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We’re thrilled to announce that Our Family Health Center is now offering cosmetic Botox at our clinic in Monroe one Saturday a month. Our medical providers have received extensive training and certification, so you can feel confident to trust us with your cosmetic Botox needs. Book an appointment by visiting this tool. Botox will be one of many services we offer in our new Wellness Center opening later this year.

Botox, or botulinum toxin, is a cosmetic treatment that can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. It is a safe and effective way to achieve a more youthful and refreshed appearance without invasive surgical procedures. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of cosmetic Botox in more detail.

1. Reduced Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles

The most obvious benefit of cosmetic Botox is the reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Botox works by blocking the signals sent from the nerves to the muscles, causing the muscles to relax. This can help to smooth out wrinkles and lines on the face, particularly in areas such as the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes.

2. Safe and Effective

Botox is a safe and effective cosmetic treatment. The FDA has approved it for cosmetic use, and it has a very low risk of side effects. The procedure is non-invasive, and most people experience minimal discomfort during the procedure and can return to normal activities afterward.

3. Quick and Convenient

Receiving cosmetic Botox is quick and convenient. The injections take only a few minutes, and there is no need for a lengthy recovery period.

4. Long-lasting Results

The effects of cosmetic Botox injections can last for several months. Over time, the effects of Botox may wear off, but with regular treatments, you can maintain your results for longer. For best results, we recommend cosmetic Botox treatments every twelve weeks. If you allow Botox to wear off completely, it is difficult for a medical provider to see how your individual muscles reacted, and therefore optimal results for your face can be more difficult to achieve. 

5. Improved Self-confidence

One of the most significant benefits of cosmetic Botox is the improved self-confidence that it can provide. When we look good, we feel good, and Botox can help to boost your self-esteem and confidence.

Cosmetic Botox is a safe, effective, and convenient way to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Our Family Health Center is proud to bring the same level of compassionate and quality care to our cosmetic Botox services in Monroe. Book an appointment today by visiting this link.

Anxiety is more common than people realize and in this episode of “Between Two White Coats”, we will discuss important facts and solutions. Have you subscribed to our podcast?

Dr. Plaster and Amber Foster are used to patients coming in for concerns about anxiety symptoms. It was necessary to have an open discussion about anxiety and to include mental health professional, Jane Robinson.

Topics Covered:

• Causes of Anxiety
• How to address it
• How to cope

This Episode’s Special Guest

Jane Robinson is discussing Anxiety with Dr. Plaster and Amber Foster. Jane has 20+ years of experience in clinical therapy and family advocacy. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is considered an emotional response to stress with a deep concern for what has not yet occurred.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America’s Key Anxiety Facts

Anxiety can stand alone and be connected to many other related illnesses. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America listed some lovely facts on the topic:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.
  • Women are twice as likely to be affected as men. GAD often co-occurs with major depression.
• Panic Disorder (PD)
  • PD affects 6 million adults, or 2.7% of the U.S. population.
  • Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

• Social Anxiety Disorder
  • SAD affects 15 million adults, or 6.8% of the U.S. population.
  • SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13. According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.

• Specific Phobias
  • Specific phobias affect 19 million adults, or 8.7% of the U.S. population.
  • Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.
  • Symptoms typically begin in childhood; the average age-of-onset is 7 years old.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are closely related to anxiety disorders, which some may experience at the same time, along with depression.

• Stress
  • Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at one time or another. The difference between them is that stress is a response to a threat in a situation. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress. Read APA: Stress in America: A National Mental Health Crisis (Oct 2020)

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • OCD affects 2.2 million adults, or 1.0% of the U.S. population.
  • OCD is equally common among men and women.
  • The average age of onset is 19, with 25 percent of cases occurring by age 14. One-third of affected adults first experienced symptoms in childhood.

• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • PTSD affects 7.7 million adults, or 3.5% of the U.S. population.
  • Women are more likely to be affected than men.
  • Rape is the most likely trigger of PTSD: 65% of men and 45.9% of women who are raped will develop the disorder.
  • Childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of lifetime likelihood for developing PTSD.

• Major Depressive Disorder
  • The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3.
  • MDD affects more than 16.1 million American adults, or about 6.7%of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
  • While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5 years old.
  • More prevalent in women than in men.

• Persistent depressive disorder or PDD, (formerly called dysthymia) is a form of depression that usually continues for at least two years.
  • Affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. (about 3.3 million American adults). Only 61.7% of adults with MDD are receiving treatment. The average age of onset is 31 years old. (Source: National Institute of Mental Health)

• Related Illnesses
  • Many people with an anxiety disorder also have a co-occurring disorder or physical illness, which can make their symptoms worse and recovery more difficult. It’s essential to be treated for both disorders.

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are closely related to anxiety disorders, which some may experience at the same time, along with depression.

• Read on to learn more about the co-occurrence of anxiety and these disorders:

• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Headaches
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Sleep disorders
• Substance abuse
• Adult ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder)
• BDD (body dysmorphic disorder)
• Chronic pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Stress
• Children
  • Anxiety disorders affect 25.1% of children between 13 and 18 years old. Research shows that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and engage in substance abuse.

• See statistics for anxiety disorders among children from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Anxiety disorders also often co-occur with other disorders such as depression, eating disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

• Childhood anxiety disorders
• Anxiety and depression
• Treatment
• Tips for parents and caregivers
• Anxiety disorders at school
• School refusal

• Older Adults
  • Anxiety is as common among older adults as among the young. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common anxiety disorder among older adults, though anxiety disorders in this population are frequently associated with traumatic events such as a fall or acute illness. Read the best way to treat anxiety disorders in older adults.

Is Anxiety a concern for you or someone you love?  How do you currently manage it?

“Between Two White Coats”

Dr. Michelle Plaster and Nurse Practitioner Amber Foster, Our Family Health Center’s own medical professionals, have come together to create the “Between Two White Coats” podcast that discusses the most pertinent topics that impact people just like you, family medicine patients.

You can listen to the all episodes on Spotify.

Between Two White Coats is available on your favorite podcast apps. Copy and paste “Between Two White Coats” into the search bar of your podcast app.

• Amazon Music
• Apple Podcasts
• Breaker
• CastBox
• Deezer
• Google Podcasts
• iHeartRadio
• Overcast
• Stitcher
• TuneIn

About Dr. Michelle Plaster

Before becoming licensed in Family Medicine, Dr. Plaster worked as a Professor of Anatomy within medical and nursing schools. With her education and training in counseling, Dr. Plaster worked as a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor and a Hospice Counselor. Her work as a Professor of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology at massage therapy schools piqued her interest in Complementary Medicine. She learned the benefits of massage, acupuncture, Chiropractic Medicine, and Complementary Medical techniques. She set a goal of having a practice where her patients would have a choice in their health care.

Read More about Dr. Plaster

About NP Amber Foster

Amber Foster is your Family Nurse Practitioner at our Family Health Center. She received her BSN-RN at Georgia Southern University in 2004 and her MSN-FNP at the University of Alabama in 2009.

Read More about Nurse Practitioner Amber Foster

Listen to the latest episodes of Between Two White Coats and tell us how you feel about them on our Facebook page.

It’s been a very busy year. I don’t pretend to think I am alone in thinking this. I have an amazing friend who just completed her Ph.D., start to finish, in two years. Now that is busy! (Way to go Stacy Jones!)

For too many of us, life gets too busy, even overwhelming. Our purpose becomes getting from Monday to Friday. I ask you to have a better goal today than to get through the day. I ask you to slow down and enjoy the day. I promise you there is something enjoyable that you are going to miss as you rush by it – bird singing, a sunset (I hear these happen every day ?) a chance to be thankful, a chance to be present.

If we slow down and are truly present in each moment this day will be different than most. We may hear our loved ones trying to tell us something that we have not been hearing. We may see the beauty that we have been missing. 

I want you to make yourself present within the moment as much as you can today.

– Think about what is happening now, not about what still needs to be done.

– Put a sticker on your cell phone to remind you to slow down and just enjoy the moment.

– Set an alarm on your phone and when it goes off simply look around, take a deep breath and notice one good thing.

We are surrounded by pretty amazing things and people every day. Today, let’s notice them.