Post-Care Instructions · Chemical Peels & VI Peel
Chemical peel aftercare
What to expect through each stage of peeling — and how to care for your skin so it sheds evenly, heals comfortably, and reveals the result you came for. Covers both light peels and medium-depth peels like TCA and the VI Peel.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nokuthula Msimanga, MD — Medical Director, Majspa Medspa & Aesthetics. Last reviewed .
A chemical peel works by lifting the outer layers of skin in a controlled way, so newer, more even-toned skin can surface. How much visible peeling you get depends on the depth of your peel: light peels (glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic) often produce little or no flaking, while medium-depth peels like TCA and the VI Peel typically bring 5–7 days of visible peeling. Either way, the golden rule is the same — let the skin shed on its own schedule.
Follow the specific timing we gave you at your appointment. Some peels are left on the skin for a set number of hours before your first rinse, and that window varies by peel type. The stages below begin after that first cleanse.
What's normal — and when to call us
Before anything else, here's how to tell an ordinary part of peeling from a reason to reach out.
Normal & expected
- Redness, warmth, and a tight, dry feeling in the first day or two
- Skin looking slightly darker or "bronzed" before peeling starts
- Flaking and sheets of peeling skin, typically days 2–3 through 5–7
- Itching as the skin lifts
- Little or no visible peeling after a light peel — it still worked
Call us right away
- Blistering, or open and weeping areas
- Severe or worsening swelling
- Increasing warmth, pus, or fever — possible signs of infection
- Lasting darker or lighter patches once peeling has finished
- Anything else that worries you about how the skin is healing
Healing varies from person to person. Peeling can look dramatic mid-week and still be completely normal. When in doubt, call us at (470) 748-9797 — we would always rather hear from you.
Your recovery, stage by stage
The day of your peel
Day 1
- Follow your rinse timing. If we asked you to leave the solution on for a set number of hours, wait until that window has passed before your first cleanse.
- Cleanse gently. Lukewarm or cool water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser with clean fingertips — no washcloths, brushes, or scrubbing. Pat dry.
- Moisturize. Apply the bland moisturizer or ointment we recommend as often as the skin feels tight.
- Expect tightness. Skin often feels taut and may look a little darker before anything peels. That's the process working.
- No exercise, sweating, saunas, or hot showers — heat intensifies stinging and irritation.
Peeling begins
Days 2–3
- Let it lift on its own. Peeling usually starts around the mouth and nose, then spreads. Do not pick, pull, or cut loose flakes — forcing skin that isn't ready is the single biggest cause of scarring and pigment change after a peel.
- Moisturize generously and often. This keeps peeling even and much more comfortable, and makes flaking far less obvious.
- Keep cleansing gentle — fingertips only, no exfoliating anything.
- Stay out of the sun. The freshly exposed skin underneath is highly vulnerable right now.
Through the end of peeling
Days 3–7 — and the week after
- Keep moisturizing until peeling fully stops, usually by about day 5–7 with a medium-depth peel.
- Hold all actives for about a week — no retinoids or tretinoin, AHAs, BHAs, strong vitamin C, or scrubs until the skin has fully settled.
- Makeup once peeling finishes. Applying it mid-peel looks patchy and tugs skin loose early.
- Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30+, reapplied, plus a hat outdoors. New skin burns and discolors easily — sun exposure now is the most common cause of post-peel pigment problems.
- Plan your next peel. Light peels can repeat every 2–4 weeks; medium-depth peels every 4–6 weeks in a series.
What to avoid while you heal
- Picking, pulling, or trimming peeling skin — the most important rule of all.
- Exfoliants and active skincare — retinoids/tretinoin, AHAs, BHAs, strong vitamin C, and scrubs for about a week.
- Heat and sweat — workouts, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, and hot showers while peeling.
- Sun and tanning — direct sun, tanning beds, and self-tanner until the skin has fully recovered.
- Waxing, threading, or other facial treatments on the area for about 2 weeks.
When to contact Majspa Medspa & Aesthetics
Reach out right away if you notice blistering or open areas, severe swelling, signs of infection (increasing warmth, pus, or fever), or lasting darker or lighter patches once peeling has finished. Healing varies by individual — and we would always rather answer a question than have you wait and worry.