A chemical peel can do a lot to brighten your tone, smooth out textured areas, and revitalize a youthful glow, but treatment shouldn’t stop after you leave your dermatologist’s office.

Over the days that follow your peel, your skin is in recovery mode, working hard to rebuild its barrier and clear away the damaged cells that new, healthy ones replace. That process leaves your skin in a fragile state, and not treating yourself with a little TLC can do more harm than good.

In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly how to take care of your skin after a chemical peel, what to avoid, when to reintroduce your active ingredients, and how to keep your glow going well beyond the first few days.

The First 72 Hours After Your Peel

In the first few days post-peel, your skin is healing, leaving the outermost layer fragile and barrier function temporarily compromised. What your skin needs most right now is support, so stick to clinical-grade essentials, including:

  • A gentle, non-foaming cleansing formula without fragrance or exfoliating ingredients. You’re cleansing to remove impurities, not to “deep clean.”
    • OBAGI Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser was formulated to cleanse and soothe the skin, making your complexion smooth, comfortable, and soft.
    • Revision Skincare® Gentle Foaming Cleanser is a soothing cleanser that calms and moisturizes your skin while treating it to a unique amino acid surfactant that is soap and sulfate-free but provides a rich lather for gentle and effective cleansing without drying the skin.
    • NuCelle Rx Mandelic Cleanser features a gentle way to combat surface bacteria without drying or irritating your skin.
  • A barrier-repairing moisturizer with ingredients like ceramides and squalene replenishes your skin’s natural lipids and accelerates barrier recovery.
    • Revision Skincare® Hydrating Serum with two forms of hyaluronic acid and a blend of natural fruit extracts, antioxidants, and a peptide to refresh and smooth the skin.
    • CeraVe Facial PM Lotion was developed specifically to repair damaged skin on the face and maintain its natural protective function with ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid.
    • MEG 21 Redness Relief promotes healing while combatting inflammation, redness, and irritation with the anti-glycation powers of Supplamine® and natural, soothing extracts including aloe, burdock root, comfrey, allantoin, licorice, and ginger.
    • Revision Skincare® DermProtect Barrier Defense™ delivers maximum hydration while optimizing barrier function and rebalancing your skin’s microbiome.
    • SkinCeuticals® Phyto Corrective Gel includes hyaluronic acid and a botanical blend of cucumber, olive, thyme, mulberry, and eucalyptus to calm and soothe any post-peel discomfort while strengthening the skin barrier.
  • A mineral-based SPF formula because your skin is significantly more prone to sun damage after a peel. We like minerals over chemical sunblock during healing because it is less likely to irritate sensitive, compromised skin.The sun breaks down sunscreen in two hours, so reapplication is important.

That said, you should avoid all actives, including retinoids, AHAs/BHAs, exfoliating toners, vitamin C serums, and similar products.  Your skin is too sensitive to handle these ingredients post-peel, increasing your risk of inflammation and post-inflammation hyperpigmentation.

Another point to bear in mind is letting your skin heal naturally. Flaking or shedding is a sign that the peel is working, but you have to let it happen on its own time. Picking or rubbing can damage the new skin cells and, in some cases, lead to scarring.

The First Week: Continued Barrier Support and Plenty of Hydration

As you progress into the first week post-peel, your skin isn’t done healing yet. While the initial sensitivity will likely have subsided, the newly replenished cells are still in a delicate state and require continued care.

Beneath the surface, cellular turnover and collagen synthesis continue as the skin barrier replenishes its lipid “mortar” of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides to bind together the skin cell “bricks” that protect your complexion from environmental stressors.

However, your skin requires hydration to continue its healing, something that tends to be in short supply after a chemical peel. Your job is to support that need for increased moisture without interrupting your body’s natural healing response.

Similar to the first few days, stick with gentle cleansers and rich moisturizers. You might also consider introducing hydrating serums into your routine that include humectant ingredients to pull moisture out of the atmosphere and into the upper layers of your skin:

Sunscreen is, as always, non-negotiable, even if your skin no longer feels sensitive. It’s still more vulnerable to UV damage than usual, so use broad-spectrum sunscreen daily. However, if preferred, you can switch to products like Bu SPF 50 Fragrance-Free Sunscreen Spray which is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic while supporting your skin with antioxidant vitamin E.

When to Reintroduce Active Ingredients

Once your skin is fully recovered from the initial effects of the peel, which typically takes 7-10 days, it’s safe to begin gradually reintroducing active ingredients.

You’ll want to reintroduce them individually while observing how your skin reacts to each. Don’t resume your full-strength regimen immediately because your skin may not tolerate the same frequency or concentrations it did pre-peel.

Start with hydrating, antioxidant-rich serums that further support healing and provide environmental protection, such as those with vitamin C. Try a low-concentration blend, like that available in SkinCeuticals® Serum 10, formulated with sensitive skin in mind.

As for more potent actives like AHA, BHA, and retinoids, you’ll want to talk with your board-certified dermatologist about their recommendations for how long to wait before you continue using them.

Dr. Elizabeth Briden of Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Institute can not only monitor your skin post-peel for signs of healing but also recommend dermatologist-approved products available at Advanced Skin Therapeutics to support you along the way.

Reach out to schedule your chemical peel and learn more about our post-peel skincare products.