DERMATOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Peeling - Patient Information

• Wash the area with cool water. Warm or hot water might not feel as good as cool or cold water, which can help soothe post-peel sensations.
  
  
• Moisturize and hydrate. Since peels can temporarily compromise your skin’s protective barrier, it’s important to reinforce that barrier with a medium-to-thick moisturizer. Also, drink more water to help avoid dehydration, which could make your skin feel tight.
  
  
• Apply sunscreen with SPF30 or more. Your skin is more delicate after a peel, so avoid direct sun exposure, which can lead to even more visible signs of skin aging. If you must be exposed, use a Broad Spectrum physical sunscreen.
  
  
• Avoid strenuous workouts, dry saunas, and steam rooms. Increased blood circulation to the area can intensify warming, tingling, itching, redness or other uncomfortable side effects on freshly peeled skin. Skip such activities on the day you use a peel.
  
  
• Don’t over-exfoliate. Peels are maximum-strength exfoliants, so you don’t need to use a separate exfoliant (like a scrub, brush or exfoliating cleanser) within 3-4 days of your peel. Over-exfoliating can lead to more redness or sensitivity, so wait until your skin feels up to it.
  
  
• Once your skin feels “back to normal” after a peel, it’s generally considered OK to resume your normal skin care regimen. For more personalized advice, please call the office at 1846292