or in a medical office or spa, dermaplaning is just “a fancy form of shaving,” says Dr Kathleen Cook Suozzi, an aesthetic dermatologist at Yale Medicine. A sharp blade is used to gently scrape away those little hairs, she says, along with dead skin cells, which can improve the health and look of your skin.

But is it safe to try it at home? Here’s what to know.

How does dermaplaning affect your skin?

A medical or cosmetic professional will typically use a sterile surgical blade to perform the procedure, whereas the tools used at home are generally duller, Suozzi says.

Whichever route you take, dermaplaning should make your skin feel softer and look smoother and brighter, says doctor Roberta Lucas, a dermatologist at Dartmouth Health.

The scraping removes built-up dead skin cells, which can give you a dull complexion, Lucas says. And along with bacteria and dirt, these skin cells can clog your pores and contribute to acne. Dermaplaning also keeps skin healthy by triggering cell turnover, where dead skin cells are shed and replaced with new ones, Lucas adds.

When dead skin cells layer on top of peach fuzz, it can create an uneven surface for makeup, making it look “cakey,” says Dr. Desmond Shipp, a cosmetic dermatologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre. Dermaplaning will create a smoother canvas. It also helps skin care products to absorb better, Lucas says.

If you’re worried that dermaplaning will cause your hair to grow back faster, darker or coarser, don’t be. “That’s an old tale,” Shipp says, but the hairs might look and feel different.