What to Do After Dermaplaning—and What to Avoid for Smooth, Calm Skin

I’ve always found the idea of shaving my face for smoother skin a tad off-putting. Dermaplaning uses a sterile blade to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz, helping reveal brighter skin, says dermatologist Azadeh Shirazi, MD, in our guide to dermaplaning tools. While these at-home tools are readily available, I never felt confident using one, so I stuck to my usual chemical and physical exfoliants.

But that recently changed during a facial with Brittany Blancato, an esthetician and founder of Skinlikeb Studio in New York. Since I’d gone two months without a facial, she suggested adding dermaplaning to my treatment. Afterward, my face felt incredibly smooth and had a soft glow before Blancato even applied moisturizer.

My sunscreen and foundation no longer pill into tiny balls, and my face serum seems to absorb more quickly. This hair removal method can leave my skin temporarily more vulnerable to irritation, so dermaplaning aftercare is essential. After chatting with dermatologists and Blancato, I learned that keeping my routine simple while it recovers can help protect my skin barrier from irritation.

It only removes part of the outermost layer; most of your stratum corneum and deeper layers of the epidermis remain intact. Still, freshly dermaplaned skin may feel more sensitive and may temporarily increase transepidermal water loss (TEWL), when a small amount of water naturally passes through your skin and evaporates into the air. When your skin barrier is compromised, more water can escape this way, leaving it feeling dry and tight.

King recommends treating freshly dermaplaned skin with extra TLC: Focus on hydration, barrier support, and sun protection. Don’t immediately pile on skincare products with active ingredients like lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acids. While it can be super tempting, resist the urge to pick or exfoliate your skin with scrubs and retinoids.

Don’t worry: You can restart your routine after a few days, when your skin should be back to its baseline. Good news: You don’t need to wait that long. If dermaplaning was done correctly on clean skin, you can follow up with a gentle moisturizer immediately afterward, says Dr.