In founding Russak Dermatology Clinic, Dr. Julie Russak had a mission to create a state-of-the art practice providing comprehensive care in medical and cosmetic dermatology.  Dr. Russak’s philosophy at Russak Dermatology Clinic is all about starting younger with science proven skincare and maintaining your results.  Her mindset as a physician is to enhance my patient’s natural features, not radically alter who they are.  She turns to the latest advancements in aesthetic technology to treat age-related and hereditary concerns on both the face and body for vivid results.

Haute Beauty sat down with Dr. Julie Russak to talk about “Above the Mask” treatments and how they can be beneficial:

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HB: What is  an ‘Above the Mask’ treatment all about?

At Russak Dermatology Clinic and Russak + Aesthetic Center, all aesthetic treatments are customized to your needs. We don’t believe in a “cookie cutter” approach, as everyone’s skin and anatomy is different, and our goal is to maintain and enhance our patient’s natural beauty. Our new signature Above The Mask treatment is a customized rejuvenation of the upper face, including the latest and most cutting-edge ultrasound, injectable and laser technology to address all of your upper face concerns, above your face mask. We’ve adapted to the needs of our patients in 2020.

We’re able to lift and tighten the under eyes, crow’s feet, brows and upper eyelid hooding for a natural restoration with no downtime. We can smooth and tighten wrinkles, brighten the skin, and remove hollowness under the eyes. Have you ever heard “your eyes are the window into your soul”? Let us remove all the noise, so your eyes can shine.

HB: What happens as our skin ages?

Over time, underlying changes to the facial anatomy results in lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, and it’s important to understand the complex way the face ages. The skin’s anatomy inevitably changes over time. Loss of elasticity, mainly caused by a loss of collagen and elastin, leads to wrinkles and sagging. There is a 7% reduction in skin thickness every 10 years, and many factors contribute to the breakdown of our precious proteins including the sun, natural aging, free radical damage, UVA damage.

Sunlight has the most profound effect on the skin causing premature skin aging, skin cancer, and a host of skin changes. Exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB, from sunlight accounts for 90% of premature skin aging. Sunlight damages collagen fibers (the major protein that gives structure to the skin) and elastin (the protein in the skin that normally maintains the springiness and strength of skin tissue). Collagen breakdown directly leads to texture changes, thinning of the skin and formation of fine lines, wrinkles and drooping skin especially around the eyes. The skin around the eyes is thinner than the rest of the skin on your face, so this area often shows signs of aging sooner than the rest of the skin. Because this skin is already so thin, we can also see blood vessel leakage underneath the eyes, causing the appearance of dark circles.

HB: What can we do about these changes?

This is where Above The Mask treatment comes in…

1. First we use micro-focused ultrasound technology to non-invasively heat skin tissue at multiple depths, triggering a natural regenerative response that stimulates the growth of new collagen. Results appear gradually over 2-3 months and improvements can continue up to 9 months after treatment; softening crow’s feet, tightening under eye bags, restoring the brow and eliminating upper eyelid hooding. We are treating at the same depth as a surgical lift with non-surgical ultrasound energy and no downtime.

2. Dermal fillers are used to bring back volume to hollow under eyes, often known as “dark circles” or “bags”. We also inject superficial hyaluronic acid molecules around the eyes for skin strengthening, and we relax specific muscles that pull the skin into wrinkles known as “crow’s feet” using Botox or Dysport, which helps open the eyes and lift the brows.

3. Platelet-rich-plasma is a powerful treatment to regenerate skin. Platelets contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors, with unique regenerative qualities that can repair photo-damaged and aging skin, stimulating fresh new tissue. A small amount of blood is drawn and spun down to separate the components. Red and white blood cells are divided from platelets and plasma (clear fluid), leaving you with a higher concentration of platelets (PRP). Growth factors are responsible for “growth” in living cells, which translates to collagen synthesis and skin tissue regeneration. We pair PRP with microneedling, creating direct channels for the PRP to be delivered into, which repairs crepey under eye skin, and we also inject PRP underneath the eyes for deeper collagen stimulation. These growth factors stimulate stem cells within your skin activating new, healthy tissue. We can microneedle or inject this cocktail into the skin to naturally boost collagen, stimulate fibroblasts and repair our cells, strengthening the “scaffold” of our skin.

4. Last but not least, treating the surface of the skin is imperative in achieving healthy skin. Laser resurfacing gives us the ability to create new, fresh healthy skin cells, brighten sun spots and pigmentation, diminish broken capillaries and redness and treat scars. Skin-perfecting lasers are some of the most effective ways to reverse signs of damage and enhance the quality and look of your skin, and the eye area responds very well to laser treatments. Exposure to ultraviolet light, as well as UVA and UVB rays, account for up to 90% of premature aging leading to discoloration, wrinkles and dull, lackluster skin texture. With the right laser rejuvenation treatment, you can turn back the clock on some of the most obvious signs of skin damage for skin that is firmer, smoother and clearer.

By combining these powerful modalities, we’re able to provide patients a comprehensive anti-aging treatment with impressive results.

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HB: How do you work with patients to achieve the common goal?

Every treatment starts with a personalized, in-depth consultation with Dr. Julie Russak. We then work together to create a plan of action to achieve your goals.

HB: Does this require more than one treatment?

Because Above The Mask is treating such comprehensive aspects of aging, we do recommend spacing treatments into multiple appointments. We will guide you on what treatments are recommended to do same day, and how much time to wait in between others.

HB: Are the results permanent?

Above The Mask treatments are preventative, stimulating new collagen and elastin, and essentially turning back time on the clock. We recommend re-evaluating every 6 months so we can maintain your results without having to start from scratch.

About Haute Beauty:

Haute Beauty offers readers access to an invite-only, prominent collective of leading doctors and industry-leading aesthetic surgeons located in their area. Haute Beauty is affiliated with the luxury lifestyle publication Haute Living. As a section of Haute Living magazine, Haute Beauty covers the latest advancements in beauty and wellness, providing readers with expert advice on aesthetic and reconstructive treatments through its network of acclaimed surgeons.

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