What to expect by depth
Aftercare depends on the peel. Superficial peels cause mild redness and light flaking for a few days. Medium peels bring more redness, swelling, and visible peeling over about a week as the skin renews.
Knowing your peel depth sets expectations — what's alarming after a superficial peel can be completely normal after a medium one.
The do's
Keep the skin hydrated with a gentle, recommended moisturizer, cleanse with a mild non-foaming cleanser, and apply a broad-spectrum SPF every day once your clinician clears it.
Drink water, sleep well, and be patient — the fresh skin underneath needs time to mature.
The don'ts
Don't pick, peel, or scrub the flaking skin — that's how scarring and pigmentation problems happen. Don't use active ingredients (retinoids, AHAs/BHAs, vitamin C) until cleared.
Avoid direct sun, heat (sauna, hot yoga), and strenuous sweating while healing, and skip makeup until your clinician says it's fine.
Normal vs warning signs
Normal: redness, tightness, dryness, flaking, and mild itching that improve daily. These are the expected stages of healing.
Warning signs: severe or escalating pain, blistering, oozing, spreading redness, or fever — possible signs of infection or a reaction that need the clinic's attention.
For clinics: written, per-depth instructions
A superficial-peel sheet and a medium-peel sheet are not interchangeable. Specific, written instructions reduce 'is this normal?' calls and protect both patient and clinic.
Spell out the timeline, the SPF rule, and the warning signs, with your contact details on the page. Generating them per procedure keeps everything consistent.