Vellus hair or ‘peach fuzz’ as it is commonly known is the very fine, pale, downy hair one might see on the face, back and sometimes even the chest. Peach fuzz is in fact on most areas of the body as the only places we don’t grow hair is on the palms, soles of the feet and mucus membranes. However, in many places we simply won’t see it as it is so fine and fair.
A lot of people with peach fuzz on the face find it unattractive and want to get a smoother appearance to their skin. In some cases, peach fuzz can show up more when makeup is applied, especially powder, as it sticks to the hairs, giving a dusty appearance to the face.
Can you laser vellus hair away?
I am constantly being asked if I can remove peach fuzz with laser hair removal but due to the qualities of peach fuzz and the treatment method with laser, this cannot be done. The reason for this is because these tiny, fine hairs are usually white or blond in appearance. Laser hair removal needs to recognise and affect the melanin in the hair.
Very blond, grey or white hair does not contain melanin and therefore will not be ‘picked up’ by the laser light. Rather this light will be attracted to the pigment in your skin as in most cases, this will have more melanin than your fluffy peach down.
The good news is that at Skin Perfection we now offer a fantastic treatment which not only helps to smooth, tone and resurface the skin, but as a bonus, will temporarily get rid of peach fuzz too!
Dermaplaning is an exciting and revolutionary new treatment which utilises a medical scalpel to scrape away dead skin cells, dirt and stale fake tan from the surface of the skin. It is fast, painless and effective at treating a variety of skin concerns, from dry, ageing skin to oily and congested skin, revealing a glowing complexion with no downtime or requirement for anaesthetic.
How does dermaplaning work for peach fuzz?
Dermaplaning uses a surgical blade held at a specific angle which is then gently swept across the surface of the skin. Although it sounds rather daunting, dermaplaning, when performed by a trained practitioner, is perfectly safe and all our practitioners here at Skin Perfection are fully-qualified and highly- trained in this treatment.
Dermaplaning will scrape away vellus hairs, leaving a glassy-smooth skin appearance. However, it will not encourage new hair growth on the face as vellus hairs are so fine, they won’t grow back looking either darker or thicker.
It is, in fact a myth that any form of shaving makes hairs grow back thicker, but with normal hairs such as those on the legs and with a deep ‘root’, the hair can appear darker and thicker, simply because a razor has cut the hair at a blunt angle and the hair grows back at its original thickness but with a blunt tip.
Peach fuzz doesn’t bother everyone, but for some, it can be a nuisance. With dermaplaning, these fine, fair hairs can be regularly managed and we recommend a treatment of dermaplaning once a month to once every 6 weeks, to not only keep your skin looking silky smooth and exceptionally youthful, but to keep peach fuzz at bay.
Why not enjoy dermaplaning as part of your next facial at Skin Perfection London? Speak to your therapist today, or for more information, contact our friendly team.
