I just saw a patient today who was so sad. She broke my heart. Her name was Ali and she was exhausted, frustrated, alone, and unhappy. Actually, I hate to say it, but she “looked a mess.”
Ali was a caretaker all her life. I don’t think she has ever done anything for herself. Her self-esteem is at 0. Not knowing which way to turn, she came to me for a complete consultation to discuss all of her options to make her look better and feel better.
We spent our time together beginning first with what bothered her the most about her appearance. We then discussed all options available today to improve those features. We talked about everything from invasive surgical procedures (such as a facelift or eye lift), non-invasive techniques (such as Venus Legacy and Zerona technology) for skin tightening and body contouring, and of course medical strength glycolic acid for facial skin rejuvenation.
Ali decided she was neither ready psychologically or financially to begin anything major. Fortunately, she was able to begin doing something for herself by using my Academy by Candy Medical Skin Care Products.
Just sending her home with a positive outlook on life was not only important to her, but to me as well. I have spent my life working with women like Ali. A little can improve so much. I’ve seen it happen over and over again. Her skin will no longer look gray and dull. Her fine lines will be gone and she will glow not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. Together, we will follow Ali’s life in upcoming articles.
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.
As soon as I get to the office, I’m swamped. Surgeries. Consultations. Peels. Phone Calls. Emails.
Next thing I know, it’s 9pm. I go home, make dinner, and have a glass of wine with my husband.
I’m involved heavily in the community, host events at my house, and always make sure I’m there when people need me.
I love my job. I love my life.
But I also make sure to take some time for myself and appreciate my life.
I know exactly how you feel. Life moves fast.
If we don’t feel good about ourselves, love ourselves, accept ourselves, then life can be a lot harder than it needs to be.
This is my purpose. I’ve been helping my patients not only look better, but feel better, for over 30 years. Even when I say that number, I’m shocked. But this is who I am, and I love every minute of it.
What keeps me going is knowing how much I help you. A patient just wrote this to me:
Candy Langen Sattenspiel is an amazing person, and I am blessed to have her in my life. Not only is she a very accomplished RN and business woman, but she is a very compassionate and understanding person.
Having gone through two very serious spinal surgeries in seven months, I was struggling with my recovery and not feeling very good about myself. I didn’t know what I wanted or needed. I reached out to Candy and she was there for me. Not only has she always offered good advice, wonderful products and services, but more importantly, she gave of herself. She has the unique ability to combine professionalism with compassion and caring. Candy helped me through one of the darkest times of my life.
I went from saying “I feel broken and ugly”, to saying, “Thank you for helping me get back to ME”. -Janet
Wow. I have tears in my eyes. This is why I do what I do. This is why I created Academy by Candy skincare products. This is why I’m always here for you.
On my blog, I’m featuring you. The women and men I do this for. The ones who have their own Academy by Candy stories.
Write to me and tell me your story. It can be anonymous if you choose. I want to hear from you. And so do others who are going through the same thing: the same struggles and insecurities. They want to hear from you too.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 25 years. I started researching and developing Academy by Candy, my skin care line, in the 80s, and wow, things have changed over the years.
Computers. Cell phones. Smart Phones. Hair styles. Women’s roles at work and in society. Competition.
I have to adapt to every single change or my business is lost.
Candy Langan 15 years ago (look at those earrings!)
Combining my medical, creative, and business senses was no easy feat. But it has been the most rewarding journey, even with all of the challenges.
It would be ideal for me to have a 36-hour day. Since that’s impossible, I’ve learned along the way.
Here are 12 things I’ve learned that I hope can inspire the women entrepreneurs of today and of our future.
1. Surround yourself with knowledgeable and caring staff. You can’t do everything yourself, even though you want to and will try to.
2. Care for your customers. If I want my customers and patients to care about me and my business, I have to care for them and about them.
3. Be respectful and appreciative. So much more has come my way because of this.
4. Please and Thank You goes a long way.
5. Believe in what you’re doing. I must. And I refuse to con myself, much less anyone else.
6. Always be helping others. What I do, MUST, in some way, help others. Not be hurtful.
7. Always keep learning. I enjoy to learn so learning something new is exciting and rewarding for me.
8. Love what you do. It will be difficult to work if you don’t. I absolutely love what I do.
9. Learn what work/life balance means to you. One of the biggest learnings I’ve had over the years is about work-life balance. Creating a balance is extremely hard, especially for a woman. We wear so many hats in our personal lives: the hat of a wife, mother, grandmother, good friend, caretaker, daughter. Then we put on our professional hats: the hat of the creator, researcher, business woman, financier, sales woman, marketeer. We juggle, juggle, and juggle—with no time to spare. Create your own balance so you can live a life you love.
10. Rejection is never ideal. I still have difficulty with it. Take a deep breath and move on to the next.
11. Adapt to change. As a Registered Nurse, one of the biggest changes I’ve encountered is being hands off, literally. With technology growing leaps and bounds, people can now buy my products online without ever talking to me, let alone seeing me in person. I’m used to handling all of the care with my patients as skin care and medical procedures are very personal and hands on. My challenge is maintaining the close relationship I want and need with my customers in order to build the trust I’ve always had in the past. That’s why I encourage direct communication to me on my website and social media. I want to get to know everyone who uses my products. I want to answer any questions they may have. I want to know how they are feeling and if using Academy by Candy products helped them feel good about themselves. I want to know their stories so that at the end of the day, I am fulfilled by my work even more. Making someone else feel good makes you feel even better.
12. Believe in what you do. Be honest and forthright. Treat your employees and customers with courtesy and respect. Keep learning. Work hard, but do fulfilling work.
This is what I’ve learned in over 25 years. I love to help other women. I’m always available to talk to you. Tell me what your piece of business advice for women is in the comments.
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?
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