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MV Medical Aesthetics
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By Jillian Caldwell, MS, PA-C

Published 2026-05-15

Dermaplaning in Houston

Dermaplaning is the one treatment on my menu that consistently surprises patients with how much of a difference it makes for how little it costs and how little it disrupts your day. You walk in. We numb nothing. I use a surgical scalpel held at an angle against your skin and remove the layer of dead skin cells and vellus hair (the fine "peach fuzz") on the surface of your face. The whole thing takes 30 to 45 minutes. You walk out looking noticeably smoother and more polished.

It is the treatment I most often recommend before a big event. It is also the treatment I recommend to first-time patients who want to feel what good skin work can do without committing to anything injectable.

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What it treats

  • Dull skin texture from accumulated dead skin cells
  • Fine vellus hair that catches light and makes skin look less polished
  • Uneven absorption of skincare products
  • Makeup that goes on cakey or sits unevenly
  • Pre-event preparation when you want a glow without downtime

Products used in this treatment: Sterile single-use medical-grade scalpels, Post-treatment hydrating serum

What dermaplaning actually does (and does not do)

The way I think about dermaplaning is as mechanical exfoliation. When I run the scalpel across your skin I am removing two specific things: the outermost layer of dead skin cells (the stratum corneum) and the vellus hair on your face. That is it. I am not damaging the living layers underneath. I am not removing pigment from melanocytes. I am not stimulating collagen the way I would with microneedling. And I am absolutely not making your facial hair grow back thicker.

What I am doing is revealing the smoother, more reflective skin underneath and improving the absorption of any topical product I apply afterward. Your serum penetrates better. Your makeup sits better. Your face catches light differently for about a week.

The peach-fuzz question I get every single time

No, your facial hair will not grow back thicker, darker, or coarser after I dermaplane you. This myth is persistent and it is wrong. Vellus hair grows back the same way it was before. The reason it appears the same is because it is the same. The growth cycle for vellus hair is fixed and my scalpel does not influence it.

What I do hear from patients is that the regrowth feels different for the first few days because they have not felt the texture of their own skin without that hair before. That sensation fades.

Who dermaplaning is great for

  • Patients with dull skin texture who want a quick visible improvement.
  • Anyone who applies makeup regularly and wants better application.
  • Pre-event prep: weddings, photos, a date night, a class reunion.
  • Patients who are not ready for injectables or microneedling but want to invest in their skin.
  • Patients who plan to do a chemical peel or microneedling in the future - dermaplaning a few weeks before improves topical penetration and is a good gateway treatment.

When I do not recommend dermaplaning

  • Active acne breakouts. Running a blade over active cystic acne is a bad idea and can spread bacteria. We treat the acne first.
  • Rosacea in an active flare. Mechanical exfoliation can aggravate it.
  • Active cold sore or other facial herpes outbreak. We wait until it has resolved.
  • Anyone who has been on isotretinoin (Accutane) within the past 6 months. Skin healing is unpredictable.
  • Patients with severely thin or fragile skin from certain conditions or long-term steroid use.

What an appointment is like

You arrive with a clean face or we cleanse on arrival. I assess your skin and ask about anything new since we last spoke. You lie back in the treatment chair. I hold a sterile single-use surgical blade at about a 45-degree angle to your skin and work in short, light strokes across your face, working systematically forehead-to-chin. The blade never goes deeper than the surface layer of dead skin.

The sensation is the back of a knife being lightly drawn across your face. Most patients find it relaxing. I avoid the lip border, the eyelids, and the eyebrows. The whole procedure takes 30 to 45 minutes.

Afterward I apply a hydrating serum and SPF. You can put makeup back on if you want. You can leave.

How often, and how it stacks with other treatments

Most patients do dermaplaning every 3 to 4 weeks if they want to keep the polished look year-round. Some do it monthly the week before a predictable monthly event (work presentation, regular photo shoots).

It pairs well with chemical peels (do dermaplaning first, peel a week later for deeper penetration), with hydrating facials (great combined treatment), and as prep for medical-grade microneedling. It does NOT pair well with same-day microneedling or laser - we space those at least 7 to 14 days apart depending on what you are doing.

Why Houston Heights patients book dermaplaning at MV

We are walking distance for most Heights residents and a short drive from Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Rice Military, and Cottage Grove. The treatment is fast, predictable, and a good way to get to know the practice if you are considering more involved work down the line.

I do every dermaplaning appointment personally. Having the same clinician each time means we can track what we are seeing in your skin from session to session.

Common questions about dermaplaning in houston

Will my facial hair grow back darker or thicker after dermaplaning?
No. This is the most common dermaplaning question and the answer is unambiguous: the hair grows back the same. Vellus hair has its own genetically determined growth pattern and the blade does not change it. The myth probably comes from the fact that newly regrown vellus hair feels different for a few days as you adjust to having felt your bare skin.
How long do dermaplaning results last?
The smoothness and glow last about 3 to 4 weeks. The dead skin layer rebuilds and the vellus hair regrows. Most patients schedule monthly.
Is dermaplaning painful?
Not at all. There is no numbing required and most patients find it relaxing. You feel the blade as light pressure, similar to the back of a knife drawn across your skin.
Can I dermaplane if I have acne?
If you have active cystic or pustular acne, we treat the acne first. Dermaplaning over active acne can spread bacteria and worsen breakouts. If you have only occasional small breakouts, we can dermaplane around them.
How is dermaplaning different from microdermabrasion?
Microdermabrasion uses a stream of fine crystals or a diamond-tipped wand to exfoliate. Dermaplaning uses a single sterile blade and also removes vellus hair, which microdermabrasion does not. Most patients find dermaplaning gentler and faster.
Can I do dermaplaning before a chemical peel?
Yes, and many patients schedule them together as a layered treatment. Dermaplaning first improves the penetration of the peel solution. We space them appropriately at consultation.
Is dermaplaning safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Dermaplaning is one of the few aesthetic treatments that is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because nothing is being absorbed into the bloodstream. Many of my pregnant patients use it as their go-to during those nine months.

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The content on this page is for educational purposes and reflects Jillian Caldwell's clinical perspective. It is not medical advice. Individual results vary. Suitability for any treatment is determined at a private consultation. Clinical services at MV Medical Aesthetics are delivered under physician supervision.