If you are interested in stopping or decreasing your monthly menstrual flow, please speak to one of our practitioners about scheduling an in-office endometrial ablation. We offer both Novasure and Thermachoice methods of ablation. Both techniques are effective at stopping or greatly reducing menstrual flow. Endometrial ablation is fast, easy and painless. We offer light general anesthesia for the procedure which keeps our patients comfortable and safe. Think about it — you can stop or significantly decrease your monthly bleeding permanently in a morning!

We also offer labial reduction, Essure permanent birth control, hysteroscopy (looking inside the uterus for abnormalities), D&C, and more in the convenience and privacy of the office setting.

Hormone Therapy Seminar — Tuesday, March 9 at 7 pm

Interested in balance hormone pellets? Curious about your hormone replacement options?

Come to a seminar led by Dr. Deborah Wilson and Dr. Debra Wickman to explore your options. The seminar will be held at the Country Inn and Suites — 10801 North 89th Place, Scottsdale — next to the Desert Cove office on Tuesday, March 9th at 7 pm.

We will discuss menopause and its symptoms, the pros and cons of hormone replacement, and hormone replacement options. Bring your friends to learn how to safely eliminate hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and mood swings. Learn how you can rejuvenate your sex life and decrease mood swings.

No charge, but we would appreciate an RSVP at drdwilsonobgyn@aol.com.

Many of our patients have asked this very question. The answer is variable. Does your daughter feel comfortable talking with her pediatrician about her periods? Are your daughter’s periods difficult for her? Is she sexually active? Would she tell you if she were? And while your daughter may not need a pap smear for some time, that is only one aspect of a gynecologic exam and/or consultation.

Adolescence can be a very difficult time – and not just for parents. During this difficult transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents face choices that can adversely affect their health now and in their future. One of those decisions involves sexual behavior. Does your daughter feel comfortable talking to you about these issues?

Our office provides confidential consultation to all of our patients and can answer questions they may have but are afraid to ask. These questions may be about their periods, sexually transmitted disease prevention, and pregnancy prevention. Pregnancy rates fell 14% between 1995 and 2002. 14% of that decline was due to delayed sexual behavior. 86% of that decline was due to increased contraception use in those already sexually active. American Journal of Public Health, 2007, 97(1):1–7.

So, in answer to your question “When should I bring my daughter in for her first GYN exam?” My best answer would be…NOW. Establishing care with a women’s health office can occur long before your daughter ever needs a gynecologic exam.

In-Office Procedures: Any surgical procedures done in the office may be applied to your deductible or if your deductible has been met, you may have a co-insurance that you are responsible for. Every insurance policy is different and there are several ways they are handled. Many policies, regardless of where the services are rendered, will have a deductible that must be met prior to any percentage being covered. Some will have a set fee and/or co-payment for that service and some will simply state if done in the provider's office, only the co-payment applies. Some of the in-office procedures require anesthesia and that can be handled the same way procedures are handled, some have a deductible to meet first.

Outpatient Surgical Procedures: Surgical procedures performed outside the office, those done at the Piper Clinic or outpatient hospital setting are handled in several ways depending on your specific policy. Most outpatient surgical procedures will require that a deductible be met as well as having a percentage that you the patient are responsible for — i.e., $500 deductible and 20% of contracted rate. Outpatient surgical procedures usually involves four separate billings: the surgeon, anesthesia, facility and pathology.

If you find yourself in need of a procedure, there are many ways in which you can verify your benefits here at our offices. Simply ask any of our Front Office Personnel to check your benefits or just ask them for a Phreesia pad, our electronic check in and you can input your insurance information and get a print out of your benefits.

Visit us on-line at www.skintiquemd.com or call 480.860.9383 for a free consultation!

As you probably, know we have welcomed Deirdre Mountjoy to the practice. She is advanced in the art of facial injections. For those of you who have tried Restylane or Dysport you already know how amazing they are! It’s instant gratification to get rid of lines, wrinkles and plump up wherever you need plumping! I have noticed a huge difference in my face since I have received the treatments (for example, the line going across my forehead is gone – yee-haw!). During skin care consultations, I have noticed some women are a little weary of having Restylane (a dermal filler made up of Hyaluronic Acid – that is what is found naturally in our own younger skin) or Dysport (this is a substance that does what Botox does, but they don’t test on animals)!

I completely understand how it could seem a little scary at first, so I want to invite anyone who has questions to come in for a complimentary consultation with Deirdre. She is an expert, and can explain how the injections work as well as answer any questions. She is in our new office (located at 9180 East Desert Cove, Suite 105, in Scottsdale) on Fridays between 1-5 pm. I know she will be excited to meet you and share her knowledge! I included some before and after photos below, so take a look, and if you like what you see, please give us a call for a complimentary consultation at 480.860.4791 or 480.860.9383.

One more thing while I have you here! If you haven’t yet checked us out in the January issue of “So Scottsdale” magazine, please do! If you don’t know where to get it, please click here. There is a very nice article titled “Get Your Glow On” that talks about Dermaplaning (which is a method that takes off dead skin and “peach fuzz” leaving your face soft, smooth and glowing)!

The next time you are in Dr. Wilson and Associates main office, please look at our "Daily Special" board located on the front table. Everyday we have an amazing special on one of our services. Everything from a $50 dermaplane, an IPL for hands for $40, etc. They are wonderful deals and we would love to see you! If you have been contemplating one of our services we want to make it affordable and easy! Please call for an appointment!

CURRENT SPECIALS (expire soon):

• IPL/Photo-Facial ( this treatment is great for collagen regeneration, shrinking pores, removing sun-damage, rosacea, and broken capillaries!) for only $150
• Brazilian laser hair removal for $140
• For every gift certificate purchased for $50 or more, we will throw in a complimentary facial for either yourself or the recipient of the gift certificate.

Thank you — stay beautiful inside and out!!

Do You Have Stress Urinary Incontinence?
~ Rachel Spieldoch, MD, FACOG

Urinary incontinence is a common frustration that can significantly affect a woman's quality of life. Specifically, stress urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary leakage of urine during effort or exertion during sneezing or coughing. Urinary incontinence can impact the ability to attend many common activities comfortably such as exercising at the gym or participating in sports, playing with grandchildren or even attending a social gathering with friends. Losing urine in public settings can be unexpected and embarrassing. However, there are many effective treatments available today which can help women who are dealing with this problem.

Factors which can increase the risk for developing incontinence include childbearing and vaginal delivery, medications, health concerns such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis, and obesity. Prior radiation or chemotherapy can also be risk factors. Additionally, women who have health issues that involve chronic coughing or obstructive pulmonary disease are also at risk.

Evaluating urinary incontinence has many factors and should be performed by a trained physician in the office setting. A patient voiding diary is often helpful to assess triggering factors, fluid intake, and the severity of leakage. Pelvic floor prolapse, uterine fibroids or even a simple urinary tract infection may also be significant contributors to worsening symptoms. In some situations, further diagnostic testing with urodynamics can prove helpful in determining the best treatment.

Pelvic floor muscle training, also called Kegel exercises, is an easy thing to try initially for stress incontinence. Core exercises such as yoga or pilates can also be helpful in strengthening pelvic floor muscles. Biofeedback techniques have been used to treat stress incontinence and is another noninvasive option for patients. There are no medications proven at this time to specifically treat stress incontinence. However, studies are ongoing and certain serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors may prove beneficial.

A vaginal pessary can be used to effectively treat urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. A pessary is a device that can be fitted to the patient and is available in various shapes and sizes. This is a good option for many women who wish to avoid surgery or may not be good surgical candidates.

Surgical options for stress urinary incontinence most commonly involves placement of a urethral sling in addition to repairing any underlying prolapse of the bladder. The concept behind the vaginal sling essentially involves placement of a permanent support in the tissue surrounding the urethra and bladder neck. The estimated cure rates for this procedure is as high as 85%.

However, many women would prefer to try other non-surgical options for their urinary leakage. Collagen injections or other "bulking" agents have become available and are most commonly performed by Urologic specialists. Success from this procedure varies and must be individualized to each patient's clinical evaluation.

A new non-surgical treatment option called RENESSA is now available which has exciting promise for patients suffering with stress incontinence! This is a safe office procedure that takes less than an hour and involves no incisions or surgical dressings. Recovery is fast with little to no "down" time. Women can often resume their activities on the same or next day. During the procedure, each patient receives local anesthesia to numb the area. The Renessa probe is then inserted in the urethra and bladder. This probe gently provides heat to areas around the upper urethra. The heat then stimulates surrounding collagen to restructure and become firmer. This effectively eliminates urinary leakage during activities involving increased abdominal pressure such as coughing, exercising, laughing or sneezing. So what is the data? In several U.S. clinical trials, Renessa showed a 70% improvement in quality of life . 58% of women were able to eliminate their need for pads altogether! While Renessa (www.novasysmedical.com) may not be the best option for every patient, it offers another valuable tool to treat a common and frustrating problem among aging women.

If you are suffering from stress incontinence, I encourage you to schedule a thorough evaluation by Dr. Spieldoch, Dr. Wilson or Dr. Wickman here at our gynecology office. There is hope that this can be cured for you too!

Laparoscopic Hysterectomies Study
by Dr. Deborah Wilson

Dr. Wilson is working on a study looking at the results of a 4000-patient series of laparoscopic hysterectomies. This study should be published next year and will look at complication rates, pain level after surgery, return to work, and general satisfaction with the laparoscopic hysterectomy. This is a huge undertaking, but Dr. Wilson feels that it will help to convince Gynecologists across the country that laparoscopic hysterectomy is safe and beneficial to patients. Her goal is to significantly reduce the 66% rate of open hysterectomy in the United States. A hysterectomy done through a laparotomy incision not only leaves a large scar, but is much more painful and difficult to recover from than a laparoscopic hysterectomy. The physicians in this office have found that almost any hysterectomy can be done through small incisions.

Adoption open houses are hosted every Saturday from 11-2 at 5130 East Thomas Road (located in the old Ingleside Veterinary Clinic, next to DiVito's Pizza).

Lucky Paws Shelter offers rescue dogs and cats for foster or adoption. These animals have been taken off of the euthanasia list at the county shelters. All dogs and cats are from Circle L Ranch Rescue.

Check out our adoptable animals on-line. For information or an appointment for another day, call 602.955.1414.

Volunteers Needed

We need dog walkers throughout the day, every day at our shelter — 5130 East Thomas Road. There is a sign-up board at the shelter — please choose your time slot and help us walk dogs!

These dogs have no other way of getting their exercise, they are dependent on us. If you are interested, please e-mail us at feathersfoundation@gmail.com. We also need donations of dog and cat food, toys and chews, leashes, collars, bowls, beds, cat towers, etc. New or used is appreciated!

Dogs for Adoption

If you would like to see other dogs for adoption, please click here. Please e-mail circlelranch@gmail.com if you are interested in adopting a dog.