For a medical professional, the sight of a loved one in pain causes personal agony. Such was the case for Mike Arsenault, an acupuncturist from the north shore of Massachusetts. Shortly after Mike’s daughter Emily was born, her skin began exhibiting painful signs of eczema; a condition that affects an estimated 30 million Americans.
“I was super motivated,” says Arsenault, when discussing his daughter’s condition. As a result of Emily’s pain, Mike turned to his training in Chinese medicine. Asking his wife for a month to study traditional formulas and alternative methods, he came up with a solution.
“I knew what the doctors typically did,” said Mike. “They’d use steroids. They’re powerful tools and I’m not absolutely against them but I prefer not to use them until absolutely necessary.”
In treating eczema, steroids are often a go-to for doctors when it comes to more extreme cases. Hydrocortisone and oral corticosteroids join antihistamines and ultra-violet light therapy as common treatments for moderate to severe cases of irritating skin condition.
For many children like Emily, parents seek more natural alternatives to manage eczema before exploring stronger medications such as steroids or treatments like UV or red light therapy. Natural moisturizers and milder fragrance-free soaps can assist in staving off eczema.
Knowing this, Arsenault summoned Chinese medicine and his herbal knowledge to come up with mild and fragrance-free skin products that would help Emily. In turn, Emily Skin Soothers was created. Using sulfur and preservative-free herbal formulas, the lotions and soaps Mike created worked to reverse Emily’s skin problems. Soon enough, he would give the same products to patients with similar conditions.
Today, Mike sells the full product line of Emily Skin Soothers in select stores nationwide as well as online. More recently, he branched into creating a line of skin soothers for pets with cracked paws and dry spots under their fur.
