Dermaplaning: Practical, Gross, or Flat-Out Dangerous?

So. Let's talk facial hair, shall we? None of us likes to admit that part of our beauty routine involves removing unwanted facial hair, but truth is, many women have to remove or bleach facial hair on the regular. But if we're getting real here for a minute, we're guessing you never considered taking a full-blown razor — much less a surgical scalpel — to your pretty mug. Yet, according to YouBeauty, dermaplaning (a procedure in which an aesthetician carefully scrapes the face with a super-sharp blade) is the latest method that women are turning to to get smooth, perfectly exfoliated skin.

To understand the logic, look to the boys. According to aesthetician Mary Schook, shaving provides more of a benefit for your man than simply removing scruff. “Men are mechanically exfoliating their faces each time that they shave," says Schook. "That's why they sometimes appear to age more slowly than women do." We can see the benefit there, but doesn't resorting to scraping your skin with a blade seem kind of...harsh? Not so, argues Schook. "Dermaplaning is very gentle when done correctly," she explains. "It doesn’t cause inflammation or disrupt the delicate pH balance of the skin the way that microdermabrasion and peels can. Nobody leaves my office with a red face afterward." Gentle exfoliation sounds great — we just hope that neither you nor your aesthetician, you know, sneezes during the procedure. Ouch.

Another benefit to dermaplaning (and a main reason why it's gaining popularity among women) is that it removes unwanted facial hair or peach fuzz, resulting in an ultra-smooth look. But won't the hair grow back thicker and coarser when it's shaved? According to Schook, the blade used in dermaplaning won't turn you into Teen Wolf. "A shaver is built to shave the thick hair on our bodies, and it cuts hair in a crude, blunt way," says Schook. "Dermaplaning is like that scene in The Bodyguard, when Kevin Costner uses a samurai sword to cut the silk. It’s precise and effortless."

Alrighty then. A smoother face, a youthful glow, and a Kevin Costner reference? Dermaplaning, we may just be sold on you. But (and this is a big but) we'd advise against trying to DIY this one at home. A procedure this precise — and potentially dangerous — is definitely best left to the professionals. (YouBeauty)