Dermaplaning Gone Wrong - Potential Risks & Their Prevention
Dermaplaning gone wrong isn’t something that happens often. Still, certain risks exist. Here’s what can go wrong and how to prevent it.
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Dermaplaning is completely non-invasive, but there are certain risks involved anyway, however minor. A chance your skin might not react as intended will always exist, but it can be minimized if you know what can cause a bad reaction to dermaplaning in the first place.
Let’s discuss dermaplaning gone wrong scenarios and how you can prevent them.
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How Do Dermaplaning Gone Wrong Situations Happen?
Dermaplaning removes the outermost layer of the skin to reveal a better layer underneath. Since the new, fresh skin is now exposed, it’s highly susceptible to environmental damage, which can reverse the results of the procedure.
But harsh elements and sun exposure aren’t the only ways you can ruin your results. A dermaplaning gone wrong situation could be caused by a number of reasons. The most common ones are:
Acne Breakouts
The most common dermaplaning gone wrong scenario is getting an acne breakout. The biggest cause of breakouts is doing the procedure on active acne. This spreads the bacteria around and causes new acne to appear.
But half of this bad reaction to dermaplaning is due to improper dermaplaning aftercare (and constant touching of the face with dirty hands, or not getting a fresh pillowcase or sleeping mask).
It’s actually a huge misconception that acne breakouts are caused by dermaplaning alone. If done properly, on skin that has no active acne, this treatment doesn’t cause any breakouts – however, it might cause ingrown hairs.
Learn more about dermaplaning aftercare here.
Image source: YouTube Screenshot Natalies Outlet
Ingrown Hairs (and Breakouts Caused by Them)
Wherever you remove hair, ingrown hairs can happen when they start growing back. Ingrown hairs on the face look like minor breakouts, and they can get infected as the skin tries to extract them.
Generally speaking, there’s a low chance of ingrown hairs after dermaplaning, since the skin is well exfoliated by the treatment. But if you’re prone to them, you might encounter some.
If they get infected, don’t try to dermaplane over them. Just like with acne, you’ll spread the bacteria around and cause new breakouts.
Facial Scarring
Getting scarring from dermaplaning might be the worst-case scenario. Thankfully, scarring is a rare incident, mostly associated with at-home treatments.
Cuts happen if you don’t know the proper technique and put too much pressure. Especially for those that have uneven texture, previous scars, or very sensitive skin. But that doesn’t mean that dermaplaning gone wrong at a salon never happens.
Do the research and find a trustworthy technician – experienced and properly trained. Check their online reviews.
Image source: Instagram @hmuir
Sun Damage
Another chance for a dermaplaning gone wrong scenario is when the fresh, new skin is exposed to the sun’s harmful UV radiation.
If you don’t wear SPF while your skin is recovering, you risk not just undoing the effects of the treatment but also doing more harm! You run the danger of developing hyperpigmentation blotches, often known as sun spots, and prematurely aging the skin.
Irritation
Skin irritation is a reaction many get after dermaplaning. Especially those with sensitive and reactive skin. It’s considered a side effect, more so than a bad reaction to dermaplaning or one of the dermaplaning risks.
Up to a certain extent (no more than 2 days) some redness, itchiness, tightness, dryness, flaking, and similar is to be expected. This treatment involves a sharp scalpel scraping your skin, after all.
See all the side effects and learn more about dermaplaning risks here.
Dermaplaning at Home Gone Wrong
Because this treatment is relatively simple, many decide to try it out by themselves. But without knowing the right way to do the procedure you are increasing the chances of dermaplaning risks.
You need to use the right amount of pressure and hold the blade at the right angle. Simple things like that are more important than you think. Otherwise, you risk cutting yourself and getting an infection.
Besides, professionals know if you aren’t the right candidate for the treatment, as well as how to work around potential problems – you most likely don’t.
The most common mistakes that lead to dermaplaning at home gone wrong scenarios is people disregarding the instructions and going over active acne breakouts, further spreading the bacteria and causing the breakout to get even worse. So we urge you not to do that.
Dermablading Gone Wrong at a Salon
Although at-home treatment poses more dermaplaning risks, doing the procedure in a salon doesn’t always guarantee the safest procedure either.
There are techs out there who offer this procedure, yet don’t know how to do it properly. So there are also dermaplaning horror stories that originate in clinics as well.
You need to make sure you find an experienced, properly trained and licensed professional. Do your research thoroughly and find a hygienic, safe place to book an appointment. Check online reviews and if anything is fishy, find another place.
How to Prevent Dermaplaning Gone Wrong
You don’t know how your skin will react to this treatment until you try it out. But knowing which things to pay attention to and what to avoid certainly can’t hurt your chance of getting good results.
Be Careful and Do Your Research
If you decide you want to try out dermaplaning yourself, make sure you do extensive research beforehand. We have a step-by-step guide on how to dermaplane at home, but make sure you also watch some tutorials from a trusted source.
However, we don’t recommend doing the first dermaplaning treatment ever by yourself. There are more dermaplaning risks and higher chances of bad reaction to dermaplaning happening.
At least for the first try, seek out professional service. You’ll pick up some tips as well.
Pay Attention to the State of Your Skin
You have to take into account your current skin condition before booking an appointment or deciding to do it yourself.
Not everyone is a suitable candidate for a dermaplaning session.
Professionals know to estimate the situation correctly. You have to avoid dermaplaning if you have active acne, cold sores, sensitive skin or any similar skin condition, as it can worsen it. Having skin issues and still doing dermaplaning will 100% make it worse.
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Aftercare Is Essential
Aftercare is arguably the most important part of getting the desired results. You need to know how to prevent unwanted skin conditions from developing. So follow the dermaplaning aftercare rules instead of shifting the blame on the procedure itself.
Use the Right Skincare
Your pores are unclogged, your peach fuzz is removed and your skin is ready to absorb everything you apply to it.
Use this opportunity to properly nourish your skin and get the most out of your skincare routine. Use products that will help your skin regain moisture and repair itself. This also means avoiding really harsh ingredients to prevent skin irritation.
Dermaplaning Gone Wrong – Main Takeaways
The truth is you can’t know how your skin will react until you try it out. But you can do certain things to ensure safer treatment with the least amount of dermaplaning risks primarily going to a trustworthy tech. Also, ensuring you follow aftercare instructions helps greatly with getting desired results.
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