Does Dermaplaning Make Hair Grow Back Thicker?

This is usually the first question before dermaplaning: will it make my facial hair grow back thicker, darker, or stubbly? It is a fair worry, and the answer is reassuring: no, it will not. Here is why, in plain English, plus what dermaplaning does and how to decide whether it suits your skin.

The short answer: no, it does not

Cutting or shaving fine facial hair does not change how it grows back. The hair removed during dermaplaning sits above the skin, and the blade only touches the hair shaft at the surface. It does not reach the follicle beneath the skin, which is what determines a hair's thickness, colour, and growth rate.

This is not just beauty-industry reassurance. Clinical sources have long explained that shaving does not change hair thickness, colour, or growth rate. Removing hair at the surface simply does not reprogramme the follicle.

So why does regrowth seem coarser?

So why do some people feel their hair came back differently? Usually, it is the way cut hair feels as it returns, not a biological change.

Peach fuzz versus thicker hair

One detail helps explain the myth. The fine, soft, usually pale hair removed during dermaplaning is vellus hair, often called "peach fuzz". The thicker, darker hair in eyebrows or on the scalp is terminal hair. They are different types, and cutting vellus hair cannot turn it into terminal hair.

Hormonal change can make fine hair become coarser over time; surface hair removal cannot. If you have noticed heavier facial hair developing, mention it at your consultation so Lisa can talk it through with you properly.

Why professional dermaplaning is not just shaving

Dermaplaning is a professional exfoliation treatment, not a quick shave. A practitioner holds a sterile blade at a careful angle and gently lifts away both dead skin cells and fine hair in one pass. Compared with reaching for a razor at home, a professional treatment offers:

• A fresh, sterile, single-use blade for every client, lowering the risk of irritation or infection.
• A controlled angle and pressure, with the skin held taut, so it is gentler and more even than a home razor.
• Genuine exfoliation that lifts away dull, dead skin — not just hair removal.
• A proper skin assessment first, so the treatment is only done when your skin is suitable.

How often, and aftercare

Vellus hair grows back at its normal rate, unchanged by the treatment. Because dermaplaning also exfoliates, many clients rebook roughly every four weeks, depending on their skin and plans. A few simple aftercare habits keep freshly treated skin comfortable:

• Wear a daily SPF — freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
• Keep it gentle for a day or two: a mild cleanser and a soothing, hydrating moisturiser.
• Pause strong actives such as retinoids and exfoliating acids, and avoid heat like saunas, briefly afterwards.

When dermaplaning is not the right choice

Dermaplaning is gentle, but it is not right for every skin on every day. If you have active or inflamed breakouts, a rosacea or eczema flare-up, an active cold sore, or sunburnt skin, it is better to wait or choose a kinder option first. Good dermaplaning is as much about knowing when to leave the skin alone as it is about the treatment itself, and Lisa will tell you if it is not the right day.