Cosmetic Surgery, Health and Fitness Information - The Adams Center, Boston, MA

Latisse Works for Long, Luscious Lashes

Latisse is the only prescription treatment approved by the FDA for inadequate or not having enough eyelashes, growing them longer, fuller and darker. Patients in a clinical trial noticed results in as few as 8 weeks, and full results within 12 to 16 weeks.

Latisse is a once-a-day treatment you applied to your upper eyelashes. It works gradually from the inside out by increasing the amount of hairs in growth phase, and the duration of, the growth phase. Patients in a clinical trial saw results in as few as 8 weeks with full results after 12 to 16 weeks.

Latisse works gradually from the inside out. Once you begin treatment, you must continue applying the topical solution each night and follow the directions for best results.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.

Study Shows Women Are More Prone to Facial Wrinkles

A study by a team of plastic surgeons from the Netherlands, that was published in a recent issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal suggests that differences in the skin around the mouth (the perioral area) account for more, and deeper skin wrinkling in women than in men.

The study’s goal was to 1) determine whether or not women wrinkle earlier and more severely than men, and 2) to develop better strategies for the treatment of facial wrinkles.

The study found several contributing factors for more perioral wrinkles in women:

• Women have fewer sweat glands and sebaceous glands than men, which influences the natural filling of potential wrinkles
• The skin around a woman’s mouth contains fewer blood vessels than men, which may speed wrinkle development
• Women have tighter muscle to skin attachment around the mouth then men. This may cause more of an inward pull to create deeper wrinkles

Current treatments for perioral wrinkles include the use of ActiveFX and DeepFX lasers, Botox, and injectable wrinkle fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, and other methods such as Dermabrasion, and chemical peels.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field. 

LightSheer DUET - The Gold Standard in Laser Hair Removal

The new LightSheer DUET by Lumenis is the Gold Standard in laser hair removal.

The DUET system offers several innovative improvements over previous laser hair removal systems. Vacuum assisted technology combined with a dramatic increase in the laser spot size enables a greater depth of penetration, and improved absorption of energy at the hair follicle. These improvements mean the treatment times are reduced by 75% in many cases, for instance we can treat backs and legs comfortably in about 15 minutes, without anesthetics and gels. Other areas may take even less time.

The number of treatments required depends on several factors including hair and skin type. Laser hair removal treats hair in an active growth phase. Since all hairs are not in this phase at the same time, more than one treatment may be necessary for the best results.

LightSheer DUET is a quick and pain free way to permanently remove unwanted hair from your legs, back, face, bikini, and other areas of your body where unwanted hair is a problem.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.

Our Non-Surgical Beauty Enhancement Seminars were a big Success

Our September 18th and 20th seminars on how to enhance your natural beauty without cosmetic surgery were a huge success, with over 100 of our patients attended our events in our Boston and Peabody offices.

These great events were highlighted by demonstrations from Dr. Adams and out highly trained aesthetician staff throughout the morning, which focused on Botox and injectable fillers, Microdermabrasion, Sclerotherapy and various laser procedures to help reduce wrinkles, brown/age spots, acne, and more.

Representatives from several of our high quality skin care partners, such as Allergan (the makers of Botox and our breast implants), Obagi, Juvederm, Jane Iredale, iS Clinical, Environ, and the exciting new skin care line - Vivite were there with product samples, and to answer questions.

Complimentary skin analysis was also provided using the Mirror Canfield Enhanced Viewing System.

We tentatively have more seminars scheduled for November, so remember to check back here, or check the events page on The Adams Center's site.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.

How to Correct Sun Damage

“Oxidative Stress,” Free Radicals and Wrinkles
“Oxidative stress,” the term used to describe damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that attack our cells destroying cell membranes, proteins, and more), contributes to accelerated wrinkling, hyperpigmentation, and some diseases including skin cancer.

Much of the oxidative stress our skin encounters is a direct result of sun damage. So, prevention is the best defense. Be sure to wear sunscreen protection (both UVA and UVB protection), especially between 10am and 3pm.

But, what should you do if the damage has already been done?

How Can We Fix It?
Oxidative stress can be treated with free radical scavenging antioxidants, which stabilize the free radical, rendering it inactive and harmless. Our bodies produce antioxidants that counteract some of this oxidative stress. However, clinical studies have shown that antioxidants applied to the skin and absorbed by the skin can increase the body’s antioxidant production.

Correcting the Damage
We use and recommend several great antioxidant rich formulas at The Adams Center. One of the most innovative and effective lines of antioxidant serums are the products by iS Clinical.

iS Clinical uses only the most potent, botanically derived, pharmaceutical-grade antioxidants. Their products are formulated to help treat fine lines and wrinkles, acne, hyperpigmentation, and rosacea using:

Powerful botanical acids - Natural agents that resurface the skin and enable the penetration of other key ingredients.

Peptides – Peptides prevent collagen breakdown and help create new collagen to decrease wrinkles and restore skin elasticity.

Amino acids - Improve cell function and promote cellular integrity. Growth factors - Encourage and direct cell maturation and development.

Antioxidants in iS Clinical’s Products Include . . .

Vitamin C – From natural sources such as citrus fruits (specifically lemons). Vitamin C acts as a photo-protector, stimulates collagen synthesis, brightens skin, helps to replenish Vitamin E.

Vitamin B5 – From soy and avocado. B5 is an essential element for cellular function, integrity, and efficiency. Additionally, it enables the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids.

Niacin (Vitamin B3) - Grain and corn. promotes microcirculation, increases energy within cell to maintain and improve functionality.

Vitamin A - Carrots and egg yolk. potent antioxidant, improves collagen synthesis, promotes wound healing.

Vitamin E – From sunflower and soy bean oil. This potent antioxidant protects against the sun’s rays, and inhibits DNA damage.

Gotu Kola - Stimulates collagen synthesis, improves microcirculation, and promotes wound healing, while reducing scar tissue.

Olive Leaf Extract - Promotes wound healing, and is an anti-inflammatory agent, and antibiotic.

Click here for more information on iS Clinical's products.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.

Reversing the Aging Process Using Hi-Tech, Low Tech, and the Tried and True

Over the past few years, we’ve seen tremendous advances in high-tech anti-aging procedures. While it sounds cliché, these really have revolutionized the battle against wrinkles.

2006 statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) showed an overall increase in cosmetic procedures. However, while surgical procedures declined, non-surgical procedures increased to account for 83% of the total cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S.

This is good news for those of us in the medical spa business. Cosmetic surgery is not for everyone, and non-surgical treatments can provide great results with less downtime. At my practice, my staff and I routinely evaluate new equipment and ideas in anti-aging science. Some of the most effective treatments I’ve seen are DermaSound, iS Clinical’s Youth Complex, and an old favorite, Botox.

DermaSound
One of the more innovative anti-aging solutions I’ve seen is DermaSound. DermaSound is an advanced ultrasonic skin treatment that combines sound waves with a water process utilizing cavitation (a thin blade vibrates at 28,000 times per second causing water molecules to spin rapidly) to eliminate dead skin cells in the outermost layer of skin that make our skin appear older.

DermaSound not only exfoliates, but can also provide deeper-reaching antioxidant treatments through a process called “sonophoresis” to create pathways into the skin for antioxidants to nourish and heal skin at a cellular level, increasing penetration effectiveness by up to 4,000 times (according to an MIT study) more than applying them by hand.

The final part of the DermaSound process is Micro amp therapy, which can be provided as part of a complete skin-restoring treatment to help enhance the healing process.

DermaSound frequently produces results after just one treatment.

iS Clinical’s Youth Complex
One of the biggest reasons for tired and old looking skin is sun damage. Many of us spend unprotected hours in the sun, which can cause oxidative stress resulting in free radical damage to the skin.

While an ounce of prevention is the best medicine, what do you do when the damage has been done?

One of the only “skin creams” (I hesitate to call iS Clinical’s products “skin creams” because they’re so much more) that I’ve seen to actually produce measurable results are the products by iS Clinical. iS Clinical has one of the most innovative and effective lines of antioxidant rich serums. We use and recommend several of their great formulas at The Adams Center.

iS Clinical combines the some of the latest skin science and breakthroughs in wrinkle filler technology by utilizing Hyaluronic acid (the same product used in Restylane), and copper peptides, with vitamins and things like white willow bark that have been used for centuries in some cultures.

Their Youth Complex utilizes freeze dried Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B5, white willow bark, copper peptides, fruit acids and other botanicals with advanced micro-spheres to help rapidly reduce wrinkles, and rebuild skin at the deepest level. The formula is so effective that results may be seen in hours.

Botox
Botulinum Toxin Type A, or as it’s more commonly referred to, Botox® (manufactured by Allergan as a purified, sterile form of the Botulinum Toxin) is one of the most positive developments in the field of cosmetic surgery of the past two decades.

Botox is really the product that started the revolution in non-surgical anti-aging medicine, and showed that it was possible to get results without surgery. According to the ASAPS, Botox® has been the top cosmetic procedure for the past seven years, with approximately 3.18 million procedures performed in 2006.

First approved by the FDA in 1989 to treat uncontrollable blinking, and misaligned eyes, Botox® has since been approved for cosmetic use to diminish wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes, lips, and neck. It has recently been approved to treat excessive underarm sweating.

Botox® works by blocking the release of a chemical called “acetylcholine” which signals the muscle under the “frown lines” to contract. Botox® is injected into the muscle causing a temporary (4 months in most cases) paralysis or weakness in the muscle, which then diminishes and in many cases, removes the wrinkle.

I’ve performed thousands of procedures using Botox®. I still believe that it’s one of the most effective non-surgical tools we have in the fight against wrinkles.

Non-surgical ways to combat aging are the solutions most requested in both my medical spa and my cosmetic surgery practice. DermaSound, advanced skin serums such as those made by iS Clinical, and Botox®, are important tools in our efforts to combat the effects of aging. Even though I’m a board certified plastic surgeon by trade, in my opinion, whenever a non-surgical method is right for the patient, that’s the way to go!

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.

Non-surgical Antiaging Alteranatives for the Holidays

Anti-Aging Alternatives lead the list of requests for treatments for the Holidays. 

I use Botox for lines of the forehead, between the brows, around the eyes, the upper lip, corner of the mouth, and bands of the neck.  Restylane fillers improve the lines between the brows and around the mouth.  Laser-Peels and light Chemical Peels improve the complexion by removing the top dead layers of the skin and evening the brown pigmented appearance. 

The Holiday Season also causes introspection and planning for surgical procedures for the New Year.  One writer asks; "How do you evaluate a person to select the best treatment?"  The doctor-patient relationship develops with the first consultation and allows trust in one another to devise the best plan.  I find that my patients' needs vary and evolve at different rates.  Thus, the importance of individualized treatment. 

I look forward to seeing many of you in this Holiday Season, and in the New Year.

Contact me by e-mail, or by calling me at The Adams Center in my Peabody office at 978-531-0550, or 617-262-2208 in my Boston office for more information on this post, or any other information in my Blog.

Dr. Bill Adams is a greater Boston area board certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.