SalonCompass

Aftercare

After a Chemical Peel: Day-by-Day Guide

What is normal

  • Redness and a tight, "windburned" feeling on the day — normal for any peel depth.
  • Skin feeling dry and looking slightly darker or dull on days 1–3 before flaking starts.
  • Visible flaking/peeling from around day 2–4 (light peels may barely peel at all — that does NOT mean it didn't work; the exfoliation happens at cell level).
  • Mild sensitivity to skincare products for up to a week.

What happens, and when

Day 0
redness, tightness, possible stinging with skincare. Skin may look slightly frosted or darker in patches after medium peels.
Day 1–2
tightness increases, skin feels like cling film. Moisturise, don't pick.
Day 2–4
flaking begins, usually around the mouth first.
Day 4–7
main peeling phase for medium peels. New skin underneath is pink and sun-sensitive.
Day 7–14
pinkness fades; skin looks fresh. Medium/deep peels can stay pink for several weeks — normal.

Do

  • Gentle, fragrance-free cleanser and plenty of bland moisturiser (the practitioner usually specifies which).
  • SPF 30–50 every single day, reapplied — non-negotiable; the new skin pigments instantly. This is the single most important aftercare rule.
  • Sleep slightly elevated the first night if the face feels puffy.
  • Let flakes detach on their own; you can trim hanging edges with clean scissors.

Don't

  • DO NOT pick, peel, or pull flaking skin — this is how peels turn into scars and dark marks. If you do nothing else on this list, do this.
  • No actives (retinoids, AHA/BHA, vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide) until the practitioner clears you — usually 5–7 days for light peels, longer for medium.
  • No direct sun, tanning, saunas, steam, hot showers on the face for at least a week.
  • No makeup until surface skin is intact (usually 24–48h light peel; until peeling finishes for medium).
  • No waxing, dermaplaning, or exfoliating the area for 1–2 weeks.
  • No gym/heavy sweating for 48–72 hours.

When to get help

  • Severe swelling, blistering, or oozing beyond mild weeping — contact your practitioner the same day.
  • Cold-sore tingle or blisters around the mouth (peels can reactivate HSV) — start antivirals fast via pharmacist/GP; this can spread over healing skin.
  • Increasing pain after day 2 (normal course is decreasing discomfort).
  • Any area turning white/grey with numbness, or dark scabbing — possible deeper injury; practitioner + GP.
  • Signs of infection: yellow crusting, spreading redness, fever.

Medical review pending

A doctor has not signed this section off yet. It is drafted from Anna's practice and is waiting on medical review, so treat it as a prompt to get advice rather than the last word.

General guidance, not personal medical advice. When in doubt, contact your practitioner or a doctor.

Draft — Anna's voice pass to come

This guide is written but has not had its final pass, so it is not listed in search results yet. Everything on it is readable and unchanged in the meantime.

Written by · London-trained cosmetologist

Last updated