Looking to get vibrant, healthy skin? A chemical peel is a wonderful way to renew skin, help with fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne breakouts, and much more.
Chemical peel aftercare dos
- Do use gentle, soap-free cleansers
Since your skin will most likely be feeling sensitive after a chemical peel it’s important to use a soap-free facial wash. Soap-free cleansers won’t dry the skin out or strip it of any of its natural oils and are highly recommended before and after a chemical peel.
- Do use sunblock like it’s going out of style
You just removed layers of skin, so it goes without saying that your newly revealed skin will be super vulnerable to the harsh rays of the sun. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you stay out of the sun and, if you do have to go out, use SPF and a lot of it! We recommend using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30+ and wear a wide brimmed hat. Sunblock should be worn a minimum of 6 weeks after a chemical peel but it should become part of your skincare ritual before and after a chemical peel to avoid the damaging effect of UV rays.
- Do moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
Did we mention moisturizing? Moisturizing is essential to keep freshly peeled skin hydrated and healthy. Whatever moisturizer you choose should be free of parabens, irritants, and other harsh chemicals. They should also be water-based, not only to provide hydration, but to prevent the skin from quickly flaking and peeling. If you’re looking for great moisturizing products to use before and after a chemical peel, check out Medpeel’s complete line of moisturizers, masks, and eye creams today!
- Do use cool water when cleansing
Since your skin will be sensitive after a chemical peel, hot water should be avoided to avoid further inflammation. Instead, we recommend using cool water and patting your skin dry after washing to avoid irritation.
Chemical Peel Aftercare Don’ts
- Don’t exfoliate
You just exfoliated the top layer of your skin, the last thing you want to do is exfoliate it some more. We know that when it’s dry and flaky, which is common after a peel, the urge to exfoliate it off is tempting but all we’re going to say is DON’T! We recommend waiting at least 3 days after a light chemical peel and at least a week after a medium or deep peel before exfoliating to give your skin time to recover. For excellent exfoliators to try out before and after a chemical peel, check out Medpeel’s Daily Exfoliators!
- Don’t sweat it
Since sweat can irritate skin after a chemical peel, it’s important to keep it cool until it recovers. Therefore, we recommend avoiding things like working out, the sauna, and sunbathing.
- Don’t use retinol
Avoid skin turnover overload and stay away from products containing retinol after a chemical peel and for one week before a chemical peel. Save retinol (like Medpeel’s Vitamin C30x Retinol Serum) for after your skin has healed from a chemical peel to promote new cell growth and turnover.
- Don’t pick!
We know the urge to peel or pick at your loose skin after a chemical peel is tempting but DON’T do it! When you interfere with your skin’s natural shedding process, it can lead to infections and scarring. So...DON’T!
- Don’t stress your skin out
Just like stress isn’t good for you, it isn’t good for your skin either! Give your skin some time to heal and don’t stress it out by rushing into another skin treatment too soon. We recommend waiting a minimum of 1-2 weeks before performing another chemical peel or skincare treatment.
Looking for the best products to give your freshly peeled skin the much needed TLC it deserves? Follow our chemical peel aftercare dos and don’ts above and be sure to nourish your skin with the best skincare products for before and after a chemical peel from Medpeel!