Beauty and Skincare Tips: What’s Dermaplaning?

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Latina skin, and particularly melanin-rich skin, has a tendency for hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Luckily the last few years have brought an astounding number of innovations to help keep us feeling and looking fresh. One of these is dermaplaning (aka blading), a treatment that uses a blade to take off dead skin cells and hair from the face. This is supposed to make your skin smooth and soft.

We caught up with Theresa Rodriguez Forster, an experienced esthetician in the Tri-State area, to ask her about Latina skin, and some of the innovations in the market.

Here’s what she told us:

Q. What are the skin care issues us Latinas tend to get? 
One of the skin care issues that Latinas tend to get is facial hair. The ways I have successfully treated my clients is through laser hair removal and dermaplaning. When choosing professional laser hair removal, it’s important that the technology is safe for women of color. Always do a test patch to avoid burns, scarring and discoloration. Seek a provider that offers Nd: YAG wavelength technology (1064 nm wavelength).

Q. Do women with melanin-rich skin have to make any tweaks when they do this technique?
This technology bypasses the epidermis, so it’s safe for dark skin. In my experience, women of color will need between at least 6-10 treatments, every 4-6 weeks.  

Q. How can you do dermaplaining? Can this be done at home?
Dermaplaning can be done one of two ways; professionally or at home. I personally like doing it myself as needed. Dermaplaning is a skincare treatment that involves a small exfoliating scalpel to remove the topmost layer of skin, removing dirt, oil, dead skin cells and peach fuzz. I gently clean my face, apply a serum that offers glide and I use an eyebrow razor carefully around my whole face. Gently pull the skin taught and be especially careful around eyebrows, nose and eyes. After rinsing my face, I apply a calming serum or moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C to brighten my skin.

Q. How does dermaplaining feel?
My skin is left feeling invigorated and my makeup application is flawless!

Catch up with Theresa on Instagram.