A treatment menu is the first thing a prospective client evaluates, and it's also the document that keeps a clinic's peel protocols consistent across every practitioner on staff. A menu that's organized by depth and outcome — rather than by brand name or marketing language — does both jobs at once: it helps clients self-select the right entry point, and it gives your team a shared reference for what's actually appropriate to offer.
Here's a practical framework for structuring one, plus the scope-of-practice boundaries that should shape it before a single treatment goes on the price list.
Start with depth, not brand
Every peel on a professional menu falls into one of three depth categories, and the category — not the acid name — is what determines who can perform it and what clients should expect for downtime.
Superficial peels work on the epidermis only. Low-to-moderate concentration glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid and mandelic acid peels fall here. These are within esthetician scope of practice in nearly every state and are the natural entry point for a treatment menu — minimal downtime, low risk, and repeatable on a maintenance cadence.
Medium-depth peels reach the papillary dermis. TCA in the 15–35% range, Jessner's solution, and higher-concentration glycolic formulations sit here. This is where scope of practice varies the most by state — some allow estheticians to perform medium-depth peels with additional training or under physician oversight, others restrict this tier to licensed medical professionals entirely.
Deep peels reach the reticular dermis. Phenol peels and TCA above 35% are medical procedures everywhere in the United States, performed by physicians due to the systemic absorption risk and the intensity of the tissue response. These do not belong on an esthetician-run menu under any circumstances.
For a longer breakdown of where common percentages and acids fall across these three tiers, see our chemical peel percentage guide.
Structure the menu in tiers
A menu that lists every peel a clinic offers as a flat, undifferentiated list makes it hard for clients to know where to start and hard for practitioners to sequence a treatment plan. Organizing by tier solves both problems:
Entry tier — maintenance and introduction. Superficial peels positioned as a recurring service: monthly glycolic or lactic acid treatments for general texture and tone maintenance. Low commitment, minimal downtime, and the tier most new clients should be offered first regardless of what they ask for by name.
Signature tier — targeted correction. Higher-concentration superficial peels or, where your scope and state regulations allow, entry-level medium-depth treatments aimed at a specific concern — pigmentation, texture, mild post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is where a formulated multi-acid peel with active depigmenting ingredients, like a kojic acid and alpha-arbutin complex, earns its place on the menu as a step up from a single-acid superficial treatment.
Corrective tier — series-based protocols. A defined sequence of treatments (often 4–6 sessions spaced 3–4 weeks apart) for clients with more established concerns: melasma-prone skin, significant sun damage, or textural scarring. This tier should always be positioned as a series with a home-care plan attached, not a single visit.
Build the home-care bridge into the menu itself
The treatment doesn't end when the client leaves the chair, and a menu that only lists the in-office service misses half the value proposition. Every peel tier should have a paired take-home protocol: a barrier-supportive moisturizer for the 24–72 hours immediately after treatment, and a maintenance routine for the weeks between visits. We cover the specifics of what belongs (and doesn't) in that window in our post-peel protocol guide — it's worth building directly into your client handout so the instructions come from the same source as the treatment.
Document the intake, not just the treatment
A menu is only as safe as the intake process behind it. Before any peel — regardless of tier — a consistent intake should screen for: active dermatitis or eczema, broken or sunburned skin, recent isotretinoin use, pregnancy status, and prior peel history including any adverse reactions. Fitzpatrick skin typing should inform both the depth you select and the contact time you plan for, since deeper skin tones carry higher post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation risk from overly aggressive treatment. Keep a signed consent form and a documented patch test (24–48 hours ahead of a first treatment) on file for every client, every visit.
Price for the tier, not just the product
Menus that price every peel identically regardless of tier undersell the corrective and series-based offerings and overprice the entry tier relative to its actual time and product cost. Pricing that scales with tier — and that reflects series discounting for corrective protocols — tends to convert better than flat per-session pricing, because it signals the value difference to the client rather than leaving them to guess.
Scope of practice note: Peel depth and permitted practitioner scope vary by state and change periodically. This guide is educational and does not replace your state licensing board's current rules — confirm what's permitted in your state and under your specific license before adding any peel to your menu, and always follow your clinic's medical director or supervising physician's protocols where applicable.
Our Skin Clarity Peel is formulated for the signature tier described above — a 43% multi-acid resurfacing peel with a kojic acid and alpha-arbutin active complex for professional use only.
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