VI Peel FAQ

A medium-depth chemical peel made by VI Aesthetics, used for pigmentation, acne and early signs of aging. The base blends TCA, retinoic acid, salicylic acid, phenol and vitamin C, and six formulas tune that base to different concerns. It is applied in the clinic by licensed aestheticians, and the process finishes at home over about a week.

Chemical peels are classed as superficial, medium or deep by how far they penetrate, as the American Academy of Dermatology explains. The VI Peel reaches the papillary dermis, the layer just under the surface, which makes it a medium-depth peel. That prompts controlled exfoliation and cell turnover: pigmented and rough surface skin sheds over the week and new skin comes through. A 2018 review in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology covers how peel depth and acid are matched to pigment, acne and texture.

Yes. The manufacturer states that all VI Peel treatments are safe and effective for all skin tones and are formulated with skin of color in mind, and it names the Precision Plus for all Fitzpatrick skin tones. Formula choice is where the safety lives, so we confirm it at the consultation after looking at your skin. A 2026 scoping review summarizes the current evidence on chemical peels in skin of color.

The manufacturer describes it as virtually painless. You feel warmth and tingling for a few minutes while the solution goes on, and it settles quickly. No numbing is needed. You leave looking slightly flushed or tan.

The visit takes about 45 minutes. The consultation is a separate free visit, and the peel is not done the same day unless your skin is suitable and you choose it. There is no sedation, so you drive yourself home.

Six, and we stock all of them: Original, Advanced, Precision Plus (the manufacturer now also labels it Precision + Peptides), Purify, Purify with Precision Plus, and Body. Which one you get depends on your main concern and your skin, and that is decided at the consultation, not from a menu.

The Original. The manufacturer positions it for sensitive skin, first-time peelers, rough texture, rosacea-prone skin and early signs of aging. It is the formula we usually start with, because it shows us how your skin responds.

The Precision Plus. The manufacturer names it for melasma and UV damage, hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory marks, on all skin tones. It adds what the manufacturer calls Smart Peptide Technology, Retinoid Accelerate and Antioxidant Brighteners to the base, aimed at regulating melanin and lifting the pigment already there.

The Purify for active and hormonal acne, oily and congested skin, acne grades one through four. If your breakouts have left dark marks or texture behind, the Purify with Precision Plus treats the acne and the marks in one formula, and the manufacturer names melanin-rich skin for it specifically.

The Advanced. The manufacturer describes it as the deepest-penetrating peel in the range, for wrinkles and fine lines, laxity, roughness and resilient skin, typically at 40 and over. It is usually not a first peel.

The formula made for skin below the clavicle. The manufacturer names discoloration, keratosis pilaris, body acne, stretch marks, wrinkles and scars for it, and says it suits all body areas and skin of color. Ask about it at the consultation if your concern is not on your face.

Not as a standalone formula in the current lineup. Precision Plus, which the manufacturer now also labels Precision + Peptides, is the pigment formula, and the Purify with Precision Plus is the acne-and-pigment combination. If you were told you had a Precision peel elsewhere, bring that history to the consultation.

Adults with hyperpigmentation, melasma or post-inflammatory marks, active acne, early fine lines, rough or dull texture, or sun damage, on any skin tone once the right formula is chosen, who can give the seven days after the peel the care they need.

The manufacturer’s list: anyone pregnant or breastfeeding; an aspirin, hydroquinone or phenol allergy; oral isotretinoin (Accutane) in the last six months; active cold sores, warts or open wounds in the treatment area; chemotherapy or radiation in the last six months; an autoimmune condition, liver disease, or anything that weakens the immune system. It is not exhaustive. The full list is on our VI Peel Important Safety Information page, and we screen for all of it at the consultation.

No. The manufacturer lists both as reasons not to have the peel. Book the consultation once you have finished breastfeeding and we will plan from there.

Six months after the last dose, per the manufacturer. Tell us about any isotretinoin use at the consultation, including the dates.

Often, yes. The manufacturer names rosacea-prone skin and sensitive skin for the Original. An active flare or broken skin in the treatment area means waiting until it settles, which we judge at the consultation.

Yes. The manufacturer’s guidance is a barrier ointment over the brows so the pigment is not lifted, and a wait of 10 to 14 days after new microblading, or until the skin has fully healed.

You get a written pre-treatment protocol at the consultation. In general: pause retinoids and exfoliating actives for about a week, no tanning or heavy sun in the two weeks before, and no waxing or threading right before (the manufacturer says threading 10 to 14 days before or after). Tell us everything you take, including supplements.

Your skin is cleansed, then the solution is applied in sweeping strokes with gauze, in layers. Warmth and tingling for a few minutes, then it settles. About 45 minutes in all. You leave with your post-peel kit and written instructions. Every formula is reviewed and approved before your peel is applied.

The manufacturer’s post-peel towelettes for your formula, a protectant, SPF and a cleanser, with written instructions and a QR code for the manufacturer’s aftercare app. The towelettes carry on the work at home over the days after the peel; use them in the order printed, and if you mix the order up, wait 20 minutes between them and carry on.

Nothing goes on the skin for the first four hours, not even sunscreen. After the four-hour steps in your instructions, makeup is allowed. From then on the kit SPF goes on every morning.

Yes. There is no sedation and nothing that affects driving. Sunglasses are a good idea.

Right after: slightly flushed or tan, tight. Flaking usually starts on day two, peeling runs from day three to day five, eases on day six, and most people have stopped by day seven. A first peel often runs a little longer than later ones. The full day-by-day, with the post-peel protocol, is on the VI Peel overview.

It still worked. The manufacturer’s guidance is that visible peeling varies from person to person and by skin condition, and exfoliation happens at the cellular level whether or not you can see it. If you are concerned, come back in and we will look.

Not for 72 to 96 hours, per the manufacturer, to avoid blistering and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. If you are prone to dark marks or have melasma, skip exercise for the whole seven days: heat and sweat are what cause the trouble.

Not in the first four hours. After that, cool water and the kit cleanser with your fingertips, no rubbing, no washcloth, and pat dry. Wash before you shower, so the hot water does not hit your face.

Yes, after the first four hours. Mineral makeup over the kit moisturizer covers flaking well. What you must not do is remove flakes to make the makeup sit better.

Do not pull, pick or rub peeling skin; trim loose edges with clean cuticle scissors if you must. No exfoliants, retinoids, acids or scrubs. No direct sun. No swimming for 7 to 10 days (chlorine irritates), no LED treatments for 7 days, no shaving until peeling is done, and no moisturizers other than the ones in your kit, because alcohol and other ingredients can damage skin that is preparing to peel.

Yes. The manufacturer suggests a plain hydrating moisturizer, the kind sold at a pharmacy, once peeling is complete. If dryness or stinging is more than mild, call us.

Most people have stopped peeling by day seven and can see the new skin then. Pigment keeps evening out as the skin settles over the weeks after. Results vary, and the manufacturer’s own before-and-after photos, including the one on our VI Peel overview, are mostly taken after three peels.

It depends on the concern. The manufacturer says a single peel does real work and recommends a series of three to six peels, four to six weeks apart, for the best result, then quarterly peels for maintenance. Melasma is usually a series. You get a plan at the consultation.

It depends on your sun exposure, your skincare and the concern treated, so we do not put a number on it. The manufacturer suggests a peel each season, four a year, to maintain healthy skin. Daily SPF is what protects the result most.

The manufacturer lists textural scarring for the Purify with Precision Plus, and dark post-acne marks respond well to the pigment formulas. Deep, pitted scars are a texture problem more than a pigment one, and microneedling or RF microneedling may fit better, on its own or alongside. We say which at the consultation.

Yes, with spacing. The manufacturer’s guidance is that most other treatments, facials, Botox, waxing, IPL, are safe about four weeks after a peel, and it recognizes a peel with a neurotoxin as a combination. We sequence everything at the consultation so recoveries do not stack.

One price for a single peel and a lower per-peel price for a series of three, the same for every formula. The post-peel kit, the written aftercare and the follow-up appointment are included, and there are no add-ons. The figures are in the pricing section of the VI Peel overview and are confirmed before anything is booked.

No. Chemical peels for cosmetic reasons are not covered. Financing is available through Cherry, CareCredit and Afterpay; ask at the consultation.

Start with a free consultation: book online or call (678) 892-9230. Our clinicians look at your skin and your goals, choose the formula, and schedule the peel for a week when peeling days three to five will not get in the way. Same-day treatment is possible when your skin is suitable and you want it.

Yes, and there is no obligation. It covers a skin assessment, the formula recommendation, the pre-treatment protocol and a walk through the seven days. If the VI Peel is not the right treatment for you, we say so and tell you what is.

Peeling and flaking from around day three, tightness and dryness, some redness, skin that looks darker before it peels, mild stinging as the new skin is sensitive, and on acne-prone skin a brief purge as trapped congestion comes to the surface. All of it is expected and settles inside the week.

It is designed to treat it, but heat, sun and picking during the week can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, most of all on deeper skin tones. That is why the manufacturer says no exercise for the whole seven days if you are PIH-prone, direct sun avoided, kit SPF every morning, and no picking.

Call us on (678) 892-9230. Severe pain, spreading redness with heat, blistering, or signs of infection need a same-day call. Mild stinging and itching are expected; excessive stinging is not, and there are alternatives we can suggest.

On our VI Peel Important Safety Information page: contraindications, warnings, interactions, side effects and aftercare in full. Read it before your peel.

Use the kit as directed for the full week, SPF every morning, no picking, no heat or sweat for the first days, and only the kit products on your face until peeling is done. Aftercare is the single biggest factor in the result, and it is why every peel comes with written instructions and a follow-up appointment.