A courageous mum covered almost head-to-toe in burns has created a soothing skin cream – inspired by the sea.
Jane Healy, 56, invented her very own treatment after living with the horrific burns across three quarters of her body since a freak accident turned her into a ‘human fireball’ aged nine.
Jane, who nearly died in the 1969 accident, has overcome the trauma of the accident and pain of countless skin grafts to launch a new business with her 25-year-old daughter Laura.
The mum-of-one created her moisturiser Sea Crème – a concoction of sea salt, carrot seed oil and beeswax – after realising her scars felt ‘softer’ following a dip in the sea.
Jane, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent,said: “It’s been a long journey getting here, and I want to show people there is life after scars.
“As a teen I had no confidence because of my burns, and I don’t want others to go through that.”
From the age of nine until she was 15, Jane had to undergo numerous skin grafts as she grew.
The mum said: “It was really tough. I didn’t have the childhood and teenage years other girls did because I spent so much time in hospital.
“The scars were big, tight and red, and I felt so aware of the markings on my face.
“It was hard to accept the way my face and body had become unrecognisable, and even harder to imagine living the rest of my life with the scars.”
But over the years, she noticed that her skin always felt better after spending time in the sea.
She said: “We went on a lot of family seaside holidays, and when I swan in the sea, my burns seemed to fade and become softer.
“Over time I became convinced it was the saltiness of the sea that was improving my skin.
“When I told doctors my theory about the sea, they would ignore me and prescribe E45 cream to soothe the burns.
“But the truth is nothing ever made me skin feel as soft as the sea did.”
In 2014, she inherited £35,000 and decided to invest in creating her own skin treatment, inspired by the salt water.
Working alongside scientists at Star Laboratory, the mum develop Sea Creme – which can be used on regular skin as well as scars.
Jane was the first to try her own product. She said: “My skin was softer and less tough and taut. I knew I was onto a winner.”
Last month, she pitched to Fenwicks and Sea Creme went on sale in January.
She said: “If someone told my childhood self that I would be the one to improve my skin and that one day I would own a business, I’d never have believed it.
“To turn my horrific ordeal into something positive is amazing – I’m so proud of myself.”
So far Jane has sold £250 worth of the products.
Now, the mum has 10,000 pots of Sea Creme ready to go and plans to pitch to high street stores Boots and Superdrug.
