Some questions on dermaplaning.

Dr Irwin, Thank you so much for the information you provide. I have searched your blog content for information on dermaplaning and have not found anything. For about a year I had monthly treatments of dermaplaning followed by a chemical peel done by an esthetician at a plastic surgeon’s office. I’m 61 and have been blessed with good skin, but I decided it was time to do a little more for my skin than I had been doing. I finally decided that the treatments were making my skin look worse rather than better and discontinued them. What is your opinion of dermaplaning? Is microdermabrasion an alternative to dermaplaning? I’m particularly interested in the PMD device you discussed on your site. Also does microdermabrasion preclude the use of Renova? Robin

Hi Robin

So for readers who don’t know, dermaplaning is a method used for gentle exfoliation.  A tiny scalpel blade is used carefully to lightly abrade off a few layers of dead skin cells (stratum corneum) which also removes the tiny, light hair (vellus hairs) with it.   Robin’s aesthetician is following that with a light chemical (which kind?) peel.  The dermaplaning makes the peel solution absorb into the skin more avidly and more evenly. 

My vote in general is that unless you have very thick, oily, 22 year old skin with acne, this combination and at monthly intervals, is WAY too much.   For example, a dermaplaning every 6-8 weeks (no peel), or……. a light peel every 8 weeks (no dermaplaning) might be fine.   With your current regimen, your skin is constantly irritated and dry probably.   You will NOT get deep collagen regeneration with this type of procedure so the benefits are minimal over the age of 40.  Just a skin freshening with a little bit of superficial collagen generated is all and you’re not really even seeing that due to the irritation probably.

 I wouldn’t recommend microdermabrasion unless you have large pores, oily skin and problems with comedones over 40 generally.   The PMD device question depends on your goals for it.  You can use Renova with all of these procedures but stop it 1 week before any of them.  

 Hope this helps,

 Dr. I

 

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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