I went to Birmingham last week for two very good reasons: 1) To try out some treatments at Destination Skin, and 2) To spend some quality time with my friend and her very cute baby. Here I am with said baby, precisely one hour after my ‘Peel and Microderm’ treatment. Guess who’s skin is softest? MINE!

I’m joking, of course, the baby’s skin is ridiculously soft, but mine was a close second. It was smooth and soft in a very surreal way; when I touched my face, it was almost as though I wasn’t touching my own skin!

Now lets just get something clear from the start: if you want a scented candle experience throughout which you lie on a bed of rose petals, whilst a woman in a kaftan massages your face with a mndarin-scented oil, then this is not the treatment for you. To be quite honest, I wouldn’t trust a woman wearing a kaftan to operate a medical-grade microderm – not that I have anything against women in kaftans, it’s just…well…if someone is going to be performing acts such as ‘peeling’ and ‘microderming’ upon my person, I want them to look like they mean business.

I have to admit that I had been slightly apprehensive about my ‘Peel and Microderm’ treatment; I’ve never had any skin problems before, and I’m from the “if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it” school of thought. This, together with the fact that I have an aversion to anything that sounds remotely clinical or medical, meant that I spent the day before my Birmingham visit envisaging terrible things. Me, with my face shrouded in bandages. Me, clutching a bottle of ointment and instructions to “apply to the affected area thrice-hourly”. Me, holding baby (see photo), with my face the same colour as her baby-gro.

Turns out that my worries were completely unfounded. As Lyndsey explained to me, the peel was in fact a Vitamin C Booster peel. Very gentle, it doesn’t need the skin to be prepped as with other, stronger peels, and it doesn’t have any side effects. It can also be used at the same time as the microderm, which would be a massive no-no for the other, more aggressive peels! The microderm, which I was also anxious about, is just a highly effective way of exfoliating. Miniscule crystal particles are blasted at the skin to take off dead skin cells and rejuvenate the skin’s surface. Basically then, both parts of the treatment are focused on rejuvenation – ‘out with the old and in with the new’! Risk of side-effects were minimal – the type of peel used needs no recovery time; there’s no redness of flakiness after the treatment.

So, to the treatment room! I have to say that I didn’t relax much, because I couldn’t stop talking. Even for ten seconds. Not only was Lyndsey’s stream of information completely fascinating (I asked about two thousand annoying questions), I had also eaten a whole packet of M&S Sour Jelly Beans immediately prior to my visit. I was buzzing. Had I not been on a crazy sugar-rush, it would have been very relaxing. The treatment couch – table? What is it referred to as? – was comfy, and I knew that I was in very good hands. I closed my eyes (but not my mouth, ever!) as Lyndsey applied protective pads and prepped my skin ready for the peel, making sure that my face was squeaky clean. The peel was painted on with a brush, and I didn’t feel any tingling at all, possibly due to the fact that in comparison to the 250g of pure sugar racing about my blood stream, the peel was probably small-fry.

Cold, damp cloths were pressed over my face to activate the peel, and one was placed firmly over my mouth (Haha!). After a few minutes, the cloths were removed and the microderm started. I didn’t find that uncomfortable either – just a mild tingling. The only downside, and I mean only, was that the gritty crystal spray got in my mouth a bit and I felt as though I had eaten sand. This feeling continued for a few hours. I have since realised that this was entirely my own fault, Lyndsey having warned me to keep my mouth closed, and me not being able to do so.

As I mentioned earlier, there is no ‘downtime’ with this treatment – you just get up and go. No redness, no flaky skin, no special unguents to apply. My skin looked amazing instantly, and, although it felt a little tight and dry the day after, there were really no side-effects. This would be a great treatment to do a day or so before a really important event to get the best possible glow from your skin – I’ll definitely be doing it again. There are certain times when you feel as though your face just needs a really good scrubbing and polishing, and I think that the “Peel and Microderm’ is a great hassle-free-but-effective way to do it. So much more than a facial, this is a clinical treatment without the scare factor – gain without pain! Good for, apparently: acne, sun damage, signs of aging and about a trillion other things.

Oh – I nearly forgot. Guess how much the ‘Peel and Microderm’ treatment costs? Well, consider that a mani-pedi at Nails Inc costs £70. (Not knocking it, but it’s basically prettifying your hands and feet!) Yes, you’ve guessed correctly – the ‘Peel and Microderm’ costs £70! I nearly fell off the couch/table (what is it called?) in shock!

I had my treatment at the Birmingham Pavillions Destination Skin  – tel: 0121 270 9320

If you don’t live within easy reach you can find your nearest clinic on their website, www.destinationskin.com