Key takeaways
- Preparation starts well before the session, not the day before.
- Three families of products are paused: retinoids, exfoliating acids and mechanical scrubs.
- Two things are declared at the consultation: your medications (including isotretinoin) and your sun exposure over the past weeks.
- A session is planned around the shedding that follows.
- Daily sunscreen is part of preparation, not only of recovery.
Why does preparation change the result of a peel?
A peel makes the skin react in a controlled way. What decides the result is not only the product applied: it is the state of the skin barrier at the moment it is applied.
Skin weakened by strong actives, skin that has just been exposed to the sun, or skin that was waxed the day before does not react the same way as skin left at rest. In the first case, there is a risk of irritation, inflammation and, on pigmented skin, of marks darker than before. In the second, the session does exactly what it is supposed to do.
That is why we ask you to prepare your skin: it is not paperwork, it is what protects your result.
What should you do before your session?
- Pause retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene, retinol). They speed up cell renewal and make the skin more reactive. The exact period depends on your skin: ask us, we will confirm it at the consultation.
- Space out exfoliating acids: AHA, BHA, glycolic acid, salicylic acid. They are stopped a few days before, not the day before.
- Stop scrubs and brushes as soon as you book. The goal is to arrive with an intact skin barrier.
- Avoid waxing and laser on the area to be treated in the days before.
- Moisturize as usual: neither an overload of products nor stopping completely. Hydrated skin tolerates the protocol better.
What do you need to tell us?
A few pieces of information change the plan completely:
- Your current treatments, prescribed or not. In particular isotretinoin (Accutane and equivalents): a waiting period is needed after stopping, and it is checked with your doctor.
- Your recent sun exposure, including a trip south in the preceding weeks. Freshly tanned or burned skin is not a good candidate on the day.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. As a precaution, we postpone.
- Your history of herpes: preventive treatment may be needed depending on the area.
- Any active skin condition on the area: infection, wound, eczema, flare-up of inflammatory acne. We do not perform a peel on inflamed skin.
These points cannot be guessed. It is better to mention them at booking than to discover them on the day of the appointment.
How do you prepare on the day of the session?
- Arrive without makeup on the area to be treated.
- Come with clean skin, without having applied an exfoliating active that morning.
- Plan a simple day. Avoid scheduling an intense workout, a sauna or a long outing in the sun that day.
- Mention any change since the consultation: a new medication, a sunburn, an irritation. We adjust or postpone, and that is fine: it is exactly why we check.
Do you need to prepare the aftercare too?
Yes, and it is probably the most neglected step. The session triggers shedding: the skin feels tight, turns red, then peels. It is the visible phase of renewal.
In practice, plan for: a sunscreen suited to your skin, a gentle moisturizer, and a pause on retinoids, acids and any at-home exfoliation for the period indicated. And if you have an important event (wedding, photo shoot, trip), schedule the session around that window rather than the other way around.
If you want the details of the period that follows, our article on chemical peels in Montreal covers recovery and contraindications. Microneedling is another option to explore for scars: we discuss it at the consultation.
What should you check before your session?
- Retinoids stopped for the agreed period
- Exfoliating acids spaced out, scrubs stopped
- No recent waxing or laser on the area
- No major sun exposure or recent sunburn
- Medications and isotretinoin declared
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding reported
- Sunscreen purchased and a gentle moisturizer at home
- Schedule adjusted to the shedding window
If one point is unclear, the consultation is exactly where it gets settled. Postpone the session rather than going ahead with doubts: no peel is worth an irritation.
Ready to prepare your session properly? Book your consultation at Institut V Esthétique, 6532 Beaubien East, Montreal, or call us at (438) 900-0919. We check your skin, confirm the protocol and give you the exact instructions for before and after. The price of a peel is not published online: it is confirmed at the consultation.
Frequently asked questions
I restarted my retinoid the day before, what should I do?
Call us before the session to report it. We will decide together whether the protocol can be adapted or whether it is better to postpone by a few days. Hiding the information to avoid moving the appointment is the best way to damage your skin.
How long before should I stop my products?
It depends on the type of peel and on your skin. The general principle: retinoids are stopped the longest, acids a few days, scrubs as soon as you book. We give you a precise schedule at the consultation.
I am going south, can I have a peel when I return?
Not immediately. We wait until the skin has returned to its baseline, without recent tanning or redness. Mention your trip at booking: we will place the session accordingly.
I take isotretinoin, is it possible?
Not during treatment. A waiting period is needed after stopping, and the decision is made with your doctor. It is a point we check systematically at the consultation.
Can I work the next day?
In most cases, yes. The skin will be red and shedding will begin. What is hard to plan around is an event where you have to look impeccable: for that, you need to allow for the full window.
In short
A successful peel is prepared. Before the session: strong actives are paused and what matters is declared (medications, sun, pregnancy). On the day: clean skin, no makeup, a light schedule. After: sunscreen, gentle moisturizing, patience through the shedding window. At Institut V Esthétique, on Beaubien, the consultation is what sets this schedule to your skin.
Book your free consultation at Institut V Esthétique to get your personalized preparation schedule, or call us at (438) 900-0919.
