A very prominent celebrity esthetician in California has surrendered her license years after one of her clients suffered a major skin mishap that left her with permanent scarring. Should she pursue a new one, she would have to pay a hefty five-figure sum to the client in question.
The news of this resolution was shared by Victoria Nelson, the client who had her face scarred permanently. Regularly sharing lifestyle content, she has shifted her content toward her fight for justice for what happened to her following a chemical peel gone wrong performed by notorious esthetician Sonya Dakar. The clip attached above went viral, garnering 952,200 views, 48,800 likes, and more than 600 comments.
The California woman read through a document issued by the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, part of the Department of Consumer Affairs. In it, it was detailed that Dakar agreed to surrender her esthetician and establishment license. This decision will take effect on July 22, 2026.
As part of the settlement, the Beverly Hills-based esthetician will not be able to apply for a reinstatement of either license for a period of three years. Should she choose to reapply, she must prove rehabilitation, pay restitution, and agree that everything in the filed complaint is true. This, in turn, will weigh on the board’s decision of whether she is granted a new licence or not.
If Dakar is adamant on being able to exercise as an esthetician or operate her establishment again in 2029, she must pay $17,731.25 for investigation and enforcement costs. Additionally, she would have to pay Nelson $70,972.25.
While Nelson admitted that she was frustrated at first when she found out that Dakar had settled, she later found the terms of the investigation and its outcome acceptable. She felt “very happy” as a result.
Facial Scarring
As previously shared by Nelson on Instagram, the incident that eventually led to Dakar losing her license occurred back in April 2021. She detailed that she agreed to a chemical peel following a facial, a procedure that Dakar had performed on her in the past.
Immediately, however, the California woman felt that the liquid Dakar applied burned her cheeks. She had the same feeling on her forehead, and even on the skin below her eyebrow. Eventually, she checked herself on her selfie camera and saw white spots in her face. At first, she thought it was a cream or lotion of sorts. Then, shocked, she learned that it was actually her burned skin.
After dozens of appointments with Dakar meant to solve the issue, Nelson eventually saw a dermatologist. Whatever was applied to her skin, an unknown chemical, was too strong for a regular esthetician to apply.
The dermatologist told her laser treatment was the way to go. However, she was convinced by Dakar to have additional treatment with her, Nelson said. In total, she said she spent $60,000 with Sonya.
Fortunately for her, her complaint filed in December 2025 came to fruition, as detailed above.
“It’s wild to think that I almost didn’t speak up,” she wrote in the clip’s description. “I stayed silent for years. First out of trust, then out of fear, then out of exhaustion. […] This is your sign that the system CAN work. It’s better late than never.”
Reactions
The video sparked multiple responses, including reactions from viewers knowledgeable of Nelson’s journey. One wrote, “This is such amazing news! So glad you spoke up so publicly in the way you did.” Another one commented, “I know the damage can never be reversed, but I’m SO proud of you for speaking up.”
Others, who were also allegedly affected by Dakar, spoke up. One viewer wrote, “I think of you every day when I see the scar on my arm that she caused. Thank you for staying with it…I wish I had been as brave as you.” Another one added, “Like many, I too had a horrific experience with her, but was too naive to realize it wasn’t normal.”
Currently, Nelson is continuing to pursue her civil lawsuit against Dakar. She detailed this on her clip, saying that there was “more to come.”
