Chemical Peels: Do's and Don'ts

Chem­i­cal peels are designed to super­fi­cial­ly exfo­li­ate your skin, which pro­motes the reduc­tion of fine lines and wrin­kles, minor scars, acne, stretch marks, sun dam­age and dis­col­oration. It helps our skin look more youth­ful, pli­able, smooth and even. Typ­i­cal­ly, mul­ti­ple treat­ments are required to achieve your desired results.

The fall and win­ter months are an ide­al time for get­ting a chem­i­cal peel. Before under­go­ing a chem­i­cal peel, it is impor­tant to under­stand the do’s and don’ts of prepar­ing your skin and rec­om­men­da­tions for after your treatments.

How to pre­pare your skin before a chem­i­cal peel

5 to 7 days before your peel

Dis­con­tin­ue these prod­ucts and ingre­di­ents at least 5 days before your chem­i­cal peel:

• Retin‑A, Ren­o­va, Tazo­rac or any oth­er prod­ucts con­tain­ing Retinol
• Vit­a­min A, Sal­i­cylic acid, gly­col­ic acid or Ben­zyl Peroxide
• Any exfo­li­at­ing or scrub­bing products
• No elec­trol­y­sis, wax­ing, depila­to­ry creams or laser hair removal
• If you shave, do so 3 days before your peel and wait to shave again until 10 – 12 days after

How to care for your skin after a chem­i­cal peel

It is cru­cial to the health of your skin and the suc­cess of your peel to fol­low these guide­lines as much as possible.

• Wear sun­screen with 30 SPF or high­er and try to avoid direct sun­light for at least a week
• Avoid pick­ing or pulling the skin that is flak­ing and peeling
• Use a hydrat­ing mois­tur­iz­er in the morn­ing and at night
• Use a gen­tle cleanser that does not con­tain soap, exfo­li­at­ing or scrub­bing beads
• Do not use a wash­cloth, scrub­bing brush or an elec­tric brush
• Do not have addi­tion­al in-office treat­ment to the area treat­ed for at least one week after your chem­i­cal peel or until your skin is no longer sensitive
• You may resume the use of Retin‑A, AHA, BHA, pre­scrip­tion top­i­cals, exfo­li­at­ing prod­ucts, or bleach­ing creams 7 — 12 days after your chem­i­cal peel

It is pos­si­ble that adverse side effects may occur. Although rare, the fol­low­ing have been known to occur in some indi­vid­u­als: break­outs or acne, rash, dark spots, itch­ing, swelling, bruis­ing or burn­ing. If any of these reac­tions occur, con­tact your estheti­cian or der­ma­tol­o­gist immediately.

Depend­ing on your lev­el of chem­i­cal peel, mild to deep, the time­line for recov­ery will vary. The more edu­cat­ed you are about your skin and chem­i­cal peels, the more pre­pared you will be. Be sure to talk with your estheti­cian about the strength of your peel and their pre and post-treat­ment recommendations.

Enjoy our Octo­ber 2023 spe­cial of 15% off any Chem­i­cal Peel*! Request a con­sul­ta­tion to pick your per­fect chem­i­cal peel today >

*Dis­count not to exceed $100. Not valid at all loca­tions. Offer valid 10÷1÷23−10÷31÷23.