How To Choose The Right Treatment: Dermaplaning Vs Microdermabrasion

Dermaplaning and microdermabrasion exfoliate the skin, giving you soft, smooth skin that glows. They also have anti-aging benefits. Aside from working for exfoliation, these two skin care treatments refresh the skin. It leaves them healthier and brand new. Both are non-invasive and painless procedures. They have little to no recovery time at all.

However, these two facial procedures are entirely different. So when it comes to dermaplaning vs microdermabrasion, which treatment option is right for you? It is essential to consider your skin type. You should also consider what you particularly need before getting facial treatments when choosing microdermabrasion vs dermaplaning.

What Is Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning is a procedure where the epidermal, or the top layer of the skin is removed with a surgical blade (or a device resembling the surgical one) by an aesthetician. If you’ve ever heard people ask, “What is dermablading?” It’s basically the same procedure, just a different term. This will exfoliate the top layer of your dead skin cells as well as the peach fuzz (otherwise known as vellus hair). After the procedure, what you get is smoother skin and a visible glow.

Removing both the dead cells and vellus hair will then lead to a smoother complexion. Especially if you use makeup all the time, you will not have to worry about skin damage.

Dermaplaning for acne scars of any skin type, including those suffering from sensitive skin, is a much gentler procedure than microdermabrasion, though both use exfoliation. The process of exfoliation [1] aids in the skin’s natural regeneration and also promotes anti-aging properties.

This procedure refines wrinkles, fine lines, dry skin, and stretch marks and addresses acne scarring and many other skin issues by allowing the skin to expose a different skin level. This treatment solution has no downtime and can be used in combination with peels, sheet masks, or a similar product to enhance the result.

Benefits of Dermaplaning Treatment

1. Removes unwanted facial hair

The peeling solution has the power to remove facial hair or those that trap dirt and oils, thereby causing breakouts and other problems. In men, they grow on the chin, cheeks, and upper lip. For women, they are caused by hormonal imbalances.

2. Provides smoother skin

It also provides smoother skin, especially if you are the type of person who presents yourself in a crowd. A smooth surface is well-hydrated, glowing, soft, and has a good texture. It has to have firm support from collagen and elastin. You can differentiate a smooth appearance from one with an uneven tone. The latter is rough, coarse, dry, and dull. Dermaplane facial treatment also combats damage from the sun.

3. Takes away “peach fuzz” or dead skin cells

Dead cells are usually present in the epidermal base layer. They move upward through the outer skin surface where they become dead skin cells, forming the “stratum corneum.” It is around 20 layers of dead cells.

4. Reduces acne scarring

Acne scars are due to inflamed blemishes from pores engorged with bacteria, excess oil, and dead cells. The swelling of the pores causes breakouts in the walls of the follicle. Due to these, there will be minor and shallow lesions that the skin repairs, thus causing acne scars from the formed collagen fibers.

Side Effects of Dermaplaning Treatment

Dermaplaning is a safe and effective treatment for most skin types, so the risks are minimal. Possible dermaplaning side effects could include:

1. Slight redness in the face

Although this treatment is low-risk, redness may appear a few hours after getting into the process. Facial redness or erythema may also be due to rosacea. In addition, it may also be due to sensitivity to skin care products. Other causes include exposure to the sun, spicy food, and dryness.

2. Whiteheads

A day or two after the procedures, whiteheads may also appear. These are forms of acne breakouts that occur on your back, chest, shoulders, and neck, aside from just the face. Some whiteheads lead to permanent scarring.

3. Infection

While very rare, the infection may also be one of the dermaplane side effects. If this occurs, consult with your dermatologist. They can offer treatment for the scar tissue with steroid injections to soften the scars.

Dermaplaning vs Microdermabrasion

If you’re asking yourself, “What’s the difference between microdermabrasion and dermaplaning, and which one should I pick?” then this section is for you.

Dermaplaning, otherwise known as skin shaving, involves passing a scalpel over the problem areas in a scraping motion to meet your cosmetic needs and goals. However, there is another procedure that you may consider in your options, especially if you suffer from certain skin conditions: microdermabrasion.

Microdermabrasion Procedure

Microdermabrasion scrapes away dead skin cells on the surface by utilizing a diamond-tip suction wand or fine crystals to provide exfoliation for the face. There is an intentional abrasion to create pressure and a vacuum with a clinical or microdermabrasion home kit, particularly across the epidermal layer, to take away the skin debris.

Microdermabrasion is the best treatment procedure for hyperpigmentation, discoloration, clogged pores, or dark spots. For those suffering from sensitive skin, however, microdermabrasion isn’t recommended. The exfoliant or suction may cause inflammation. Depending on the skin type, the side effects of microdermabrasion may include skin irritation, reddened skin, peeling, and the clogging of pores.

Dermaplaning Procedure

The dermaplaning face treatment makes use of a scalpel and sterile blade known as the dermaplane. Both procedures promote collagen production. This is the protein that is responsible for skin elasticity. Crystal microdermabrasion should be the better choice for preventative treatment, reducing pigmentation, or protecting the skin from varied issues.

However, we would recommend using a suitable sheet mask or an enzyme treatment to ensure better results. Keep in mind that you have to visit your medical esthetician or undergo microdermabrasion for several weeks before you can get the desired results. 

Afterward, attending maintenance treatment sessions is a must. Dermaplaning necessitates more frequent treatments than microdermabrasion. The advisable frequency is every three weeks to enjoy better results.

Which Treatment Should You Choose?

Acne-prone skin

Microdermabrasion treats non-inflammatory acne that does not cause swelling. It also decreases the visibility of acne scars. Dermaplaning removes acne scars, deep scars, pockmarks, and many other skin conditions. Both are suitable for acne-prone skin.

Blackheads

Dermaplaning blackheads treatment prevents your pores from clogging up by removing dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin; hence, it reduces the chances of clogged pores that often turn to blackheads (or whiteheads) after built-up sebum is not properly and deeply cleansed.

Microdermabrasion blackhead treatment ensures an improvement by extracting the dead skin cells and sebum away from your pores by exfoliation. With regular microdermabrasion treatments, it can reduce pore size, thus reducing the appearance of large pores on your skin as well.

Aging

Dermaplaning provides benefits for aging skin, which will have dead cell buildup since cell turnover may slow down as you age. Microdermabrasion supports collagen production and corrects the various signs of aging, giving the skin a smooth appearance.

Wrinkles and fine lines

These are due to diet preferences, smoking, dehydration, excessive sun exposure, and a lack of sleep. Both dermaplaning and microdermabrasion can treat wrinkles and fine lines and even out the skin tone due to good product penetration.