Diamond microdermabrasion at The Spa at Dana

Photo: Nicole Radja

When I had a caviar facial in Abu Dhabi last year, I jokingly feigned disappointment that at no point during the treatment was my face ever covered in Beluga (nor was I given even the tiniest fish egg to nibble on before or after my treatment). So I wasn’t too surprised when no one rubbed white diamonds onto my cheeks during the Dana Hotel’s Transforming Resurfacing Microderm Facial, a treatment I’d been told uses diamond chips to exfoliate the skin, reduce fine lines and minimize blemishes. Turns out the teeny, tiny diamonds (calling them chips is generous) are on the end of the suction wand used for the microdermabrasion. An alternative to the more typical crystal microdermabrasion, diamonds reportedly cause fewer side effects for some people who may experience redness or irritation from the procedure. To further reduce the risk of a reaction, my practitioner works with me to decide which of three tips would work best on my skin. After some initial cleansing, the sucking begins. If you’ve never had a microderm, keep in mind that it’s less about pampering and more about getting down to business. The diamonds feel rough against my skin, but never painful as the wand vacuums away those nasty signs of aging. The treatment typically focuses only on the face, but I’m most concerned about my neck and décolletage, so she uses a special tip to treat those areas as well. After a short neck and shoulder massage, she uncaps the wand to show me (gross alert) all of the dead skin that’s been removed. There’s mild redness at first, but my skin is ridiculously soft and glowing. Still, in order to see any real long-term results, I’m told I’d need at least three treatments and an added glycolic peel ($25). $150 for 50 minutes at The Spa at Dana (660 N State St, 312-202-6033, danahotelandspa.com).