Brianna Kamienski
Tranzform
As of 2025, skincare has become a popular trend. Numerous skincare actives and ingredients have been democratized, compelling people to make quick purchases of such products without doing their due diligence. Dr. Walter Francis Leise III, the founder of Sarasota Medical Products, Inc. (SMP), recognizes this consumer tendency and calls upon a transformation in how people consume skincare products while exploring the potential of natural skincare ingredients.
SMP, a Florida-based medical device company, provides customized, premium skin adhesive solutions for wound care, ostomy, and incontinence ailments. With its diverse experience in providing turnkey skin-adhesive solutions, the company is well-versed in the beneficial elements for the skin. This has enabled it to venture into natural products and explore how they can bring transformational changes to the skin.
However, its shift in focus is not just a matter of exploring natural skincare options. It’s an initiative to acknowledge the lack of awareness that shrouds the skincare industry, or among most products consumed at large. “When we talk of skincare products in general, we need to consider that we don’t know how a lot of things work,” Dr. Leise explains. “There’s always new information that arises about the possible ramifications of something we’re already consuming. It’s important to accept that we don’t have all the information. Research and due diligence are of importance in such cases.”
He shares an example of how, over 50 years ago, a lack of research and underlying conspiracies drove people to place blame on fats for coronary heart disease, promoting sugar as a healthy replacement. Today, sugar is one of the root causes of unhealthy weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay. “People 50 years ago didn’t know just how bad sugar can be for the human body,” Dr. Leise states. “Similarly, we don’t know the future consequences of the chemicals we’re quick to apply to our skin. That uncertainty needs to be acknowledged, and wiser choices need to be made.”
Dr. Leise’s drive to learn more about natural and organic ingredients and their consequent benefits comes from his own experience of searching for natural anti-aging products to take better care of himself. In his journey of curating suitable anti-aging and wound-healing products, Dr. Leise researched a plethora of natural oils, beef tallow, vitamin C, vitamin E, castor oil, and many other naturally occurring ingredients. He focused on choosing natural products that comprise innate properties that could improve skin elasticity and strengthen the skin barrier.
Hydrogen peroxide, another naturally occurring ingredient, is touted by Dr. Leise as an effective active ingredient that promotes wound healing. “We found that hydrogen peroxide kills MRSA, it kills E. Coli, and it’s cleared by the FDA. It works very well to aid healing,” Dr. Leise explains.
After five years of intense R&D and self-testing, Dr. Leise created a skincare line that utilizes the best of natural ingredients for optimal skin health. His upcoming natural skincare line, Tranzform, includes products such as hydrocolloid acne patches, day and night balms, and eye creams. The products are powered by natural ingredients such as beef tallow, castor oil, tea tree oil, lemon oil, hydrogen peroxide, and calendula to aid in anti-aging and acne care and maintain the skin’s overall balance.
“Our primary focus is on natural ingredients. We want to leverage the power of natural products to introduce simple but effective skincare solutions for our customers,” Dr. Leise states. “It’s exciting to watch how our products can help people. That’s the pivotal goal for us.”
Tranzform, which is set to launch in July 2025, is an independent venture bringing natural products directly to the market. “It’s been an extremely fascinating experience,” Dr. Leise states. “We’re navigating aspects like branding, marketing, color psychology, and product packaging designs to help ensure customers can have a well-rounded customer experience.” The products will be available for initial purchase on e-commerce platforms across the United States.
As skincare becomes more complex and pervasive, it’s important to make conscious decisions before purchasing skincare products blindly. “Skincare is not a one-size-fits-all notion. Everybody is different, with different pathologies and skin types,” Dr. Leise states.
He recognizes the power of natural ingredients and how they can be incorporated into a regimented skincare routine, but ultimately, his advice for implementing skincare is rooted in his traditional belief: “My advice to people purchasing skincare would be to wait and direct their focus at what they’re eating first,” Dr. Leise shares. “Eating the right food is key for healthy skin.”
Dr. Walter Francis Leise III
With Tranzform, Dr. Leise aims to bring a paradigm shift in how people perceive natural ingredients. As he focuses on crafting more natural products in the future, he lives by the belief that taking care of the skin doesn’t have to mean trusting complex chemical products, which may have unknown long-term consequences. He says, “People need effective natural skincare that can empower them to make conscious purchases. They need to be sure of what they’re putting on their skin. That’s what we aim to provide with Tranzform.”