Plymouth, UK -- Women who are dreaming of silky smooth skin and considering a chemical peel.... Holly Nuttall would like to have a word with you.

Holly Nuttal, a 30-year-old woman from Plymouth, England had the same dream of fresh, smooth skin. She trotted down to a local salon and began the seemingly painless 15-minutes treatment, never knowing the horror that was about to await her.

Three days after the procedure, she didn't see the fresh, smooth skin emerging that she expected. Instead she found a blotchy, swollen, scarred face staring back.

The swelling continued, and eventually Nuttal found herself in a Derriford hospital battling for her life as the swelling began to restrict her windpipe - making it difficult to breath.

"It was horrific," says Holly about the ordeal. "I thought I was going to die. I sat in [the] hospital and wondered if my face would ever stop swelling."

Doctors treated Holly with morphine, steroids and anti-histamine, which helped to reduce the swelling. Her skin however still bears the blotchy, chicken pox-like blemishes from the severe allergic reaction that resulted from the treatment.

"Now I have to deal with the blisters and rash," said Holly. "It's not awful, but they are a reminder of what can happen if your body reacts to a chemical beauty treatment."

Holly, has filed suit against the salon, claiming that it should have first conducted a skin test for potential allergic reactions to the chemicals that would be used.

"Women should be aware of the awful consequences if things go wrong," Holly said.