With approximately 11.9 million cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) performed in the U.S. in 2004 - an increase of 44% from 2003 - more people than ever are choosing to manage the signs of aging or just look and feel their best.

Recently, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery released their 2004 statistics for cosmetic procedures, which showed:

• Surgical procedures increased by 17%
• Non-surgical procedures increased 51%
• Women had 90% of all procedures - an increase of 49% from 2003
• People ages 35-50 accounted for 45% (equal to 2003 statistics) of all procedures - the largest group
• Those 19-34 had 22% of all procedures

The top five surgical procedures were Liposuction - 478,251, Breast Augmentation - 334,052, Eyelid Surgery - 290,343, Nose Resculpturing (Rhinoplasty) - 166,187, and Facelifts - 157,061.

The top non-surgical procedures were Botox Treatments were once again the most common cosmetic procedure with 2,837,346 treatments, Laser Hair Removal - 1,411,899, Chemical Peel - 1,110,401, Microdermabrasion - 1,098,316, and Restylane and Hylaform combined to account for 882,469 procedures.

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In April of this year a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel gave a conditional approval for silicone gel filled breast implants be permitted for use in breast augmentation and reconstruction.

The panel recommended the silicone gel implants for "approval with conditions" by a 7 to 2 vote. Among the conditions of approval were the development of patient education, physician education, a patient registry, and a commitment by manufacturers for continued data collection.

If the FDA agrees with the panel's recommendations, silicone gel implants will once again be widely available for breast enhancement use. Over the past 13 years, use of silicone gel implants have been restricted to clinical studies due to concerns over potential side effects caused from leaking silicone implants.

The cohesive silicone gel implant is designed to provide a more realistic look and feel. Once the FDA has officially approved the use of silicone implants, I will begin offering them as an option to patients.

If you have any questions regarding cohesive silicone gel breast implants, or breast enhancement, please call my office at 617-262-2208 for assistance.

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Despite a cooler than normal spring, summer is finally here. As the weather heats up, we'll all be spending more time outdoors.

All this outdoor activity leads to more exposure to the sun, and can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer. Although the risk can be dramatically reduced, studies show that 70% of adults fail to adequately protect themselves.

Some simple measures you can use to protect you and your family include:

• Avoiding unnecessary exposure during peak UV hours: 10am - 4pm
• Applying a UVA and UVB protective sunblock rated SPF 30 or higher
• Wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, broad- brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses can help
• Teaching your children good sun protection habits. Most sun damage is done before you're 18
• Thoroughly checking your skin once every 3 months for any unusual growths or moles

Check out our featured products to help keep your skin healthy and safe.

Relax and rejuvenate! Visit us through July for a facial, peel, all hair removal, or one of our other aesthetician, or personal training services and receive a 10% discount as our gift.

Facials
Our relaxing facials utilize high quality moisturizers, vitamins and minerals to soften and exfoliate your skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Peels
All of our peels are customized for your skin type to reduce fine lines and wrinkles for healthier, younger looking skin.

Hair Removal
We offer a wide variety of hair removal options including long-term removal through electrolysis, and laser hair removal, or waxing for a low-cost, short-term solution.

Additionally, we offer microdermabrasion, micropigmentation, and IPL treatments.

Call to arrange an appointment with our aestheticians: 617-262-2208 in Boston, or 978-531-0550 in Peabody.

View Our Aesthetician Services . . .

The Internet is an amazing information source.

As the number of people who choose to improve their appearance through cosmetic procedures increases, so does the number of people who are using the Internet as a tool to look for credible information on the subject.

As a response to this, I've recently created my own Blog. This will include fairly regular updates from me on a variety of topics.

Some days will be "stream of consciousness," while others will be Q & A style, and updates (similar to what you receive in this newsletter) on the field of cosmetic surgery, personal fitness, diet, and general wellness.

The URL is http://dradamsblog.com. We're still working on updating the graphics and building out the content, so check back often.

Thank you for reading!

William P. Adams, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Popular Procedures

Facials, Peels, Hair Removal, MDA

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