Nearly a year after Victoria Nelson’s viral TikTok accused celebrity esthetician Sonya Dakar of causing burns and permanent scars, the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology has officially disciplined Dakar. In a new video posted this week, Nelson revealed that as part of a stipulated board order effective July 22, 2026, Dakar has surrendered both his esthetician license and facility license.

“The punishment in this case was to surrender both the esthetician and facility licenses,” Nelson said, explaining that once the order goes into effect, Dakar will no longer be able to legally practice or operate under those licenses in California.

Nelson also shared that under the agreement, Dakar cannot apply for reinstatement for three years. If she seeks reinstatement, she must first pay Nelson $70,972.27 in restitution and the state $17,731.25 in investigative costs. Under the order, the allegations related to Nelson’s charges will now be considered admitted and will remain part of Dakar’s disciplinary history in future licensing reviews.

How it all started

When Nelson first visited a celebrity skin care specialist in Beverly Hills for what she believed was a routine facial, she had no idea it would transform her face and her life. Nelson, who once hailed esthetician Sonya Dakar as “L.A.’s mom,” went viral after posting a TikTok about how an unexpected chemical peel left her with burns, scars, and years of expensive orthodontic treatment. The high-intensity peel and subsequent microneedling session were not permitted under California’s esthetician licensing laws.

In his initial briefing, Nelson said what was presented as a no-downtime peel immediately caused a burning sensation and visible whitening of the skin, clinical signs of deep damage. She said she has since undergone additional orthodontic treatment, including microneedling, and spent more than $60,000 to repair the damage.

“Consumers shouldn’t need to know what someone else’s license includes or doesn’t include,” Nelson said.

The incident quickly reignited widespread concerns about the scope of aesthetic practice. In California, estheticians are licensed to perform facials and superficial peels, but they cannot legally perform medical-grade chemical peels, microneedling, lasers, injectables, or procedures that penetrate beyond the epidermis.

what went wrong

Nelson said that even though California regulations prohibit estheticians from performing microneedling or medical-grade peels, Dakar continued to treat her with microneedling sessions for two years after the peel. The incident sparked continued concerns about providers operating outside their legal boundaries.

“Unfortunately, outpatient cosmetic care is unregulated and has become the Wild West,” says Dr. Mary Lupo. “People have to be their own advocates. The main problem with non-core professionals performing these procedures is that weekend courses and online training are no substitute for years of accredited training. These unqualified ‘providers’ simply don’t know what they don’t know, they also don’t know how to recognize complications and manage them to avoid serious, long-term sequelae.”

Risks of out-of-scope care

There is no federal oversight of cosmetic treatments in the United States, leaving each state to set its own rules. These rules vary widely. Dr. Linda Chan Honneth, a dermatologist in Bloomfield, Michigan, says this fluctuation puts consumers at risk.

“With little federal regulation, the responsibility lies primarily with states to provide their own guidelines. These guidelines are rudimentary, highly variable, and can lead to unsafe practices and poor outcomes.”

“It’s important to perform these treatments in a clinic where a properly trained physician can supervise the treatment and intervene if complications arise,” says Dr. Jenna Cuellar, a dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida. “Stronger laws and oversight of medical spas and aesthetic practices are needed to better protect patients. Until then, the safest option is to ensure that advanced procedures are performed by qualified, board-certified core aesthetic physicians. Chemical peels are medical procedures. They are controlled chemical burns, and they must be performed correctly.”

Experts agree that serious complications can occur if the procedure is performed by someone without medical training. Dr. Schuyler Suyul, a dermatologist in Shreveport, Louisiana, cited Nelson’s results as an example.

“The esthetician should have realized right away that she had put the wrong thing on her face. Chemical peels remove the frost, but the color of the frost indicates the depth of the peel. Her frost was a very bright white, indicating that it had penetrated deeply.”

“Chemical peels are not cosmetic treatments,” adds Dr. Jason Choake, a dermatologist in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. “This is a controlled chemical burn that, if done incorrectly, can cause permanent scarring, pigment loss, or disfigurement. I have seen patients who went to healthcare providers outside of core care facilities but ended up with lifelong damage because the person who got the acid didn’t know how to determine clinical endpoints or manage complications.”

what happens next

Nelson said in his latest update that he was initially disappointed that the matter was resolved before it reached a formal hearing, meaning there would be no chance to testify publicly or hear Dakar’s defense. But she ultimately called the outcome “the right thing to do.”

Although the board’s order ended the administrative case, it did not end the broader legal battle. Nelson confirmed that a separate civil lawsuit against Dakar is still ongoing. This means that issues of damages and additional liability may still be decided in court.

Nelson also explained that Dakar could face additional enforcement action from the state if he attempts to practice without a valid license after July 22nd. So far, Nelson says the results are about accountability and consumer awareness.

“This is not a video that makes me unhappy,” Nelson said. “This is a video that requires caution. Not everyone who provides services should provide services.”