Why Women Shaving Their Faces Is Now a Thing

But won't it grow back thicker?

ByABC News
January 7, 2015, 2:38 PM
Shaving your face to rid the wrinkles is the latest beauty trend for women.
Shaving your face to rid the wrinkles is the latest beauty trend for women.
Getty Images

— -- If you're desperate to ward off wrinkles, tell your man to move over and make room at the bathroom sink.

Turns out shaving -- your face -- could help skin stay youthful, according to some beauty experts.

Sometimes called "dermaplaning," the process of shaving a woman's face can take place in a professional dermatologist's office or can be a DIY job.

"It's definitely a thing," said Alexis Wolfer, editor of The Beauty Bean. "One reason men are thought to get fewer wrinkles is that they're constantly exfoliating their faces every time they shave, literally shaving away the outermost layers of skin and encouraging your skin to create new layers."

Television stars shave their faces. Caroline Manzo of "Manzo'd With Children" (formerly of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey") was seen doing it in an episode last season.

"Let me make something clear and hopefully answer your questions once and for all: I shave my face as a method of exfoliating my skin." Manzo told Reality Tea. "I don’t shave because I have a hairy face! I’ve been practicing this for over 10 years, and I haven’t grown any facial hair because of it, and I have beautiful skin with minimal wrinkles. I think this should clarify any questions.”

There are many questions. What happens to the hair on your face? Does it grow back thicker?

"The consequences are small if you don't have facial hair," said Wolfer. "But for women with facial hair, it can make any hair look much darker and thicker when it grows back in with a blunt edge."

Beauty company Shiseido sells a facial razor for women. A three-pack sells for about $6 on Amazon.

Wolfer said women shaving their faces is "definitely getting more mainstream," but it's not yet what she would call common.

She said there are far better ways to exfoliate and recommends mixing a tablespoon of full-fat Greek yogurt (it has lactic acid to break down dead skin cells) and a teaspoon of raw honey to moisturize and kill bacteria. Apply a thick layer to clean skin for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take one to two tablespoons of white sugar and gently scrub the mask off for 30 seconds. Rinse with warm water and follow with moisturizer.