Shaving Face
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42
Originally posted March 17, 2003
From face lifts to face creams, it seems people will do just about anything to look younger. But what if there was a way to literally shave the years off your look?
“My skin looks pretty darn good for a 56-year-old woman and it did not look this good at 30,” said Jeanne Donnelly, a cosmetic patient.
Jeanne Donnelly is party of a growing group of women who can’t seem to get enough of a skincare procedure that’s technically called dermaplaning.
Supporters tout the procedure as the secret to soft skin on your face or anywhere else. And they claim the procedure can remove deep acne scars, brown spots, and signs of aging.
“It will make the fine lines appear better, softer,” said Donna Messenger, an aesthetician. Donna Messenger is considered by many to be the demi-god of dermaplaning. She’s trained hundreds of doctors and people are lining up nationwide.
“I see approximately twenty to 25 patients a day in my clinic and I stay busy. I could stay busy every day,” said Donna Messenger, an aesthetician.
Here’s how it works: Donna uses a scalpel to scrape off layers of skin. She said that basically tricks the body into thinking it needs to heal itself. The body knows I’ve taken off a protective coating of the skin, the body will immediately produce healthier, plump cells,” said Messenger.
But despite scores of devoted fans, not everyone is convinced. “If they do it the way dermaplaning is typically described, it’s not in my mind, a good procedure to do,” said Dr. Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist.
Schlessinger said dermaplaning can cause facial scarring. And besides, there are other, safer treatments out there that he says are just as effective. “The field is almost limitless right now of what we can do with non-invasive techniques, so why go to an invasive technique that potentially, frankly, puts a scalpel at your face where one slip and you’re gone,” said Schlessinger.
But Donna Messenger, aesthetician, said, “It’s the lesser of all the evils.”
Messenger said there’s no pain involved and no real recovery time like with other procedures. “You’re not going to leave with redness or irritation after dermaplaning.”
And Jeanne Donnelly said she’s sold on shaving and will never go without it again. “It’s done so much for me and it’s just made me feel better about myself,” said Donnelly.
In case you’re wondering, Dermaplane treatments cost about $200 per visit.
