Celebrity esthetician Sonya Dakar has surrendered her esthetician license after an LA woman sued her for \u201csevere burns and permanent scarring\u201d from one of Dakar\u2019s facials.<\/p>\n
Last year, Victoria Nelson\u00a0said she was bringing a lawsuit against Dakar after an April 2021 chemical peel left Nelson \u201cwith severe burns to her face, including to both cheeks, under one eyebrow and to her forehead.\u201d That lawsuit is still ongoing.<\/p>\n
In November, the California State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology filed its own accusation in administrative court which against Dakar, in which it made several allegations including that Dakar \u201cassaulted and attacked a board inspector,\u201d according to People<\/a>, which reviewed the documents.<\/p>\n Nelson says she is permanently scarred from the chemical peel Dakar gave her. TikTok\/victoria.nelson<\/p>\n That case resulted in a settlement in which Dakar agreed to surrender her esthetician license and establishment license \u2014 that is, the license to run Dakar\u2019s Beverly Hills clinic, which has welcomed the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Drew Barrymore and Sofia Vergara.<\/p>\n Nelson, for her part, is pleased with the outcome.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been years in the making and it certainly hasn\u2019t been easy,\u201d Nelson wrote on TikTok<\/a>. \u201cThere were moments I genuinely didn\u2019t think anyone would listen but the Board investigated, the Attorney General prosecuted, and the settlement speaks for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Dakar can\u2019t apply to have her license re-instated for three years and must prove rehabilitation to do so, according to documents posted by Nelson. Dakar would also be ordered to pay the board $17,731.25 and $70,972.27 to Nelson (in the document, referred to as \u201cV.N.\u201d) in order to get her license back.<\/p>\n Dakar began her esthetician career in the 1980s<\/a> and has been running her clinic for 44 years. She also sells skincare under her name.<\/p>\n Because Dakar settled out of court, a hearing that Nelson was preparing to speak at, along with other witnesses, was canceled, Nelson said.<\/p>\n Dakar has been in business for esthetics since the 1980s. CBS via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI was a little nervous when they said they settled,\u201d she said on TikTok. \u201cI was also pretty frustrated that I wasn\u2019t going to be able to speak and tell my story.\u201d<\/p>\n And Nelson says Dakar \u201chasn\u2019t said a word\u201d as this conflict \u201cevolved.\u201d Dakar hasn\u2019t released a public statement and The Post has reached out to her for comment.<\/p>\n In her civil lawsuit, Nelson is seeking about $71,000 from Dakar, not for her reported burn injury, but for allegedly making \u201cfalse representations\u201d to her about \u201cher professional qualifications and licensure, the nature and legality of the treatments provided, and the accuracy and authorization of the charges\u201d to her account.<\/p>\n Nelson claimed that Dakar \u201cintentionally placed an unknown substance, likely acid, onto\u201d her face. TikTok\/victoria.nelson<\/p>\n \u201cDuring that facial, Defendant Sonya Dakar intentionally placed an unknown substance, likely acid, onto Plaintiffs face, causing severe burns and permanent scarring,\u201d claims the lawsuit filed in LA court.<\/p>\n The suit claims that Dakar \u201cperformed procedures on [her], such as microneedling and procedures using a lancet, which are outside the lawful scope of an esthetician\u2019s license in California.\u201d<\/p>\n On TikTok<\/a>, Nelson has described herself as a frequent client of Dakar\u2019s, even after the alleged 2021 chemical peel burning. She said she returned for about 30 sessions to fix her face.<\/p>\n @victoria.nelson<\/a> <\/p>\n Replying to @Allie \u2013 Chicago Girl Effective July 22, 2026, #SonyaDakar<\/a> can no longer legally practice or operate in the State of California. Both her #esthetician<\/a> and establishment licenses are being surrendered to the California State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. This has been years in the making and it certainly hasn\u2019t been easy. There were moments I genuinely didn\u2019t think anyone would listen but the Board investigated, the Attorney General prosecuted, and the settlement speaks for itself. It\u2019s wild to think that I almost didn\u2019t speak up. I stayed silent for years. First out of trust, then out of fear, then out of exhaustion. If you\u2019re sitting on something similar \u2013 a provider who hurt you, a complaint you\u2019ve been afraid to file, harm you\u2019ve seen\u2026 this is your sign that the system CAN work. It\u2019s better late than never. My face still has permanent damage, that part hasn\u2019t changed but this decision means something. Now my full focus goes to my civil case, more to come \ud83e\udd0d<\/p>\n