Celebrity esthetician surrenders license amid client’s claim of permanent facial scarring

Celebrity esthetician Sonya Dakar surrendered her California esthetician and establishment licenses after a client alleged a 2021 chemical peel caused severe burns and permanent facial scarring; while the civil suit seeking about $71,000 for alleged misrepresentations continues, a board settlement bars license reinstatement for three years and imposes roughly $88,700 in combined fines to the board and to the plaintiff. Nelson says the outcome is a step toward accountability, and Dakar has not publicly commented.