In 1992 our family of four moved to Houston, Texas, so that our daughter Julie could train with renowned gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi.  In the course of Julie’s intense training regimen, we found ourselves constantly dealing with painful rips and blisters on Julie’s hands.  We were surprised to learn that many of the gymnasts were using a product, sold through livestock feed stores, that was intended to soothe cow udders!

I was determined to see if I could find a way to reproduce the formula of that veterinary product and make it more readily available to gymnast families.  Not everybody lived near feed stores—even in Texas.  I met with a chemist and asked him to analyze the formula and he told me that he couldn’t reproduce it for use by people because it contained oxyquinoline, which the FDA had not found safe for human use.  So, the chemist and I re-formulated it, and that formula became Medicated Hand-e-Balm. The “e” stands for Vitamin E, one of the ingredients in the formula.

Medicated Hand-e-Balm has a lanolin base and contains pain medications as well as an antiseptic that is safe for human use.  It also fulfilled all of our requirements: It helps heal rips and blisters, it soothes pain, it reduces risk of infection, and it protects the skin in ways that reduce further injuries.  Plus, it’s cost effective, which is very important because of the large amount that athletes must use every day so they can maintain their rigorous training.

Medicated Hand-e-Balm was an immediate success with our local gymnasts, and as word of its effectiveness spread, we began to sell the product to other gyms throughout the country. Hand-e-Balm is now used by gymnasts and other athletes all over the world. 

Soon I began to receive letters from parents who had begun using our new product themselves for their skin problems.  We heard from gymnast dads who were auto mechanics, construction workers, and sport fishermen who told us how Hand-e-Balm healed their blisters, burns, and cuts.  Doctors, nurses, hair dressers, manicurists and others who washed their hands often wrote about how soothing the product is.  Diabetics and amputees with dry skin, and seniors who suffer from incontinence or bed sores, and new mothers whose infants suffer diaper rash, told us that Medicated Hand-e-Balm worked better than what their doctors had been prescribing.  Cyclists say that Hand-e-Balm is the best product to relieve their burning saddle sores.  Hand-e-Balm can be used on all parts of the body. 

As a result of all these testimonials, we have expanded the Hand-e-Balm line to include Medicated Bod-e-Balm and Bod-e-Cream, a non-medicated skin-care product.  I hope you’ll try one of our products.  You’ll be glad you did. 

Herb Rankin
President
Gold Star Products, Inc.