Among contemporary, anti-aging cosmetic procedures, Epidermal leveling is reputed to provide immediate results with minimal discomfort. Epidermal leveling is also called dermaplaning, dermablading and epidermal shaving. These terms stem from the fact that epidermal leveling is essentially a process of slowly exfoliating the outermost layer of the kin in a comprehensive but controlled manner. It is being increasingly used by women for getting rid of fine wrinkle lines, acne scarring and uneven pigmentation. The results of this procedure yield instant results wherein the skin is rendered a younger, fresher appearance. This is why many clinics providing this procedure use terms like ‘reveal underlying baby-skin’ for highlighting its effectiveness.
Understanding Epidermal Leveling
Epidermal leveling is among the few anti-aging solutions that can instantaneously scrape-away the topmost layer of the facial skin (epidermis). This is a significant advantage since the epidermal layer retains the maximum signs of aging and scarring. The procedure is recommended for women struggling with typical skincare issues like acne due to an oily skin surface. As a part of the surgical exfoliation, the peach fuzz, or the fine hair present on the facial skin that is responsible for trapping the grime and the skin’s natural oil, is also scraped-off.
Epidermal leveling is recommended for people looking beyond the anti-aging aspect also, i.e. people who are struggling with a dull-looking skin, as epidermal leveling makes the face appear brighter or rejuvenated. Epidermal leveling doesn’t use suction that has posed problems for many people in cosmetic procedures like Microdermabrasion.
Epidermal leveling is a non-invasive, cosmetic procedure. A basic outline of a typical, epidermal leveling sitting consists of:
Preparing Facial Skin
Deep-pore facial cleansing of the patient is overseen by a trained dermatologist. Usually, epidermal leveling is performed without anesthesia. However, an exception might be observed in this regard based upon insistence by the patient or among patients with a history of hyper-allergic reactions or over-reactive facial skin.
Surgical Exfoliation of Skin
The blade used for shaving-off the epidermal cells is a surgical blade, called Epi-Blade. This blade has a very fine edge that is moved along the outermost layer of the skin in sweeping fashion. Along with scrubbing-off the dead cells, the movement of the blade stimulates the facial skin. This catalyzes formation of natural collagen that is useful for tightening the skin. Further, the stimulated surface of the skin becomes more penetrable for the chemical peels.
Follow-up Procedure
Most times, the treatment involves the use of a chemical peel. Facial peel augments the effect of the leveling along with helping to attain the freshly-scrubbed appearance.
Useful Epidermal Leveling Facts
- The entire procedure is painless. It doesn’t pose any threats like surface injury to the skin, bleeding or allergic reactions.
- It is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
- An average epidermal leveling session takes about 45 minutes.
- The need to repeat the procedure varies across every patient. The average time between two sessions is about four weeks.
- There is no recovery time involved in epidermal leveling—most patients leave the clinic within minutes of completing the procedure, without using any protective gear.