The Helping Hand Story

How did the Helping Hand get invented and Brite Ideas LLC begin? Well it is the good old proverb of “necessity is the mother of invention” in action.

In the early 80's my life was about one thing…surfing. I lived on Maui and I had joined that dedicated group of people who “Live to surf...Surf to live”.

In hot tropical places around the world there is this fungal bacteria which causes a skin condition called tinea versicolor or as the native Hawaiins like to call “haole rot”. It is a “superficial cutaneous (skin) fungal infection characterized by hypo-pigmentation or hyper-pigmentation patches of spots (white or bleached) usually on the chest or back". One seems to be more prone to get it if you spend long periods of time in the ocean and frequently wear a wet bathing suit.

Well, much to my dismay I got the “rot”. There is a very simple cure (and this worked for me). You just dab dandruff shampoo (i.e. Selsun Blue) on the affected area three times a day for about two or three weeks and it's gone. It seems that “da rot” doesn't like one of the active ingredients and just goes away. Price of treatment: $6 bucks!!!

My case was on my back. I figured out how to take a stick and attach cotton balls with a rubberband to the end to make an “organic” applicator. It was during one of the many applications while I was attaching the cotton balls that I had an epiphany. “There has got to be a better way to do this.” Nine months later, after many drawings and much experimentation, the Helping Hand was born and the first prototype was made.”

Fast forward twenty years. I am living in San Francisco and a friend comes down with a skin condition (psoriasis) on his back. I lend him the prototype to apply his medication and he comes back to me four weeks later and says, “you saved my life! I don't know what I would have done without this. You should market it and sell it.”

Today the awarenes of skin and bodycare is much more prevalent and accepted. Many now understand that the skin is a living, breathing organ (actually your largest) which requires constant care and maintenance if you want it to be healthy.

So Brite Ideas LLC was born with the love, help, and support of my wonderful family and friends.

The End

From This..........to This!