We recently received an email from a young man living in the UK who underwent treatment for cancer thanking us for the difference our products made in his skin. His email was a reminder for why we do what we do, and how, as skin care professionals, we DO make a difference!
Confidence and how we feel about ourselves is tied to many things, appearance being one of them. When we can help someone overcome a skin issue or, in Danny’s case, bring the skin back up to health, we contribute to that individual’s confidence and self-esteem.
Danny’s story
Danny’s story is heartbreaking, yet incredibly inspiring and I’m so grateful he was willing to share it. Danny was traveling home from work one evening with his fiancé when they were attacked while at an ATM. He awoke 11 months later only to learn of his fiancé’s death, his coma and the major injuries he had been dealt (much of it to his face).
After years of medications and various surgeries, some reconstructive, he learned abnormal cells had developed in his liver and cancer had spread to his lungs and brain – a result of the high volume of medications.
Adding to the permanent damage from the attack, his skin was now battling chemotherapy. Danny said his skin was left scarred, completely dry, sagging in areas, uneven in tone and texture, red marks and burns from the radiation, and the list goes on. In his words: “I looked like the living dead.”
A saving grace
His aunt brought him a supply of Rhonda Allison products she purchased in the States. She instructed him on how to use them and within a week he noticed a difference. Over time he said his skin was soothed (he was finally able to sleep), his scars and red marks were beginning to dissipate – he was getting the life back in his skin.
He shared with us exactly what he used and how it helped him. This list may help if you have clients with certain skin challenges or sensitivities.
- Milk Mask – cooled, soothed and healed his after the radiation therapy – he even applied this to his stomach.
- Post Balm Lubricating Ointment – soothed the red, irritated marks on his face to the point he could actually get a good night’s sleep
- Hyaluronic Serum – helped soothe and rehydrate
- Drop of Essence Hydration Drops – helped soothe and rehydrate
- Peptide 38 – rebuilt his skin from the inside out. Smoothed and put life back in his skin. He also used it around his eyes and swears it made his eye lashes grow back!
- Exotica Rhodiola – repaired unhealed, sore spots
- Amino Peptide Moisturizer – he applied it to scars on his body to help them fade. He also used it on his face to heal burns caused by the radiation therapy
- Retinol Supreme – smoothed the scars and lines on his face
- Chocolate Mask – he said it made his face glow
- Cherry Jubilee Enzyme – exfoliated away dead cells and brightened his skin
- Energizing Peptide Spritz – sprayed it on throughout the day especially when he felt ill or tired
As you can see it was a range of Rhonda Allison topicals that Danny discovered gave his skin relief and nurturing. His most common comment was “soothed”.
If you do have clients who have recently undergone chemotherapy, we do have a number of products that work well with their skin, but extreme caution must be exercised. The skin will be very sensitive and even the way in which you touch their skin could elicit an undesired response.
I hope this story has motivated and inspired you to keep doing what you do. Whether you made a client’s skin glow for that special evening out, cleared a bout of acne for a teen, made a matured woman feel youthful again, or brought skin affected by illness or scarring back to life – you make a difference in your work. And these are the very reasons we have dedicated ourselves to our craft.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Danny’s note: “Without the products and my aunt I would still not be going out of the house and be totally isolated and alone. I have the confidence to move on now…well…nearly.”
Question: What was your most gratifying moment with a client?