Story by Liza Long, Photos by Dustin Bigovich
Can five minutes change your life? I asked myself that question as I waited in a Genesis Longevity Center examination room one Wednesday afternoon. I was about to undergo a MonaLisa Touch laser procedure. The research I’d done described overwhelmingly positive clinical trial results, and the procedure had been FDA approved since 2014. I had read the gushing testimonials describing the “life changing” and “relationship-saving” results. But was it really safe and painless? And could something so simple really work?
Five minutes of a pleasant tickling sensation later, without any anesthesia or downtime, I walked out of the clinic hoping that I’d found a non-invasive solution to a minor but annoying problem that any woman who has given birth to a child, or in my case, four children, may know all too well.
These are the things our mothers didn’t warn us about: the facial lines, the sagging chins, the problem fat areas. They didn’t talk to us about menopause, or vaginal dryness, or ways to stop menstruation. But silence doesn’t make the problems disappear, and they only get worse as we age—unless we do something.
Genesis Longevity Center is the answer, but it isn’t just for women. This unique new Boise clinic focuses on health issues that arise for people of both genders as they age. In addition to the MonaLisa Touch, Genesis’ services include bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for both men and women, outpatient SmartLipo surgery to destroy fat cells in targeted areas, and Novasure, another five minute procedure designed to remove women’s endometrial lining, dramatically reducing period bleeding in 9 out of 10 women while leaving the uterus intact.
I met with Tamara Simon, M.D., an Idaho native and Medical Director at Genesis who has personally undergone the procedures she offers, to learn more about her practice and philosophy of patient care. “I’ve always been completely fascinated by science,” Dr. Simon told me. “As we age, science can help us to feel and look our best.”
Dr. Simon explained that researchers now understand the aging process as chronic inflammation, a process that hormones can help to regulate. With an on-site lab, Genesis staff works with both male and female patients to balance their hormones at an optimal 35-year-old level. She also counsels patients on the most effective anti-aging diets to ensure that they look and feel young. “We treat patients from the inside out,” she stressed.
But anyone over the age of 35 knows that aging takes a toll on our physical appearance. Genesis addresses all of their patients’ concerns, from hormones to excess fat deposits to lines and wrinkles. In June 2017, Genesis will partner with the Stem Cell Institute of Idaho to provide truly specialized and individualized patient care. “We can use patients’ own stem cells collected during an outpatient SmartLipo procedure to treat joint pain and as a dermal filler for facial lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Simon explained.
SmartLipo procedures are performed at Genesis as outpatient, onsite surgery. This minimally invasive surgical procedure targets problem areas to destroy fat cells, increasing tone, and improving appearance. Many patients schedule their appointments on a Friday and are back to work on Monday, with no general anesthesia and only minimal side effects.
While Genesis does not accept insurance for its procedures, the costs are affordable, and financing is available for qualified patients. Their website provides additional information about all of the services Genesis Longevity Center offers.
Dr. Simon’s satisfaction comes from applying her love of science and innovation to her patients’ specific concerns. “It’s so gratifying to see people come in and have their lives changed for the better,” she says. “Aging is not a graceful process. But with support, people can meet and exceed their health goals.”
Can five minutes change your life? Genesis Longevity Center may have some surprising answers.
Genesis Longevity Center • 250 Bobwhite Ct, 201 • Boise, ID 83706 • 208.344.9444 • mygenesis.life