Key takeaways
- Cleveland Clinic lists peach fuzz among dermaplaning's uses, but any hair removal is temporary.
- Peach fuzz does not grow back thicker; regrowing hairs can only seem thicker because of the blunt tip.
- No clinical source we found gives a regrowth time or a repeat schedule.
- Laser hair removal is a multi-session course, and its cleared claim is permanent hair reduction, not removal.
Does dermaplaning remove peach fuzz?
Yes.
Cleveland Clinic lists peach fuzz among the things dermaplaning is used for, alongside dull skin, fine lines and mild acne scars, and describes the treatment as a minimally invasive procedure that shaves away the uppermost layers of skin with a blade.
It also notes that some people get dermaplaning specifically for hair removal — and that any hair removal it does is only a temporary fix, because the hair grows back.
The clinical record we found is thin: a 2011 systematic review in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, which studied dermaplaning alongside topical oxygen and light therapy, found the scientific evidence for these methods "scarce, anecdotal, and not well documented", despite patient satisfaction.
For the treatment as a whole — what a session involves, what it costs and who may perform it — see our dermaplaning guide.
Cleveland Clinic lists infection, scarring (including keloid or hypertrophic scars) and skin discoloration among dermaplaning's risks. It advises talking to a provider first if you have active acne, cold sore outbreaks, eczema, psoriasis, moles or skin growths, or skin burns or rashes.
How long does peach fuzz take to grow back after dermaplaning?
No clinical source we found gives a number.
We could not find a dermatology or clinical source that states how long peach fuzz takes to regrow after dermaplaning, or how often dermaplaning should be repeated — so treat any regrowth or rebooking interval you see quoted as an estimate rather than a figure we could source.
What the sources do establish is what happens when it grows back.
Cleveland Clinic states that peach fuzz — the fine hair also called vellus hair — does not grow back thicker after you remove it.
Regrowing hairs can seem thicker because the blunt tip pushes through the skin surface, but they feel softer as they grow.
The grow-back-thicker idea is a myth, and so is any claim that dermaplaning removes hair permanently.
What the sources say about regrowth
| Question | What we found |
|---|---|
| Does peach fuzz grow back thicker? | No, per Cleveland Clinic; it can seem thicker but feels softer as it grows |
| Is the hair removal permanent? | No; Cleveland Clinic calls it a temporary fix |
| How long until it regrows? | No clinical source we found gives a number |
| How often to repeat? | No clinical source we found gives a schedule |
Practically, that means the effect is one you maintain by repeating the treatment.
How often is a question for a licensed provider: we could not confirm a repeat schedule from the clinical sources, so treat any fixed interval a practice quotes you as that practice's own protocol rather than a guideline we could verify.
Cleveland Clinic's published dermaplaning recovery timeline — a scab at 2 weeks, a return to sports at 4 to 6 weeks and sun avoidance for 6 to 12 months — describes a deeper, dermatome-based resurfacing procedure, not a light blade-exfoliation dermaplaning facial at a med spa.
Can you dermaplane your upper lip?
The sources we checked do not treat the upper lip as its own topic: we found no clinical source specific to dermaplaning the upper lip.
What the record does give is dermaplaning's general uses — Cleveland Clinic lists dull skin, fine lines, mild acne scars, peach fuzz and hair removal.
What we can tell you is what applies to any facial area.
The treatment is the same blade work described above: Cleveland Clinic says dermaplaning usually isn't painful, though a scratching or stinging sensation is possible, and numbing cream may be used.
A session can take from a few minutes to 90 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated.
The conditions Cleveland Clinic flags for dermaplaning anywhere — among them active acne and cold sore outbreaks — are worth raising with a provider before any treatment near the mouth, and a licensed provider can tell you whether the hair on your upper lip suits a surface shave.
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Dermaplaning vs laser hair removal for facial hair
They do different jobs.
Dermaplaning is a single surface appointment: a blade shaves away the uppermost layers of skin — taking the fine hair with it — and the hair grows back.
Laser hair removal is a course of treatment aimed at longer-term change: the American Academy of Dermatology says most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments, and regrowth afterwards tends to be less, finer and lighter.
Dermaplaning
- A single surface appointment
- A blade shaves away the uppermost layers of skin, taking the fine hair with it
- The hair grows back; removal is temporary
Laser hair removal
- A multi-session course of treatment, per the AAD
- Regrowth tends to be less, finer and lighter
- Works best for light skin with dark hair
The AAD also says laser hair removal works best for light skin with dark hair, and notes that laser is now an option for some people with light-colored hair and dark skin, but that it must be done very carefully.
Which side of that profile your own facial hair and skin fall on is a question for a licensed provider.
Watch the permanence wording on both sides.
Hair-removal lasers are 510(k)-cleared devices whose cleared claim is "permanent hair reduction" — fewer hairs regrowing over the long term — not removal of all hair.
Dermaplaning is not permanent either: Cleveland Clinic calls any hair removal from it only a temporary fix.
There is no on-paper winner — dermaplaning is a single appointment that also shaves away the skin's top layer, while laser is a multi-session course aimed at long-term reduction.
Our laser hair removal guide covers the cleared claims, sessions, costs and side effects in depth.
Frequently asked questions
Will dermaplaning make my peach fuzz grow back thicker?
No. Cleveland Clinic states that peach fuzz — vellus hair — does not grow back thicker after you remove it.
Regrowing hairs can seem thicker because the blunt tip pushes through the skin surface, but they feel softer as they grow.
The grow-back-thicker idea is a myth, and so is the claim that dermaplaning removes hair permanently.
Is dermaplaning permanent?
No. Cleveland Clinic says any hair removal from dermaplaning is only a temporary fix, because the hair grows back.
Even lasers stop short of that wording: hair-removal lasers are 510(k)-cleared devices whose cleared claim is "permanent hair reduction" — fewer hairs regrowing over the long term — not removal of all hair.
How often should you get dermaplaning?
There is no clinical answer we could confirm.
No dermatology or clinical source we checked states how long peach fuzz takes to regrow after dermaplaning, or how often the treatment should be repeated.
Because the hair grows back, keeping the effect means repeating the treatment — ask a licensed provider what interval they advise, and treat any fixed schedule as that practice's own protocol.
Does dermaplaning hurt?
Cleveland Clinic says dermaplaning usually isn't painful, though a scratching or stinging sensation is possible, and numbing cream may be used.
A session can take from a few minutes to 90 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated, so a smaller zone makes for a shorter appointment.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from one of these sources and was checked against it.
- Dermaplaning: What It Is, Benefits & Side Effects · Cleveland Clinic
- Vellus Hair (Peach Fuzz): What It Is, Function & Removal · Cleveland Clinic
- Dermaplaning, topical oxygen, and photodynamic therapy: a systematic review of the literature · Pryor et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2011
- Laser hair removal: FAQs · American Academy of Dermatology
Medical disclaimer. MedSpaStandard is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to a licensed provider about your own health, and check any provider's license with your state board.