Might be worth a try...

[LeeR]

I have a certain way of working with images that has come with long hours of practice. So I am sometimes intrigued when I see someone doing the same thing in a very different way. Today I found someone smoothing skin I a way that is very different than anything I have ever used. Thought you might find it interesting.

Here's a trick a friend taught me for quickly softening the skin in a natural looking manner:

Go to > Select > Color Range > Eye Dropper the skin and use the Slider to get just the skin selected. > Hit OK. Now go to > select > feather > set about 12 Pixels > OK. Now key in > Command J to make a layer ( Go to > Window and scroll to > Layers & click to see the working layers in a separate box.) Now go to > Filters > Noise > Dust and Scratches and set BOTH the sliders to about 5 or so (watch the effect until it looks right). If the effect is hitting a part you don't want softened, go to the Eraser tool (left side tool pallet) set it for about 20% and select a size, then erase over the area you don't want softened. Also in the Layer window there is an Opacity window with a slider to cut the opacity of the layer any % you wish. It allows some of the original image below to show through, making it more natural looking.

From: Wedding Photographer's Kit: What unusual items do you bring? - Photo.net Wedding and social event photography Forum

Actually, I did give it a try and it works pretty well. I don't know that I will put it in my workflow, but it's nice knowing its there if I need it.