Vegan Skin by Paul Joseph is an all natural, plant-based, e-commerce, skincare, company that specializes in healing and hydrating the skin and scalp. Founder and C.E.O. Paul Joseph Griffith was diagnosed with a rare, autoimmune, skin, disease known as Hidradenitis Suppurativa when he was 23 years old. There is no known clinical cure or effective treatment for the disease. It is also degenerative and believed to affect approximately 1-2% of the American population and possibly globally. Throughout his formative years, the disease progressed and eventually spread across half of his body. He was covered in boils from the waist to his ankles and contemplated ending his own life. He decided in that moment to figure out a solution for himself driven by the research question, “How did our ancestors take care of themselves before modern medicine and technology?” Armed with this driving question, for four years he researched the healing properties of plants, focusing on their microbiology, and created three, signature, products for the skin and scalp. The products assisted in his healing and as a result became popular amongst friends and family members. Before long, the products became popular amongst customers across America with reports of assisted healing with autoimmune diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, folliculitis, cystic acne, chronically dry skin, rashes, and more. Thus, the focus of the oral presentation will be the intersection of the following:

1. The power of self—healing
2. The market for plant—based, natural, and wholistic solutions for skin and health
3. Plant microbiome and autoimmune disease treatment

Biography:
Paul Joseph Griffith has completed his Masters at Tufts University, serves as the C.E.O. of Vegan Skin by Paul Joseph, is a part time professional dancer, a former public high school teacher and lives a busy vegan lifestyle in Washington D.C., U.S.A