With any facial, you have to trust the esthetician whose knuckles are kneading and massaging your cheekbones. But when it comes to a dermaplaning facial, that patient-provider trust is vital: You're literally letting someone touch the blade of a knife to your skin.

For those who've maybe heard about the trendy exfoliating procedure, but are a little fuzzy on the specifics (like, what's the point, and why would you subject yourself to that?), the video above will tell you everything you need to know. In the up-close-and-personal clip, dermaplaning virgin Nina heads to Facile Dermatology Boutique in West Hollywood, where she meets medical esthetician Alexa Yontz to experience a full-service dermaplane facial for the first time — and we get a front-row seat.

Like many of us in the dead of February, Nina has dry skin, which makes her a perfect candidate for the procedure. "Dermaplane is ideal for patients who have dry, dehydrated skin," says Yontz. "The treatment removes the dead skin and peach fuzz from the face, and people really like the smooth texture of their skin afterwards. They feel that makeup goes on smoother, skin-care products absorb into the skin more effectively — plus, it gives your skin an instant all-over glow."

Of course, this all sounds good, but Nina's a little wary about going under the knife. "I'm mainly nervous about the blade cutting off the top layer of my skin," she admits before the procedure. But as you'll see, it's really not as scary as it sounds — or looks, considering there's a scalpel involved.

Yontz begins the facial like an ordinary treatment: by cleansing Nina's face, then wrapping it up with a warm towel. Once Nina's skin is clean and prepped, Alexa grabs the silver razor blade, and warns Nina not to talk or make any sudden movements — she is holding a knife. Alexa then takes the scalpel and begins scraping the dead skin and teeny-tiny hair follicles off Nina's face. Watching the dry skin peel away is satisfying, and the sound of the blade scratching up against the skin is serious ASMR.

Following the scraping portion of the facial, Yontz moves onto the red-light therapy, the perfect finale for reducing inflammation and redness while stimulating collagen production in the skin. With goggles on to cover her eyes, Nina lays under the red light for a few minutes of heat and relaxation. Then, Yontz removes the LED lamp and coats Nina's skin with a generous layer of sunscreen to protect her extra-sensitive post-facial skin from the sun when she walks outside.

After the two-part treatment, Nina is radiant, and amped with her results. "My skin feels smooth, and heavily exfoliated," she says. "Honestly, despite my hesitations, I would do it again. And I'd recommend dermaplaning to anyone I know looking for a luxury exfoliating treatment."