Author: liz

When I tell people I had cancer at the age of 20, most automatically react with “but you were so young!” or “what a terrible thing to go through so early in life.” The “being young” part may be true, and it was an experience I’ll never forget, but in hindsight I’m not so sure that it was “terrible.” I was diagnosed when I was only 20 years old, but I look back now and realize that having melanoma before I was even considered an “of age” adult in the U.S. was a complete blessing in disguise.

At the age of seventeen I was like most girls that age; I was insecure and uncomfortable in my own skin. As a fair featured redhead, I was often teased for having such a light complexion. By the time I was a senior in high school I was fed up with being ridiculed, so I began visiting tanning booths. Within a few weeks I had the bronze complexion that most people long for, and I was determined to stay that way. So for the next three years I went tanning once a week and hit the beaches every opportunity I had.

During my sophomore year at college and two weeks before my 20th birthday, I came home and went to my doctors for a routine physical. While I was there I pointed out a mole on my stomach that had begun to get dark and itched on occasion. My doctor argued with me, encouraging me to “leave it be,” but even at the age of 19 I knew something was wrong. I wouldn’t leave the office until she wrote me the referral to see the surgeon.

So I quickly went in, had the mole removed and hit the tanning beds the same day. Two weeks later, when I went in to have my stitches taken out, I was informed I had Stage 2 Malignant Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The doctor explained that steps would now have to be taken to ensure the cancer had not spread inside my body. Here I was, 20 years old, wondering if I was going to die.

I left the doctor’s office in a haze and immediately began crying. I called my parents, who tried to console me, although I could hear the terror in my mother’s voice. Her 20-year-old daughter had just been told she had cancer. I still can’t imagine what that was like for her to hear.

The next two months were filled with doctor consultations, blood tests, radioactive dye injections, and the most embarrassing appointment of my life. I would be asked to stand completely naked in a doctor’s office while every inch of my body was photographed for documentation purposes.

A month later on February 14th, 2004, I would head to Wing Memorial Hospital in Western Massachusetts to undergo my first surgery. The procedure took three hours, included the removal of eight lymph nodes and 75 stitches, and left me with four disfiguring scars. After my surgery I would be forced to wait for two weeks before hearing whether or not my lymph nodes were “clear.” Eventually I received a call from my surgeon with the good news that I was cancer-free.

Relief quickly spread over the Rothschild household, but my personal struggle was far from over. In a quest to obtain unobtainable beauty I had permanently disfigured myself, and the next year would be filled with endless tears and heartache. I began hating my body even more than I did in high school and I blamed myself for my poor lifestyle choices. How could I have done this to myself? My inability to accept my body was the reason I had cancer and I couldn’t cope with my self-hatred.

In May of 2005, a junior in college, I was asked to write a piece on my experience for a magazine I was freelancing for in Newport, RI. I realized it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself and to help other women dealing with the same body image issues I had dealt with for years. I posed on the cover of the magazine baring nothing but my scar and wrote a two-page spread detailing my story.

Since then I have been on a crusade to help stop other women from making the same mistakes I did. I have been featured in countless local and regional publications and the more nationally recognized Marie Claire Magazine, Teen Vogue, Fitness Magazine and given an award by Cosmopolitan Magazine for my efforts in melanoma awareness. I have appeared in countless PSAs, including one of 2011’s most-shared ads, Dear 16-Year-Old Me.

Through my work, I hope I have saved lives. I am a huge advocate for sunscreen wearing, and TIZO is one of my all-time favorite sun-protective products. Learn from my mistakes. Here we are, in Melanoma Awareness Month and the weather is heating up and becoming more beautiful every day. Protect your skin, it’s your body’s largest organ and the only skin you’ve got.

Meghan Rothschild is the President & CBO (Chief Badass) of Chikmedia, a full-service Marketing & PR firm. She has been a spokesperson for melanoma awareness for over 15 years. You can read more about her via her website, MeghanRothschild.com, or by following her on Instagram @outwithmeghan.

With the holidays (and Winter) quickly approaching, I don’t know about you, but I am ready to slough off all the dead skin cells and deeply exfoliate my skin. My favorite way to do this is with an effective peel. The feeling my skin gets after a peel, especially with the changing of the seasons, is so satisfying. Any time the seasons are changing, it leaves my skin feeling strange and heavy. Summer into Fall is always a great time for a peel because you’re wanting to rid your skin of all that sun damage accumulated through vacations, lounging in your friend’s pool on weekends, and lunch breaks sitting outside. But what about from Fall to Winter? For me, I feel like my skin hits its dullest point around Mid-November. Additionally, I really start to think about all those holiday parties and family gatherings that are about to start happening. And that only means one thing: I need beautiful skin!

This year, I used TIZO AHA 10% Retinol Peel System to combat all these environmental changes. What I love about our peel is that it addresses all the issues I’m looking to remedy and more: dullness, acne, fine lines, and wrinkles. This peel doubles down with ingredients within the peel and then follows up with an amazing retinol to aid in the peeling process. With the actual peel, lactic and mandelic acids work together to help smooth and soften fine lines and wrinkles, regulate sebum production, and accelerate cell turnover. Licorice extract is a safe remedy for brightening hyper-pigmented skin and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

After finishing the application and removal of the peel, you then apply TIZO’s unique 10% Retinol Blend. I love this part! This is the highest retinol percentage that we have found on the market. While 10% retinol might scare you, this peel is both safe and super effective. Let’s talk about that for a second. We use our Skin Firm Technology®, an anhydrous and breathable vehicle, to safely deliver the retinol into the skin in a time-released manner. This intensifies the peeling of the skin and can be left on for up to 8 hours to determine how dramatic the peeling will be. This is what makes the TIZO Peel System so unique and effective.

This peel is so great because it addresses so many issues with just one system. It brightens. It reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It helps with acne. It reduces the appearance of pigmentation changes. It evens out the texture of the skin. It leaves the skin looking and feeling smoother. And it. Is. Amazing. The results that we have gotten from clients using it are unbelievable. And to top it all off, we now have a Post-Procedure Kit to give to your patients for at-home use to aid with the healing process safely and effectively.

Being an esthetician, I always make sure my clients know the importance of wearing sunscreen daily. The biggest misconception about sunscreen is that you only need to wear it on sunny days spent at the beach or pool. Living in Pennsylvania, it is sometimes difficult to convince people to wear it every day. Here’s where it gets dark: I was one of those people. I know, cringe. Despite my training, I knew had a sunscreen allergy. Or so I thought.

The moment that any sunscreen would hit my skin, I would begin breaking out in hives, and even sometimes get a rash that would last several days. Eventually, I stopped wearing SPF all together, including on those beach days. The horror, right?

It wasn’t until I interviewed with TIZO that the truth came out. During the interview process, I told them all about how sunscreen is so important and I’m super passionate about skin care, and happy to sell the product even if I couldn’t wear it. Confused looks spread across the room, immediately followed by understanding. They quickly explained the difference between a chemical and mineral sunscreen and suggested that I give SPF one last chance with an all-mineral product that wouldn’t cause irritation.

With some trepidation, I did try it out and, lo and behold, no reaction! Through additional education on the mineral difference, I have come to love the TIZO product line as a whole. This time of year, when everything starts to dry out (the leaves, my skin, my patience), I turn to TIZO AM Replenish Tinted SPF 40. I love this lightweight sunscreen because of the added ceramides that help retain the moisture in my skin. Its silky matte finish doubles as my makeup primer, so it fits effortlessly into my morning routine.

Without the use of oils or fragrances, it doesn’t feel, or smell, like you’re wearing sunscreen. I find it to be the best gateway product for those who don’t typically include SPF into their daily regimen. It even comes non-tinted for anybody who isn’t really into a tint.

If anybody wants to give this product a try, call into the office and talk to your representative. Use my code HORROR19 to receive a free TIZO AM Replenish Tinted or Non-Tinted with your next order. Offer expires 11/1/19.

After graduating high school, I attended East Stroudsburg University. After two years, I discovered that my true passion was skincare, so I transitioned to Toni and Guy Esthetics Academy in Ambler, Pennsylvania. From there, I ran my own skincare business out of a local salon where I specialized in chemical peels and teenage acne control. Upon discovering TIZO Sunscreen and Skincare, I have been able to further my passion for skincare by selling and educating on a line that I truly believe in.

Aside from Esthetics, I love to travel and explore new foods with my family and friends. I am also a proud Bocce player. My dad and I started a team and have been playing together for the last 10 years. My four-year-old rescue cat, Tushi, has my whole heart.

What inspired you to become an esthetician?
Growing up, my father always gifted my mom a spa day for Mother’s Day every year, and she always brought my sister and I along. I always looked forward to those days because it was so nice to have a fun and relaxing girls day. My skin always felt amazing and my spirit uplifted after a facial, so I wanted to be able to provide the same happiness for others. Whether somebody comes to me for relaxation or to correct a skin issue, I want my clients to feel amazing and beautiful after a treatment, just like I always did.

What is your favorite treatment to perform on a client?
I love microneedling paired with a great serum. I always love getting microneedled because I can really feel what is happening to my skin, and I know that it is reassuring to a patient to feel that the treatment is working.

What is the most important thing a client can do to maintain healthy skin?
My top three recommendations to maintain healthy skin are: drink a ton of water, moisturize daily, and wear a great mineral SPF.

What are your favorite anti-aging tips or ingredients?
I always tell my clients to use a great eye cream and any products with Vitamin C. I remember being 9 or 10 years old when my mom got me my first eye cream. She told me to use it daily and thank her later. I still use one and thank her often for the early education.