Unifying the principles of fine arts and medical science has created a new platform for personal aesthetics. The partnership between Ruth Swissa and Dr. Sarmela Sunder has introduced a radiant approach to reconstructive and enhancement treatment. The collaboration between these two professionals has not only brought upon advancements in new treatments, but has fostered an entirely new procedure of their own, one they like to call PRO LiftTM.
Ruth Swissa is a certified medical micropigmentation artist and skin care specialist whose family has been in the aesthetic field for three generations. With an extensive background in art practice, Swissa attended a fine arts school abroad for eight years, mastering various mediums of art making. This background in artistic practice is quite pronounced in her permanent makeup procedures, for she treats every client like a project of its own. Swissa not only works thoroughly in enhancement procedures, but donates a substantial amount of her time to burn victims and breast cancer survivors. Coalescing her reconstructive and enhancement practice provides her with the skills needed to troubleshoot more complex micropigmenation scenarios.
Owner of an esteemed medical spa, Swissa’s business operates from two locations and ensures discretion and care from both herself and her colleagues. Additionally, Swissa is also an esteemed member of the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals and the American Academy of Micropigmentation.
What sets Swissa apart from other skin care specialist is her belief in procedural modification. “I have never understood how skincare brands or even other skin specialists could provide clients with a formulaic, set in stone procedure. Everyone is different, everyone should have their own custom treatment,” remarks Swissa. She also makes note to spend ample amounts of time researching and studying all the contents in the products she sells. Having that comprehensive knowledge of a product’s chemical makeup truly allows Swissa to tailor a treatment that is best suited for her clients. Allotting to a onesize fits all procedure is against Swissa’s practice and work ethic.
Dr. Sunder is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon, one of few women in the nation with the designation of dualboard certification. She is also fellowship trained specifically in Facial Plastic Surgery, having received additional training in advanced facelift, mini lift, and rhinoplasty techniques. Having been educated and trained at the Johns Hopkins University, Cornell and Stanford, she moved to Los Angeles to be close to family. She is in practice with Dr.Michael Persky in Encino and also sees patients in Agoura Hills, at Ruth Swissa.
Although initially introduced through Dr. Persky, the two women have formed a great friendship. Dr. Sunder states “I feel like I have know Ruth my whole life. We are very much in sync, when it comes to how we evaluate patients and treatment approaches. We are critical when it comes to new procedures and technologies, on really do our due diligence to research a product before we offer it our patients. We both share a passion for art and a reverence for science and technology. This comes thru in the results that we are able to offer our patients.” Dr. Sunder and Ruth Swissa work together on many patients. This collaboration is exemplified in a new procedure that Dr. Sunder and Ms. Swissa offer, called the PRO LiftTM. As part of this procedure, the a couple of teaspoons of the patient’s blood is drawn and purified so that all that remains are growth factors and cytokines that assist in tissue healing. Some of this serum is then injected into areas of the face that require rejuvenation. The remaining serum is then applied over the face, and infused into the topmost layers of the skin using a microneedling procedure. Microneedling creates multiple channels in the skin through which the serum can penetrate. Microneedling, in and of itself, creates tiny perforations in the skin which encourage the body to lay down more collagen. An oxygen infusion incorporated into the treatment ensure that the treated area has even more of a glow. Patients can repeat this treatment every 46 weeks as part of an effective anti-aging maintenance program.
“Dr. Sunder is astute and very invested in her work. She is always up to date with advancements in the medical field, which is very important when working in a setting like medical spa. Our merged interest in science and art really idealizes our affiliation for personal advancement and clientele interest.”
“Dr. Sunder is very patient and has a very caring touch that is quite complimentary to her work ethic.”
“She has a deep caring for all her patients, and like myself, she really sets time to help troubleshoot and ensure a promising result.”
When asked how their partnership has been important in the success of the PRO Lift, Dr. Sunder responds, “Microneedling really has its roots in permanent makeup. That’s where the concept of the microneedle came about. And Ruth Swissa is the gold standard in permanent makeup. She is so knowledgeable and well educated about needling techniques. She knows more about micro needles than the majority of surgeons that I know. I have been involved in stem cell research in the past, during my time at Stanford. And for over a decade, I have been keenly interested in the concept of using one’s own growth factors and stem cells to enhance one’s face and body. So this was just a very natural collaboration and our patients have definitely benefited from it.”
Based on the overwhelming response to the PRO Lift, Dr. Sunder developed the Butterfly LiftTM, a scar free and minimally invasive procedure to restore volume to the face, as well as improve skin quality. This proprietary procedure involves capitalizing on a patient’s own body’s ability to regenerate collagen and fat.
Dr. Sunder came up with the idea for this procedure because a significant number of her patients have been looking for natural alternatives to rejuvenate themselves. While fillers are a great way to add volume and lasers are a good way to improve skin quality, some patients had reservations about using synthetic products in their bodies. The Butterfly Lift relies on a patient’s own fat cells, stem cells, growth factors, and healing cytokines, as well as the body’s ability to regenerate collagen to achieve the final result. The procedure takes about an hour and may be performed with the patient awake without the need for anesthesia. There are no incisions.
When asked what makes this a popular treatment among her patients, Dr. Sunder states “Patients love the idea that this is a natural procedure, where they are relying on their own body to fight the effects of aging. It’s actually empowering in a way…to be able to fight the effects of time and gravity without the assistance of synthetic fillers and lasers. They also absolutely love that it is a quick procedure, with minimal downtime, without any incisions, and without the need for anesthesia.”
