January: IRIS Centers By Jessy McCulloch IRIS Centers : We’ve all seen the commercials: A man attempts to throw a football through a tire swing and fails. He takes, say, Levitra. Suddenly he is throwing like he’s John Elway, and the football spirals straight through the middle of the swing every time. Commercials like these have made something that used to be snickered at and blushed about – erectile dysfunction – a common topic of discussion. What used to be taboo no longer is. There are a lot of options out there for men, and the general public for the most part knows about them. But what about for women? What medical options exist to help women feel better about how their bodies function? Enter IRIS Centers. IRIS stands for Intimate Rejuvenation and Innovative Surgery. It was founded in 2006 by Karen A. Starkey, MD, when she decided to make the transition from a traditional OB/GYN to cosmetic surgery. “After her patients would have babies… You know, your body changes. So they were asking, ‘Is there anything we can do?’,” said Susan Shannon, executive director for IRIS Centers. “That’s just how it started.” One of their more popular procedures is Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation (LVR), an outpatient procedure. IRIS Centers website explains that LVR will “effectively enhance the vaginal muscle tone, strength and control.” “Sometimes we see women who have never had children, but they want to change something,” Shannon said. “Women getting [LVR] done are ecstatic. They’re very happy with their decision.” Patients meet with Dr. Starkey for a consult, and she will perform an exam to see what kind of shape the tissues are in and how she can help. There is a recuperating period, the length of which depends on what level of LVR the patient has. Another popular procedure is called Smartlipo Laser Body Sculpting. It is less invasive than traditional liposuction, with an incision about the size of a pinhead. Each area takes about 45 minutes and is known as “Lunch-Hour Lipo,” because essentially clients can go back to work right after it is done. Again, patients will meet with Dr. Starkey for a consult first, and she will determine if they are a candidate for this procedure. The procedures are strictly cosmetic, so they are not covered by insurance. The consults are free, though, so you have nothing to lose beyond the 30 to 45 minutes for the appointment. IRIS Centers is located at the Foothills Medical Center, 4530 East Ray Road, Suite B110 in Phoenix; telephone 480-857-7100. To learn what other procedures IRIS Centers offers (some will have you raising a brow and saying, “Really?!”), visit www.iriscenters.com. By Jessy McCulloch Payne & Sons: When your home needs repairing or remodeling, one of the most difficult aspects of the process is trusting a company enough to put your home in their hands. If those hands belong to Payne & Sons, though, you can rest easy. “They’re very family oriented,” said Pam Colman, office manager for the company. “They just treat everybody like their own family.” A good reason for that is because the company is run by a family. Family owned and operated for more than 25 years, the company’s owner, Steven T. Payne, and his sons play multiple roles in the company. Bradley is VP of finance, Shaun is manager of roofing and Todd is manager of remodeling. They also have a new addition to the family business, their son-in-law Ira Latham, who is their remodeling technician. Any uncertainty about what it is like to work around such a close-knit family all of the time is cleared up by Colman. “Actually, it’s really cool,” Colman said, a clear smile in her voice. “I get along with them all really great.” Colman has been working for Payne and Sons since April 2007. When asked how she likes it, her answer (“I love it!”) is exclaimed with no hesitation. Though she’s not a member of the Payne family, Colman is a member of the Payne & Sons family. And this seems to be how they treat all of their employees and clients, blood relation or not. Payne & Sons focuses on several areas of construction. They specialize in most types of roofing, including re-roofing services. Remodeling is another specialty. And if you’re looking to build a custom home from the ground up, they can help you through that process as well. A customer whose home they repaired reviewed his experience with Payne & Sons on the company’s website. In the review, the customer praises their trustworthiness and their fair and honest estimates, and gladly exclaims that he “will hire them again!” Colman’s attitude seems to coincide with the reviewer’s: “They’re really professional, have an excellent warranty for everything and they take care of their customers.” For remodeling, roofing and custom homes call 480-988-9250. Their address is PO Box 188 in Higley. You can also request a quote on their website, www.PayneSons.com. So if you want to spruce up your home for the New Year, or if you just cannot put off those repairs any longer, remember: no Payne no gain.

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