Once an initial peel series is behind you, the recurring number that matters is annual maintenance cost. This is a cost comparison only and not medical advice; your provider sets how often you should actually return.
What a year of professional maintenance costs
At a light-peel price of about $225 per session, a moderate plan of four maintenance visits a year runs roughly $900. A lighter plan of one or two visits is closer to $225–$450. Medium peels cost more per visit (about $600 on average in 2026) but are usually spaced further apart, around two to four times a year.
What a year of at-home use costs
An at-home AHA/BHA product such as The Ordinary ($9.50 for about 10 uses) used weekly works out to roughly six bottles, or about $57 a year, close to $0.95 per use. A premium option like Drunk Elephant Babyfacial ($80) lands far higher per bottle.
Peel depth changes the maintenance math
Per-visit price and how often you return both shift with depth, so the yearly figure depends on which peel you maintain:
- Light peels (~$225): the most frequent, often every 4-6 weeks, so a four-visit year lands near $900.
- Medium peels (~$600): pricier per visit but spaced out, roughly two to four times a year, so an annual plan often runs $1,200-$2,400.
- Deep peels: typically a one-off rather than routine upkeep, so they sit outside a normal maintenance budget.
The annual gap
Plugging the defaults into the calculator, steady professional maintenance ($900/yr) versus a weekly at-home routine (about $57/yr) is a difference of roughly $843 a year on cost alone. Adjust the session price, visit count, and product to model your own plan.