Why You Won’t Have Gorgeous Skin & What To Do About It

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Sun worshippers and smokers won’t have gorgeous skin. 

A gorgeous complexion just isn’t going to happen for you if you fall into one or both of these categories. Here’s why.

Sun Exposure

Minimizing sun exposure is key, but how? All too often, our patients disparagingly admit to baking in the sun while in their youth, using oils and reflectors. However, as adults, many of these people continue to bask. They may say, “I don’t sit in the sun.” But, they admit to walking in the sun, playing tennis, and playing golf. The sun rays do not offer special dispensation for these activities. Sun exposure is sun exposure! If the sun is unavoidable, then frequent application of a good sunscreen is mandatory. Read our FAQ on sun damage. 

Smokers

Smoking “reeks” havoc with the skin. It reduces the oxygen-carrying blood supply and nutrients vital to healthy skin. The result is a dry, flaky, wrinkled, discolored facial surface. While most of the damage caused by smoking is therapeutically reversible, those who still smoke will continue to damage their skin.

So, how do you not only acquire but maintain a beautiful, smooth facial surface?

First, a note on your genes. Good genes provide the basis for quality skin. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have no control over our inherited familial characteristics. Similarly, as aging is part of life, how we age is, to some degree, genetically pre-determined. However, we can significantly influence the quality of our aging facial skin by paying judicious attention to appropriate skin care. So what can we do to help our skin appear well?

Nutrition and Exercise

A good nutritious dietary regime including adequate hydration with ample fluid intake and consistent moderate exercise program tend to promote overall health that includes our largest organ, the skin.

Moisturize

Preventing skin dryness with constant topical moisturization plays a major role contributing to a smooth healthy appearing skin.

Exfoliate

In addition to keeping your body healthy and moisturizing, the most proactive consideration in achieving and maintaining a radiant, youthful smooth skin tone is the adoption and incorporation of the Academy by Candy Skin Care program, based on medical strength glycolic acid.

By the time we hit age 30, 50% of our collagen and elastin is lost. And each year after that, we generate less and less—causing lines, wrinkles and sagging to occur. What we want to do is to trigger the collagen and elastin again. Academy products have the ability to travel to the deeper dermal layer of the skin where our collagen and elastin cells live. The low pH glycolic in Academy by Candy products “smacks” the cells in the deep layer of skin back into rejuvenation. With the collagen and elastin working again, the aging process is slowed down and reversed.

The Academy System consists of a program of home maintenance with the application of Academy Glycolic Acid every morning and night. We have Hydro Light Plus-15, and Acne Control-10 for your individual skincare needs.

We have long-term experience of 30+ years employing the Academy System of medical skin care. Our many happy patients who have been absolutely thrilled with their lovely facial skin speaks volumes about the effectiveness. They no longer feel ashamed to show their skin, enhancing self-confidence and self-acceptance.

As I always say:

Looking good is feeling good. Feeling good is looking good.

Redefining Beauty – Dermablend’s New Beauty Ads Follow the ABC Philosophy

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Dermablend came out with new video advertisements last week, shaking up the beauty world.

Since then, I’ve been reflecting on my friendship with Flori Roberts, the founder of Dermablend. Over 30 years ago, I appeared in several of her commercials and videos for department stores.

I love these ads. They show that beauty is more than skin deep. It upholds the truth and my philosophy that every woman is entitled to look and feel good about themselves.

No one is perfect. We all have flaws and sometimes even the slightest defect can make us feel insecure.

Building a woman’s inner strength and self esteem is what Academy by Candy Skin Care Products is all about. It is what I’m all about and it is nice to finally see a cosmetic company with similar values.

You can watch the videos by clicking here.

 

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More Than Skin Deep – My Journey in Founding Academy by Candy

Posted on by Candy Langan RN
APP photo
Candy Langan, owner of Academy by Candy Medical Skincare, works with patient Diana Antholis of Middletown at Langan’s Freehold Township office. (BOB BIELK/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

Over 30 years ago, a woman came to me and my husband, a Freehold facial plastic surgeon, asking us for help. She needed surgery that no one wanted to perform. Why not? Because her age and advanced cancer of the face and neck would require very complex reconstruction.

Together, we performed extensive surgery removing the cancer and reconstructing her face. However, in addition to extending her life, I wanted to do more for her appearance and self-confidence. This experience set the foundation for my business.

As a registered nurse specializing in head/neck cancer, reconstruction and facial plastic surgery, I decided to use my past experience in modeling and cosmetics to help many women who are concerned about their appearance.

Initially, I used camouflage makeup on my post-operative patients. Then I taught them how to take care of their skin to look and feel better and improve their self-image. Helping patients look and feel good after surgery was as important to me as curing the patient. I strongly believed that other physicians needed to offer the same. But how?

Click here to continue reading my article on the Asbury Park Press to find out about my research on glycolic acid and how I starting selling to physicians plus the real reason I started the Academy by Candy medical skincare line. 

How to Remove and Treat Acne, Plus What You Should Never Do to Get Rid of Pimples

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

We’ve all been there. You wake up in the morning and do a double-take when you look in the mirror.

You see it staring back at you. It takes over your face. It’s swollen, filled with a foreign substance, and hurts.

It’s a pimple. It’s a zit. It’s acne. No matter what you call it, it’s unwelcome.

While many teenagers develop acne, so do adults. It is extremely embarrassing no matter how old you are. It’s embarrassing to have acne on your face when you want to ask the cute girl to the prom. It’s embarrassing to have a pimple show up on your forehead on your wedding day. 

So let’s break down acne together. We’ll discuss what acne is, how you should treat acne, what you should never do to the pimples on your face and body, and what you can do to get rid of a pimple before a big event. Plus, how to prevent acne from showing up at all.

What is acne? 

Acne, a pimple, or a zit is excess oil trapped in your pores. Inside your pores, there are sebaceous glands that produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed, the dead skin cells left behind may become glued together by the sebum. This causes blockage in the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty. Then the sebaceous glands produce more sebum, which builds up behind the blockage. This sebum harbors various bacteria. The bacteria causes infection and inflammation.

How to Treat Acne

Medications that contain glycolic acid, salicylic acid, benzyl peroxide, and antibacterial agents are best to treat acne. These can be found in over-the-counter products. Using products that contain any of these ingredients helps the skin slough off more easily, which helps remove bacteria faster.

Overall, practice good hygiene, use warm compresses to open pimples up, and for severe cases, you may want to speak to your doctor about taking an antibiotic.

How to Get Rid of Acne Fast (Before Your Special Event or Treat Acne Overnight)

  • Use a warm compress to open up the pimple and reduce swelling
  • Apply salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzyl peroxide medication (Academy Acne Control-10 has salicylic acid and glycolic acid) to treat the bacteria
  • Use over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream (1%) to reduce swelling and redness
  • Using ice can also be applied to reduce redness and swelling
  • Avoid sugary foods
  • Drink adequate amounts of water (approximately 8 glasses per day)

What You Should Never Do to Acne

You guessed it–you should never pop a pimple. Why? Popping a pimple causes scarring. Acne scars happen because what is under the skin is bigger than the hole you are trying to squeeze it through. When you squeeze or pop the pimple, you burst through the skin, causing the skin to break in a jagged line. When the skin grows back together, these jagged edges or lines create acne scarring. 

Treat acne scars with glycolic acid or with a skin lightening cream. Using a glycolic acid product (like Academy’s Glycolic Creme-10) removes dead skin, lightening scarring. Using a skin lightening product (like Academy’s Hydro Light Plus-10 with the 4 major skin lightening ingredients that exist today) can help lighten scarring.

How to Prevent Acne

  • Keep your face clean.
  • Use a good cleanser (no soap).
  • Keep your hands off your face. Keep your hair off your face too. (Try to notice when you touch your hair and then touch your face.)
  • Keep your pillowcases clean.
  • Eat a clean diet, avoiding fatty and sugary foods.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Use the over-the-counter medication, such as Academy Acne Control-10.
  • Keep your face and body exfoliated. Glycolic acid products removs the layer of dead skin, leaving skin smooth and clear. Getting rid of the dead skin gives you a better chance for your pores to stay clear, and not become clogged.

Now that you know how to treat and prevent acne in all situations, pass this along to someone you know who could benefit from it! Everyone deserves clear, smooth, clean, and beautiful skin. We have so much going on in our lives that stressing over acne and pimples is not worth it. I’m here to help.

You can find all Academy products by clicking here.

The Ingredient You Need to Avoid in Cosmetics Products to Avoid Inflammation

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Fragrance.

Combining my medical background with my clinical knowledge of cosmetic products, I recommend, not only to my patients but to the physicians I teach, the avoidance of “fragrance” in formulating beauty products.

In most cases of skin problems I’ve seen, fragrance has been the culprit.

Why?

Fragrance can cause inflammation, especially for those with sensitive skin. Inflammation can cause premature aging of the skin.

And who wants that?

A Better Alternative

lemonWhen formulating products, I prefer to use certain antioxidants which not only fight aging, but have pleasant scents.

Often, I use Lemon Oil in my products. Lemon Oil not only smells nice but its scent has soothing, detoxifying qualities. Better yet, Lemon Oil rejuvenates dull looking skin and is an effective treatment for acne and oily skin.

Keeping products simple, easy, but positively effective is what matters most. Not the scent, not the packaging, not the advertising, but the effectiveness.

Look through your skincare products right now to see if fragrance is an ingredient.