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Some good information from the “Personal Care Truth” Website. A site established and managed by Lisa Rogers, CEO at Cactus & Ivy.
We’ve spent the last month developing and finalizing the logo for the Baby Elephant brand. I’ve been working closely with Gracia, at Gracia Creative Design, to assure we create a desirable image that flows through our packaging, marketing collateral and awareness campaigns. It’s been an interesting process and one filled with a lot of debate and discussion. Kudos to Gracia for putting up with all the questions and critical thinking to keep us on course and focused on what our customers want. We hashed, and rehashed, more times than we probably needed to (thanks to me) but we surveyed the consumer and have a logo that you decided was right, not me. The character, the position and color scheme were all created from the survey input and implemented by Gracia in the development process. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner!
Next steps…..finalize label, packaging and then get into production! Our timeline, at least for now, is to have the product released into the market in late August. We are in the home stretch now and most of what’s left is formality in finalizing the package and label. Stay tuned for more updates and the release date gets closer…..
When I first started delving into sun protection it appeared the Environmental Working Group (EWG) was a stern advocate of the consumer, especially when it came to personal care ingredients. I have since learned this group is essentially a lobbying firm out to promote their own political agendas. My concern over their criticism of sunscreen use is that they use scare tactics and fear mongering to progress their internal objectives. This could be done at the expense of the consumer, possibly influencing their decision to not use a product like sunscreen, to protect themselves from UV damage and possibly skin cancer. I have read all of their claims as they relate to sunscreen and sunscreen ingredients. I will post more here as I deem fit, but for now, it is important to know they are not the noble consumer advocates they lead you to believe they are…..
Here is a link to the Skin Cancer Foundations web page that addresses some of the EWG’s recent claims. Please keep your mind open and wear sunscreen. Protect yourself and your kids from the harmful rays of the sun….
Yesterday I had two squamous cell lesions and one basal cell lesion excised via Mohs surgery. We hear about the growing skin cancer rate in the U.S. and we talk a lot about prevention, but I wanted to share one of the paths to treating skin cancer and the effect it has physically. Fortunately, my chronic experiences with skin cancer have been limited to basal and squamous cell, the two forms with the highest cure/survival rate. I can only tap the experiences of others to discuss the toll of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and the devastating impact its had with its victims and their families. Because I don’t have first hand knowledge with melanoma (and hope I never do) I will not discuss this form of cancer because I could never do the topic justice and it’s much too complex for a simple blog post.
Mohs surgery is one of the most effective forms of treatment for basal and squamous cell carcinoma. The primary characteristic that differentiates these two cancers from melanoma (other than the types of abnormal cells involved) is that they tend to grow laterally on the skin rather than vertically. The vertical growth of melanoma promotes its ability to quickly metastasize to other areas of the body thus making it much deadlier. The relative upside to basal and squamous cell is they metastasize much slower than melanoma, but the ultimate downside is they can be very disfiguring when excised. The size of the excision site and the resulting cosmetic impact is obviously related to the size of the lesion at the time of treatment. The longer a lesion “grows” the more it spreads over the surface of the skin laterally.
Mohs surgery is the process of cutting away the upper portion of the lesion and evaluating the tissue (under the microscope) to see if all of the cancer cells have been removed. If so, the wound site can be closed and the cancer is “cured”. If cancer cells remain, the site can be mapped and more tissue can be removed (usually at a deeper level) until the field is cleared of cancerous cells. The tissue evaluation process can be repeated several times, if necessary, to assure all cancer is removed. The result is a high cure rate, but the treatment can be disfiguring due to the amount of tissue that may have to be removed.
I took some pictures during my surgery yesterday, both before and after, to give you an idea of the magnitude of the procedure. Please excuse the graphic nature, but I hope the shock value can be useful in motivating people to wear sunscreen and to understand how invasive skin cancer treatment can sometimes be. This is certainly a treatment that is avoidable simply by protecting yourself from the sun and preventing skin cancer altogether.
SolarAegis will be expanding its product offering as we move deeper into the summer months. We currently have plans to add an all-natural soap, an all-natural sun protection lip balm with zinc oxide and an after sun lotion. We expect these products to be available in August. We are also currently evaluating other new product additions that include tinted sunscreen for the face, a sunscreen foam (for the scalp and hairy men) and an all-natural veterinary sunscreen for the sensitive noses of dogs and horses. Stay tuned for more and feel free to offer ideas and suggestions for new products in the “comments” section of the blog. Thanks!
We finished the market survey in April, as scheduled, and it provided some surprising data. We really felt that bio/photo degradable packaging would’ve been of high interest to our mothers with children under 12, but, in fact, it wasn’t. I believe the results were rooted in lack of availability in this type of packaging. If it’s never been available, then there really isn’t much interest. This has stemmed some internal debate about how to address packaging for Baby Elephant. One camp is that you simply follow what the survey tells you because it’s “fact”. The other is that you defy convention and offer something no other company is providing the market. Hmmm, decisions, decisions. Right now I lean toward the maverick approach. It just seems to make sense to me, but either way, we will have it all figured out shortly.
We are about a month behind where we want to be on the product release. There are a lot of big decisions that have to be made about logo graphics, labeling, pack size, etc. We are being careful but also understand that time is of the essence. As of this writing, our creative guru is working diligently on logo graphics so we can finalize the “birth” of Baby Elephant. Baby Elephant will be the spokesperson for the product and brand. The “Chief Awareness Officer” of sun health. Ultimately, the character will also expand roles as the company and product line expands over time. Fun stuff to be working on and certainly important to the success of the product line and business.
I’m also mulling over market channels and how we want to get this wonderful product out to the moms of the world. Clearly, the fastest route to national distribution is ideal, but this may not be the best choice when we tie in our awareness campaigns and other marketing programs. One idea is that we forego the traditional channels to market….the grocery stores, drug stores, etc. and find mothers in different parts of the country that want to act as “sales reps”. We provide the product to them on a consignment basis and these mothers sell the product to other mothers they know. We all know moms can sell to moms better than anyone else. The have the passion and conviction if it’s a product they believe in and will go the extra mile to spread those good feelings around. The great thing about this strategy is that the moms that participate make money off the product they sell. In this economic environment who couldn’t use a little extra money?? Not a bad deal when everybody wins.
So, a lot going on as we inch our way to the launch date. Things will be getting very clear here in the next week or so as we finalize some of these things and we are able to narrow down a production date. Stay tuned for more updates soon. In the meantime, if there is anyone who would like to offer ideas, ask questions, etc. feel free to leave some comments on the blog and we can get an open discussion going!
Happy Summer!
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released their annual report on sunscreen, calling most products “modern day snake oil”. We’ve had several comments and inquiries about some of the statements the EWG made in their report and I’m definitely compelled to clarify the Vitamin A concern.
I’ll be frank and to-the-point. This is an irresponsible, inaccurate load of crap and it’s a shame it’s getting the attention it does. Their claim is based on a test that was carried out by the FDA’s National Toxicology Program. This test was looking at how UV affects a commonly used form of Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and the result it has on the skin. The test had nothing to do with sunscreen, nor was sunscreen even used in the testing. Retinyl palmitate was spread on the backs of shaved mice, then they were exposed to levels of UV equivalent to 9 minutes a day of ‘intense’ sun for one year. Mice with the retinyl in the cream grew neoplastic lesions (abnormal skin cells) 21 percent faster than those with a control cream not containing retinyl. Keep in mind that a neoplastic lesion can be benign, malignant, or pre-malignant. So it is unclear how many of the lesions actually became cancerous. The study was preliminary and without peer review. Using this data and applying it to sunscreens is simply nonsense. Let’s also keep in mind that, compared to humans, mice have very little melanin in their skin. Mice have a coat of hair that protects them from UV. Taking this primary defense from them and exposing their highly sensitive skin to direct UV radiation is not even a relevant reproduction of how human skin would respond under the same conditions. Let’s get real, people!
Here’s another example to illustrate how silly their claim is…..
SolarAegis contains Rose Hips oil which has naturally occurring Vitamin A. Vitamin A is absorbed by the skin and is an anti-oxidant. SolarAegis also uses zinc oxide as an active ingredient. Zinc oxide sits on top of the skin and reflects UVA and UVB radiation so it is not able to penetrate the skin. Given that zinc oxide reflects UVA/UVB and Vitamin A is absorbed, the in-vitro scenario in the FDA test could not realistically ever occur in a real-life human experience because the UV would never reach the Vitamin A below the skin to cause any adverse effects.
The EWG gives you part of the picture and allows consumers to draw sometimes inaccurate conclusions. My complaint, in this case, is that consumers could be persuaded to not use any sunscreen and there are few dermatologists that would ever recommend going this route. Use sunscreen and protect yourself. There is zero evidence that sunscreen with small amounts of Vitamin A are going to increase your risk of skin cancer.
In closing it’s interesting to point out that the EWG was started, and currently run, by a former lobbyist. It is clearly obvious, with a closer look, that the efforts of the EWG are rooted in money, politics and corporate agenda. It’s always worth reading between the lines….
I decided on the title “Choosing a Doctor” over ”Choosing a Dermatologist” because this decision can occur in any specialized field and the lessons I’ve learned are not mutually exclusive to dermatology. In keeping with topic, here are two experiences I’ve had with dermatologists that are basis for this entry:
1. My first experience at the dermatologist was not a good one. Six years ago in New Jersey, at age 35, I went to get a spot looked at on my arm that wasn’t healing and figured it was time for a full body exam given my age and the time I spent in the sun as a youngster. I chose my dermatologist based on logistics to my office. Easy in, easy out. Purely for convenience purposes. We all know the drill. My exam started with the good doctor looking at the area of concern on my right arm. “Yeah, this looks like cancer” was the first thing out of his mouth. Well, so much for subtle assumptions. “Huh?”, I exclaimed. I couldn’t seem to get anything more intelligent out of my mouth. “Yeah, we’ll do a biopsy and see, but it looks like cancer”. Hey, I had a better idea…how about if we get that off me right now?!!!!. I ended up having another “cancer” on the back of my leg. He biopsied both locations and told me I would need to come back to have them excised if they came back positive. He finished the exam and left the room. No time for questions or explanations. Off to the next patient. Wow. There’s nothing like standing in a cold room in your underwear after that dialogue. Funny how “vulnerable”, “alone” and “insecure” come to mind…..
It gets better. I got a call about three days later from a nurse who told me the two biopsies were confirmed as basal cell carcinoma. “We need to schedule you to come in and have the lesions excised”. Ok, I’m thinking tomorrow, right? She says the first available appointment is in six weeks! I set the visit, but went away with too many questions and concerns, and too few answers. I was scared and uninformed. Not very good medical care if you ask me. No one bothered to explain the type of cancer I had, give me the opportunity to ask questions, or tell me why it was okay to wait six weeks to get two cancerous lesions taken off my body. The surgical experience was just as bad. I watched them cut out the lesion on my arm and insert the subcutaneous stitches and fifteen staples (yeah that’s 15) to close the wound. Hmm, that should leave a nice scar……More on treatment options later.
2. Fast forward to 2009 and my second visit with my dermatologist in Naples. I had an area on my left shoulder that didn’t look right. I had been watching it for months. It had changed ever so subtly over that period and I knew it was cancerous. I finished my regular 6 month exam to find that my doctor didn’t seem to notice or mention the lesion. I was concerned because I specifically talked to this doctor about being proactive with me as I already had a well-defined history of basal cell carcinoma. “If it looks suspicious it comes off”, was my mantra. “If you can’t follow that, then I need to find another doctor”. My clear and simple request during my first appointment. She had agreed. I had the doctor look at the lesion again. “What about this”, I asked. “Looks a little funny, but I’m not concerned about it. We can keep an eye on it”, she responded. I reminded her of my desires to be proactive with my treatment. She did a biopsy and it ultimately came back as basal cell carcinoma. During the visit to remove the lesion I asked her a simple question: “If you can’t identify a basal cell carcinoma how can I trust you to identify a malignant melanoma that can kill me in a matter of weeks?”. The doc went on to tell me that BCC can be hard to identify sometimes, but melanoma is much easier as it stand out with more consistently defined characteristics. Whew, not feeling too comfy here. Flashbacks to the cold room in my underwear scene. Ugh! Time to find another dermatologist…….
We hold the medical community in high esteem in our American culture. We’re taught at an early age not to question the advice of our doctors. They are looked upon in god-like fashion and we often take their diagnosis and remedies at face value. Big mistake. I don’t want to lump all doctors into this category, but my experience certainly proves out many more poor doctors than good ones. I remember a line I once heard….There are doctors that finished in the top 5% of their class in medical school, then there are the rest. That leaves us with a whopping 95% that didn’t have the smarts or drive to crack into the top. Where did your good doctor finish????? Chew on that one for a while when you need to be sure you don’t have malignant melanoma, require heart surgery or some other serious medical condition that could threaten or even take your life in the blink of an eye.
My message is to thoroughly check out your doctors before choosing one. Then after you choose one, check some more. Always be assessing their performance and questioning their decisions and actions. If you even get a whiff of fowl odor, it’s time to move on. Your health is worth it.
My next post will cover treatment, which ties heavily into this entry. Before choosing a doctor, it’s good to know how they approach their practice, how they manage their patients and what treatment options they employ. More to come…..
I recall sitting in the gym doing dumbbell curls and noticed that a red, scaly spot on my right upper arm was not going away and even appeared to be getting bigger. I thought it was psoriasis…..or something….but it was peculiar the way it was changing. It had been there for over a month. I decided to head to the dermatologist to get the spot looked at and have a thorough skin exam while I was there. I recall the doctor taking one look at my arm and saying “oh yeah, this is cancer”. Well, so much for being subtle. Do I have time to change my underwear before we get this thing off me??!!
That was six years ago. Unfortunately, I have the disfiguring battle scars of many other basal cell carcinoma lesions that have been cut off me. The good news is my issues have been with the least aggressive of the skin cancers, even though I’ve continued to have chronic problems. Some people aren’t so lucky, though. Since starting SolarAegis and delving into the world of sun health, I’ve had a surprising number of people tell me about their own experiences with skin cancer, including the most deadly, malignant melanoma. Most shocking is that many are y0ung. Some in their 40’s. Others in their 30’s and even a couple in their 20’s. The point is that age is not as important as awareness and getting screened. I want to point out that some of the stories are not from folks who had skin cancer themselves, but friends or relatives who died unexpectedly from this highly aggressive form of cancer (melanoma).
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and a post on this topic was surely in order. Most of my basal cell lesions have appeared visually non-threatening (and almost all skin cancers do), but the fact is, it’s skin cancer and it needs to be addressed. That first trip to the dermatologist (for me) also revealed another basal cell lesion I was not aware of, on the back of my leg. Getting screened is important and I would recommend a routine trip to the dermatologist once a year. Twice a year if you’ve already had issues with cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions.
It’s also important to keep an eye on yourself in between visits with a self exam. Because malignant melanoma is so deadly due to its ability to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body, including internal organs) the Skin Cancer Foundation has an “ABCDE” self exam method.
A- Asymmetry. Look for moles that are not circular in shape.
B- Border irregularity. The borders of the mole or lesion are not smooth but appear erratic or inconsistent in their shape
C- Color. Inconsistent or changing color.
D- Diameter. Greater than 6 millimeters in diameter.
E- Evolving. You see the spot changing in any capacity.
If you can note any of these, get to a dermatologist ASAP.
I would like to also point out that skin color is not an excuse to avoid a check up. Although darker complexioned individuals are more protected than light skin tones, the possibility of skin cancer remains. Do you know how the famous reggae singer Bob Marley died? I thought is was a drug overdose, but the truth is, it was malignant melanoma. Even African Americans are at risk and, unfortunately, have the highest death rate from melanoma because of a lower awareness about skin cancer and because it’s more difficult for them to identify and monitor problem areas.
Take an hour and go see a dermatologist. Your life could depend on it!
To learn more visit the Skin Cancer Foundation website at: http://skincancer.org/melanoma-screening-saves-lives.html
