Programme Features

More and more of us are having facials, skin peels and even surgery to regain our flush of youth.

When we've covered the subject on the programme before, listeners have often mentioned "Botox" and wondered what it would be like. I decided to bite the bullet and try it - as a guinea pig for our listeners, of course.

I wasn't really that brave as Botox (or Vistabel as the Allergan cosmetic brand of 'botulinum toxin type 'A' is now known) - is a short, simple jab of a needle....or four.

It claims to smooth any crows feet, laughter lines or frowns away. It's even used to stop excess sweating; so I thought I'd have a go at that too. One treatment is supposed to work for around 3 or 4 months.

In my case though it wasn't quite that simple.

It started so well. I visited Jane Lewis - the Development Director of sk:n Limited in Southampton.

She told me you've got to be careful who you get your treatment from as there's lots of unregulated companies advertising Botox; maybe at a "Botox party" or even from a guy on a motorbike!

Sk:n is regulated and registered with the Healthcare Commission as an independent specialist clinic.

Qualified doctors, nurses and beauty therapists carry out procedures, including laser hair removal, microdermabrasion (a high-powered exfoliation facial) and even mole and skin tag removal.

Jane explained that the procedure works by relaxing the muscles that cause us to frown and make facial expressions. You can hear how I coped with the treatment by clicking on the audio below. I thought I was going to be brave, but as you'll hear - the stinging I thought was quite painful was, in fact, an antiseptic wipe...

Once the jabs had started I was pretty ok; although some hurt more than others. I was told that I'd expect to see a result within a week, but after ten days nobody had noticed I'd had anything done and Jane suggested I returned for a "top up".

She explained it was normal - and free of charge - to have an additional dose and reassuringly told me it was almost unheard of that anybody was a "non responder".

This time the doctor gave me quite a few more injections - funnily enough it hurt more around my eyes than my forehead. The first time it was the other way round. The whole thing is over in about ten minutes.

A week or so later my forehead looked a lot smoother. My eyes were starting to look a lot less weathered too.

Judge for yourself by listening to our audio and looking at the before and after pics.

I'm pleased that I've had a chance to experience what so many of us are doing more and more; I've even enjoyed looking a touch younger than my "29 plus-a-few years" ... but I'm not sure if I'd fork out £400+ every 3 or 4 months to turn back time, but to start to look like someone I didn't recognise.

The injections (all 15 of them) I had under my arm on the other hand (or arm) worked a treat. I'm saving a fair amount on anti-perspirant and although I might look the same I did a month or so ago; at least I don't have the fragrance of alpine fresh deodrant for men either...