Question

Is there a remedy for constant bruising?

Before you can know how to treat your under eye dark circles, doctors say you have to know why you have them, since there are a variety of treatment options out there suited for specific causes. Some of the common causes of dark circles: Aging, Heredity, Excessive Sun Exposure, Broken Capillaries, Loss of Fat and Collagen, Stress and Lack of Sleep, and Allergies.

Allergies are actually the most common cause of dark circles, which Dermatologist Dr. Deirdre Hooper says can often be relieved by taking over-the-counter antihistamines like Zyrtec. She says products like Zyrtec can help shrink the vessels under the skin and reduce that purplish color we dread. For sun damaged skin, and for under eyes with broken capillaries and thinning skin, she also recommends Retinoids, like Renova or Retin-A at night, and an eye cream with a growth factor, like Lumiere.

Dr. Mary Lupo says an inexpensive, yet effective eye cream can also be found in Bruise Relief, a product created by the Mandeville-based company, Dr. Holmquist Healthcare LLC. Bruise Relief is actually used by a number of dermatologists to prevent post-procedural bruising, and Dr. Lupo says it can help with dark circles that are caused by broken capillaries.

Other tips to prevent dark circles—Wear sunscreen, drink lots of water, watch your alcohol intake, sleep on your back, elevated with 2 pillows if possible, get plenty of rest, and avoid stress! (I know, the last two are easier said than done!)

So how do injectable fillers factor into the dark circle debate? And if all else fails, what’s the best way to cover up dark circles? (i’ll give you a hint—Think Pink!)

Watch the video above to find the answers to these questions and more, plus see some dramatic before and after pictures.

by Robbie Vitrano

It’s a wonderful world, but it has some problems. If you could solve a few, would you?

It’s easy to daydream in the valleys, between the better paying gigs, about changing the world. But that changed for me after Hurricane Katrina. Defining the purpose and impact of my work could no longer be a hobby.

Turns out our experience in New Orleans provided us a three-year head start on the global recession. I find it ironic to hear references to an economy “underwater.”

The recession was created by the behavior of business. By omission or commission, we’ve got blood on our hands.

Through my work in New Orleans, it’s become clear that we can play a larger role. Upstream. One that’s good for society, good for capitalism and arguably necessary for our business.

Confidence, optimism and all of the other ingredients of innovation and economic recovery, rise and fall on some belief in a way forward. But to drive it, we need more skin in the game, more feel for the shape of the cause and effect of our work.

Being awake is a bitch, best appreciated in the moment of truth that drops in when you least expect it. Mine arrived August 29, 2005, when 80 percent of my city was destroyed.

Almost three years later to the day, the first tremors of the global recession were felt. Billions of people were about to realize, as we had in New Orleans, that everyday, everything is in play.

Our response in 2005 was to take an active role in launching companies with a tilt toward social entrepreneurship. Our strategy hinged on the untested and unapologetic belief that what we did for “traditional” clients could be evolved to include product development and the securing of investment.

Catalyzing entrepreneurship was crucial in a post-Katrina New Orleans forced to confront its decades-long decline and in desperate need of a reinvention that transcended the economic, social, cultural, environmental and political ecosystem. Our opportunity for impact was not simply startups, but a newly emerging kind of business, combining social purpose with financial promise.

The city had become a social innovation laboratory, swollen with a crush of newcomers, brainy idealists bouncing into reawakened natives, creating an entrepreneurial alchemy. Our company Trumpet was its startup Ellis Island, with tarted-up business plans and cocktail napkin sketches piling up in our lobby.

In evaluating startups, venture capitalists talk about the cure for cancer (differentiated positioning), white space (the size of the untapped market) and the go-to-market strategy. Sound familiar? But the difference between an established client and a startup is significant: In a startup the game begins in sudden death with a very small window to prove concept. The goal is not perfection or market share, but validation of the business idea through customer development. Less crafting, more failing fast.

We formed a ventures unit—venture marketing—laughably unready for the full complexity, but leading with our chin. Working in New Orleans, with its absence of major brands, had prepared us well. Budgets are small, resourcefulness at a premium. We’d found the role we were born to play.

We started with nine companies, hosting two under the roof of the icehouse we’d renovated in a flooded, historic neighborhood. We raised several million dollars from investors, created patents and dove into other waters previously out of our depth.

The New Orleans-based startups we partnered with began to break out nationally this year. Bruise Relief landed distribution in CVS and Walgreens, thriv rolled out in Sports Authority’s top 150 stores and Feelgoodz was picked up by Whole Foods. Naked Pizza, a company hacking the $30 billion pizza industry with the world’s first functional food pizza, gained international recognition alongside Burger King, Dell and Zappos for its pioneering use of social media, attracting the investment of billionaires Mark Cuban and Robert Kraft.

It’s a bumpy, necessary path I call MacGyver Marketing in homage to that patron saint of practical invention. It’s also a deeper more authentic application of branding, aligned and awake. It makes complete sense and remains wildly unpredictable.

I now have metrics to support my unlimited faith in the capability of the people in our profession to help lead the way forward, restoring trust in a capitalism that liberates talent and innovation while serving the social good. We are uniquely qualified to make a business case for replacing cynicism with optimism. It gains energy when we move upstream-a natural evolution-turning ideas into product, business ideas into fully realized organizations, conscious of all stakeholders.

We can. We should.

Mandeville, LA (PRWEB) January 21, 2010 — Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC today announced that Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain, is selling Bruise Relief gel, a natural formula that virtually eliminates bruising and associated skin discoloration at all of its stores nationwide and online at Walgreens.com.

Bruise Relief Now Available at Walgreens

“Walgreens distribution and support is a very big deal for Bruise Relief. They are the largest retail drug chain in the country selling to our sweet spot audiences of seniors, moms-on-the-go and the beauty conscious.”

“Walgreens distribution and support is a very big deal for Bruise Relief. They are the largest retail drug chain in the country selling to our sweet spot audiences of seniors, moms-on-the-go and the beauty conscious,” said Barbara Cranner, executive vice president of Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC. “The best thing about this is our customers, thousands of people who’ve contacted us wanting to put an end to bruising, can now find Bruise Relief Gel at their neighborhood Walgreens store.”

 Bruise Relief Gel and Bruise Relief Ultra Serum are super-hydrating formulas that contain vitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants including Glycerin, Vitamin E Oil and Evening Primrose Oil. The products are non-toxic and safe for all ages and skin types. Bruise Relief is also Arnica-free for people taking blood thinners.

The original formula for Bruise Relief was developed in New Orleans five generations ago and has been passed down through the same family for nearly 100 years. Initially used for bruising, Bruise Relief Gel and Bruise Relief Ultra Serum also improve the appearance of under eye circles and discoloration by super hydrating the skin and treating the underlying vascular dilation. Additionally, Bruise Relief has been shown to reduce or eliminate bruising caused by cosmetic procedures such as injections.

Bruise Relief Gel is available at Walgreens starting at $11.99.

About Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC
Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC is a family-and majority-woman-owned and operated company. Headquartered in Mandeville, Louisiana, the company is dedicated to the revitalization of New Orleans and manufactures the company’s product lines at a local plant. Dr. Holmquist Healthcare’s product line currently features Bruise Relief®, a topical skin care product in a gel and serum formulation designed to eliminate the appearance of bruising and skin discoloration. Learn more about Dr. Holmquist Healthcare and its products at www.bruiserelief.com

Bruise Relief and Dr. Holmquist Healthcare are registered trademarks of Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC. in the U.S. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

by N. Sedef Onder (excerpted)

Last week I attended the first-ever “Swagapalooza,” which was billed as an “experiment in viral media” and allegedly featured the world’s most-followed bloggers, twitterers, and digital influencers, all gathered at a nightclub in Manhattan to review new companies showcasing their products and services.

As we know, swag bags (or “goodie” bags) are often superficial aspects of an industry conference, awards banquet, benefit or other event. At Swagapalooza, far from being an afterthought, they’re the main event. Nobody in attendance was pretending this was anything more than a series of shameless, promotional plugs by entrepreneurs — all documented in real-time in a meta, self-referential style by a live Twitter-feed broadcast on a monitor immediately to the right of presenters onstage. The effect was an entertaining social-media Gong Show of sorts. Live tweets ranged from hysterical and often harsh commentary on speakers, products, and audience members… to annoyingly distracting asides — depending on your perspective.

PR’s come a long way, baby. In the New PR, the free stuff is the “pitch” or newshook. The bloggers are the new journos. But for emerging businesses presenting at the event, which included Switch2Health, Surprise Industries and Bruise Relief® among others, it was an opportunity to introduce and market their products with the goal of creating online buzz via social media channels.

It remains to be seen what the impact will be on their brands and bottom lines, but considering the virtually zero level of investment of all involved, it’s hard to see a downside. From the perspective of building name recognition and visibility for brands and featured products, any return at all will be a bonus. Can’t beat that, especially in the current economic environment.

Louisiana Woman Finds Relief in SECRET Family Recipe

Interview with Barbara Cranner Founder of Bruise Relief

When Barbara Cranner launched Bruise Relief®, she knew she had an effective product because it had been used it in her family for five generations. What she did not know was how many great resources she had in her own “backyard” of New Orleans. Following Hurricane Katrina, Barbara decided that someone in her family needed to focus full-time on bringing the family remedy to the mass market.

After 24 years as a financial advisor, Barbara decided to leave the financial business in 2006 and commit her time to developing her great grandmother’s remedy for the mass market. Barbara launched Dr. Holmquist Healthcare, LLC, a family- and majority-woman-owned and operated company, which is headquartered in Mandeville, Louisiana. The company is named for Barbara’s step-father, Dr. Nelson Holmquist, a cyto-pathologist.

Initially, Barbara thought Bruise Relief would be marketed as a First Aid product for children, but she was pleased to learn interest came from people of all ages. A topical skin care product, Bruise Relief® comes in a gel and serum formulation and is designed to eliminate the appearance of bruising and skin discoloration. Seniors citizens now tell Barbara that it helps with their ever present bruises, and the cosmetic industry also sees its benefits. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons have attested to the benefits of Barbara’s product. Even women with dark circles under their eyes are reaping the benefits of Bruise Relief®. After years of hard work, Barbara was able to see the fruits of her labor when fine pharmacies and online retailers decided to carry Bruise Relief®.

Despite the economic downturn, Barbara has continued to grow her business and is looking to expand the brand and company. She has learned the importance of developing a marketing and advertising plan that fits her budget, needs and goals. She is turning to new media as a unique way of reaching consumers. Social media and ambassador programs, combined with sampling and traditional advertising have allowed Dr. Holmquist Healthcare to reach consumers nationwide without breaking the budget of this small business.

Barbara now generates business primarily from in-store and online sales. Customers are able to visit the company’s website http://bruiserelief.com/shop/to purchase either the serum or gel Bruise Relief® formulas. In addition, interested visitors can request a free sample to test the product before purchasing it. Barbara has found this business model to be a success because she can use her marketing strategies to drive sales both in-store and online. In the future, she hopes to test new marketing approaches to reach an ever wider consumer base than the one she has already established.

Learn more about Barbara at http://bruiserelief.com/category/our-blog/

Follow her on Twitter at Twitter: http://twitter.com/BruiseRelief

Score yourself some steals and deals (excerpted):

• Enter to win one of five $25 gift certificates to Threadless
• Free Quaker Granola bars
• Download 25 songs for free from iTunes
• Enter to win a trip to Aspen
• Free sample of Bear Naked granola
• Free sample of citrus-mint body lotion
• Free scented Revlon nail polish
• Enter to win one of 500 deluxe samples of Clarins lotion
• Free sample of Bruise Relief gel

HH: Bruise Relief is a remedy for what?

BC: It’s my great-grandmother’s remedy. A remedy for bruises. It gets bruises to go away much more quickly. And in fact, if you use it pretty quickly after something happens, the bruise won’t even happen. That’s the WOW experience from the skeptics who try it.

HH: For generations your family has been using Bruise Relief and then along comes Katrina.

BC: We experienced Katrina as everyone else did. Then a year after Katrina we went back to our lives. We realized we had an opportunity with Bruise Relief, to bring something creative and useful to the market, to our local community as well as to everyone.

HH: Now Barbara, in the aftermath of that chaos, how long did it take you to say, “It’s time to take the home remedy that is now Bruise Relief to market?” By the way this is in every major pharmacy in the United States now. You can look at it on the web at BruiseRelief.com. It’s a huge success.

BC: I can honestly say it absolutely was almost  a year. Nobody who went through what we went through was thinking clearly for eight, nine, ten, twelve months.  As much as last week, I ran into someone whose family was just moving back into her house. That’s our reality down here.

HH: When did you decide you were going to make a business out of Bruise Relief?

BC: I guess it would have to be December of 2006. That’s when I absolutely decided I was going to focus full-time on our business.

HH: How successful is Bruise Relief?

BC: Bruise Relief is amazingly successful. And our reality is we’re presenting a new claim, a new product into a market that didn’t exist before. If you went into your pharmacist with a bruise, they would say ice or two weeks. We have a new claim, a new reality and something that demographically is growing. It’s safe for all ages. Our family used it for pediatrics but seniors who are living longer, more active lives, tend to bruise more easily.

HH: Now it’s in Target, it’s in CVS…

BC: It’s in Target.com. It’s in CVS nationwide in the pharmacies. It’s in Walgreens regionally and growing. It’s on a lot of websites. And we get a tremendous amount of feedback from people who want to try it. We give free samples away. And then they come back and they buy it because it works. The easy part is that it works.

HH: What’s your feeling about the City of New Orleans and its future?

BC: You know New Orleans is a very different place than it used to be. There’s a lot of thing we don’t have which is sad and some days a bit overwhelming. But there’s a lot that is really new and exciting and innovative. You’ve had people talking about it all week. I’d like to say New Orleans has a few more ingredients in our gumbo.

You know America is a melting pot but New Orleans is a gumbo and we’ve got some great new ingredients because we have innovation and entrepreneurship abounding here now.

HH: Well one of those is Bruise Relief and my hat is off to you.

For the May 15, 2009 edition of Wrinkle Free Friday, Meg Farris spoke to Dr. Lupo about her recent clinical study using Bruise Relief for patients receiving cosmetic injections. Study participants reported “significant decrease (in bruising) in the people that had Bruise Relief.” Dr. Sharon Meyer, another area dermatologist, used Bruise Relief on her patients and they also reported a moderate to significant difference after using Bruise Relief.

Since the segment aired on Channel 4, we’ve had a huge response particularly here in our hometown of New Orleans. We’re thrilled to know there is so much interest out there in Bruise Relief both from individuals and from retailers. Apparently the word is spreading, as calls and emails come in from outside our local area as well. 

Make sure to take a look at this special edition of Wrinkle Free Friday and learn more about Bruise Relief and the history of this secret family recipe that is getting rave reviews.