Dermaplaning VS microneedling: one’s basically shaving your face for instant glow, the other’s poking holes in it to trigger collagen production. Dermaplaning’s for when you need to look good like tomorrow, microneedling’s for when you’ve got actual damage you wanna fix over time. I’m gonna tell you what each one does, what it costs, what can go wrong, how to pick between them, and all the stuff you actually need to know without repeating myself a million times.
What’s Dermaplaning?
Someone takes a sterile surgical scalpel and literally shaves your face. They’re scraping off all your peach fuzz and dead skin cells in one go. Takes like 30 minutes, doesn’t hurt at all, and you walk out with this instant glow. Your face feels insanely smooth and all that fine vellus hair is just gone. This non-invasive exfoliation treatment works on the surface of the skin. You get immediate results cause they’re just removing surface debris that’s been sitting there making you look dull. The appearance of your skin changes right away and you get this radiant complexion without any recovery time at all.
Perfect for special events cause there’s literally zero downtime. Got a wedding Saturday? Do this Friday. Your skincare products absorb way better now cause there’s nothing blocking them. Better product absorption is honestly one of the best parts: your expensive serums actually sink in instead of sitting on top of all that fine hair doing nothing. It’s also great if you’ve got sensitive skin cause it’s way gentler than chemical peals or other treatment options. Just a simple skin rejuvenation treatment that gives you smoother skin and brighter skin without your face freaking out.
Side effects: Not much goes wrong honestly. Maybe you break out for a day or two as trapped stuff comes to the surface. Some people get a tiny bit red but it goes away in like an hour. Just don’t do this if you’ve got active acne cause you’ll spread bacteria everywhere and make everything worse. Wait till your breakouts calm down.
Cost: Usually $75-$200 per dermaplaning treatment. You can do it every 3-4 weeks. Way cheaper than most aesthetic procedures out there.
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What’s Microneedling?
They use fine needles in a pen-like device to poke a bunch of tiny punctures all over your face. Sounds brutal but it’s collagen induction therapy: you’re tricking your body’s natural healing process into thinking it’s injured so it starts pumping out collagen and elastin like crazy to fix the damage. This minimally invasive procedure works on deeper layers of your skin, not just what’s on top. The tiny needles create deeper penetration so you’re actually triggering growth factors in your skin. It’s amazing for acne scars, uneven skin tone, large pores, and the appearance of fine lines. Like actually fixing them, not just covering them up.
After a few microneedling treatments your skin texture legitimately changes. Those acne scarring issues fade, your pores look smaller, wrinkles get less noticeable. You’re getting deeper skin rejuvenation cause you’re forcing your skin to rebuild itself from the inside. This is real collagen production and elastin production happening, not just surface stuff. But yeah, you’re gonna look like you have mild sunburn for a few days. Your face gets red and tight and starts peeling. There’s actual recovery time with this one. Worth it though if you’ve got specific skin concerns that need fixing for youthful-looking skin that lasts.
Side effects: You’re red for 2-5 days minimum and your face feels sensitive as hell. Use a gentle cleanser and hyaluronic acid, nothing harsh. Some people break out more at first while their skin’s doing its healing thing. If you go somewhere sketchy with dirty equipment you could get scarring or infection which is literally why you don’t cheap out on this. Make sure they’re using sterile stuff and know what they’re doing. Also don’t do this if you’re on certain acne meds like Accutane or if your skin conditions are acting up. If you’ve got eczema or rosacea flaring, wait till things calm down first cause you’ll just make it worse.
Cost: Way more expensive-usually $200-$700 per session and you need like 3-6 sessions spaced a month apart for optimal results. So you’re dropping anywhere from $600 to $4200 total. Not cheap.
Related: Microneedling For Acne Scars: Does It Work?
Dermaplaning Vs Micronedling: The Big Differences Nobody Tells You
- Pain’s totally different. Dermaplaning feels like nothing, maybe just some scraping sounds. Microneedling hurts even with numbing cream, like lots of little stabs all over your face. Not unbearable but definitely uncomfortable.
- Dermaplaning works on the skin’s surface so it only fixes surface problems like dull skin, peach fuzz, helping your skincare routine work better. Can’t do anything about acne scars or deep wrinkles cause it’s not reaching that far down.
- Microneedling reaches deeper skin concerns cause those tiny needles are going into your skin and triggering your body to rebuild. It’s the only one that can actually fix various skin concerns like scarring and texture issues cause you’re creating new collagen, not just removing dead stuff.
- Frequency’s different too. You can do dermaplaning every month no problem, some people do it more. Microneedling you gotta space out like 4-6 weeks minimum cause your skin needs time to actually heal and make new collagen. You’re literally waiting for collagen induction therapy to do its thing before you go stabbing your face again.
- And for different skin types, dermaplaning’s way safer across the board. Pretty much anyone can do it unless you’ve got active acne. Microneedling has way more restrictions: certain meds, certain conditions, you gotta be more careful.
Dermaplaning VS Microneedling: Which One You Actually Need
Get dermaplaning if:
- You want that instant glow and radiant skin right now
- You’ve got excess vellous hair driving you crazy
- You need to look good for something this weekend
- Your skin’s sensitive and freaks out with other popular treatments
- You just want better absorption of skincare products.
This is an excellent option for maintaining youthful skin without any drama or minimal downtime. Best choice for quick fixes.
Get microneedling if:
- You’ve got acne scarring that actually bugs you and you want it fixed not covered
- Your skin texture sucks and you’re done with just using makeup
- You’re seeing wrinkles and wanna trigger your body to do something about it
- Yu’ve got specific needs that require real intervention.
This is the right treatment when you want actual long-term changes and you’re okay dealing with looking rough for a few days. Best option for serious skin goals.
Some people do both in rotation: microneedling for the heavy lifting on deeper issues, then dermaplaning between sessions to keep things smooth and maintain that glow while your collagen’s building. Ask a skincare professional about timing though cause you don’t wanna mess up your skin’s healing.
The Bottom Line
If you just want nice skin for everyday life, dermaplaning’s way easier, cheaper, and you get immediate results without the hassle. It’s a great option for keeping up that radiant complexion. If something’s actually wrong with your skin (real acne scars, bad texture, deep wrinkles), save up for microneedling. Yeah it sucks for a few days but it’s genuinely the best treatment when you need deeper skin rejuvenation and you’ve got individual needs requiring serious work. Just don’t go to whoever’s cheapest. Find someone with an expert team who actually knows what they’re doing with these skincare treatments. Check reviews, make sure they’re using sterile equipment, and confirm they’re listening to your skin’s needs and your overall health, not just trying to push whatever makes them the most money.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
