Templates · Free template · Aftercare
Chemical Peel Aftercare Instructions
A printable handout for clients after a chemical peel: what the skin will do and for how long, what to use, what to avoid, and the signs that mean call the clinic.
How to use this sheet
This is a draft to adapt, not a finished protocol. Timings such as how long to avoid exercise, heat, or active skincare differ between devices, products, and practitioners, so check every line against what you actually tell clients, fill in the blanks at the bottom, and have your medical director or clinical lead review it before you use it.
Print it, save it as a PDF, or send it digitally. Tick the aftercare box on the client's chart so there is a record that the instructions were given.
Why a written sheet matters
Clients forget most of what they are told in the room, especially straight after an injection or a peel. A written sheet answers the 9 p.m. question of whether something is normal, tells them exactly when it is not, and shows that you gave the instructions.
Chemical Peel Aftercare Instructions
Your treatment
What is normal
How long depends on the depth of your peel. Ask us which applies to you.
- Redness and tightness straight away, like a mild sunburn.
- Dryness and flaking as the top layer of skin lifts.
- Light peels: mild flaking for up to a few days.
- Medium-depth peels: visible peeling that can last about a week to two weeks.
- Skin that feels more sensitive than usual while it heals.
What to do
- Cleanse gently with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser, and pat dry.
- Moisturise as often as your skin needs, using only the products we recommended.
- Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day, wear a hat, and reapply.
- Stay out of direct sun and do not tan.
What not to do
- Do not pick, peel, or scrub the flaking skin. Let it come off on its own. Pulling it can cause scarring and dark marks.
- Do not use retinoids, acids (AHA or BHA), benzoyl peroxide, scrubs, or exfoliating brushes until we have cleared you.
- No waxing, threading, or hair-removal creams on the treated area.
- Avoid pools, hot tubs, saunas, and heavy sweating while the skin is raw or peeling.
- Wear makeup only when and how we have said it is fine.
Call us if
- You see blisters, oozing, or yellow crusting.
- You have severe pain or burning that is getting worse.
- Redness, swelling, or warmth is spreading, or you have a fever, which can mean infection.
- You get tingling or blisters that look like a cold sore.
- Dark or light patches remain after the peeling has finished.
Your clinic
Your practitioner fills this in before you leave.
- Instructions explained verbally
- Client received a copy
Template from zdrovia.ca/templates/chemical-peel-aftercare-instructions/ · Adapt to your clinic's protocol and have it reviewed by your medical director or clinical lead before use.
Send the right aftercare to every client automatically
In Zdrovia you write an aftercare sheet once under Patient Instructions and attach it to the service as its post-visit instruction. Every booking for that service delivers it to the client through their portal or by message, and you can embed it on your own website. Free for solo practitioners, with data stored in Canada.
See how Zdrovia is set up for aestheticians.
Frequently asked questions
When will peeling start and how long will it last?
It depends on depth. Superficial peels usually flake for 0 to 3 days, TCA 10 to 25% peels for 3 to 5 days, and medium-depth TCA 35% for 7 to 14 days. State the timeline for each peel you offer.
Can a client exfoliate to speed up peeling?
No. Picking and scrubbing raise the risk of scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The sheet says to let the skin shed on its own.
Should the sheet change by peel type?
Yes. Keep a version per depth or per product, or fill in the peel and restart dates by hand, since timelines and restart dates differ.
Related
This sheet is general patient education, not medical advice for any individual. Timings and products differ between treatments, devices, and practitioners, and your clinician's instructions for a specific client always take priority. Have your medical director or clinical lead review and adapt it before you give it to clients.