In a compelling interview, Ediale Kingsley sits down with Christiana Chioma Dogo, the driving force behind the esteemed Flawless Esthetics Clinic, situated in Lagos. This clinic has been garnering attention for its groundbreaking approach to foot and nail care, tackling issues that often go unnoticed.
With a strong emphasis on medical pedicures, ingrown toenail correction, callus reduction, and a range of specialized treatments, Flawless Esthetics Clinic goes the extra mile to restore clients’ confidence and prioritize their overall well-being.
The clinic’s commitment to rigorous sterilization protocols, advanced product offerings, and an inspiring vision for future growth sets it apart as a trailblazer in enhancing foot health and instilling unwavering self-assurance. Join us as we unravel the passion and dedication fueling the remarkable success of Flawless Esthetics Clinic.
What inspired you to start Flawless Esthetics Clinic and focus specifically on foot and skin care?
In 2019 we started out as Flawless Nails and Beauty Lounge where we offered salon services such as regular pedicures, manicure, fixing of acrylic nails and hair services.
However, in the course of running the salon, I observed that a lot of people had foot and nail concerns that the regular pedicure and manicure we were offering could not address.
So, I decided to acquire more knowledge on how to solve these foot and nails problems. I became certified in Nail Technology, Manicure and Pedicure and also got several international certifications in Advanced Foot Treatments.
For the Skin, I also got certified in Manual Facials, Skin Peeling, Cosmetic Science and Chemistry. Following these, we finally changed our business focus to foot care and skin care and also changed our business name to Flawless Esthetics Clinic.
Could you tell us more about the range of services and treatments you offer at Flawless Esthetics Clinic?
Foot care is our core service and we specialize in; Providing medical pedicures suitable for everyone especially those with diabetes and also compromised immune systems. Ingrown toenails correction, Excess calluses reduction, cracked heels repair, corn removal, reduction of thickened and hard nails, fungal nail treatment. We also offer routine foot care for the elderly
How do your specialised treatments, such as medical pedicure for diabetic individuals and ingrown toenails correction, cater to the unique needs of your clients?
Catering for the feet of people with diabetes and those with compromised immune system involves extra care. We ensure that every tool used is properly cleaned, soaked in disinfectant then finally autoclaved for 30 minutes with extra drying time of 35 minutes.
We DO NOT SOAK their feet in water (as this reduces the risk of cross-contamination). No cutting of their eponychium – popularly known as cuticle, no use of blades and cheese grater. We take off anything that can cause any form of injury to their feet.
We are also their eyes. We call their attention to anything that looks abnormal so they can quickly reach out to their doctors for further attention.
Can you share some success stories of individuals whose confidence and foot health have been restored through the services provided at Flawless Esthetics Clinic?
We have lots of success stories. We have clients that came in with extreme foot cracks and fugal toenails that had affected their confidence both at home with their partners and also outside their home. We placed them on a 6-8 weeks medical pedicure appointment and also gave them our foot products to use at home and in less than 3 months, their feet were completely restored.
I also remember a client that came to us with involuted toenails that was causing her serious ingrown toenail pain. She could not take it off surgically because of her health. She had an ingrown toenail correction system done and, in few months, her nails were already growing straight out.
What sets Flawless Esthetics Clinic apart from other foot and skin care clinics in the area?
We are all about the safety and health of our clients. We will never place money over a client’s health. Our sterilization process is according to international standard. We dispose every tool that cannot be autoclaved under high heat, such as buffers, foot files for the nails and the heel of the feet. For the metal implements such as nail nippers, cutters, bits etc, we first of all, wash with soapy agents under running water, soak the implements in Barbicide for like 10 minutes, dry them and put them in pouches before autoclaving in 30 minutes and an extra 35 minutes drying time. We use each pouch per client before repeating the sterilization process again.
**We are also highly trained and continue to train more to improve our services. We understand that working closely with our clients’ doctors will help them achieve better results and that is exactly what we do.
In addition to the treatments, you mentioned offering routine foot care for the elderly. How do you ensure their comfort and well-being during the process?
Our treatments are offered in a private room on a very comfortable bed that is reclined to suit them. We carry our clients along while offering this treatment to ensure they are comfortable and also explain to them what we are doing, so they are at rest. The procedure is completely pain free.
How do your advanced foot care products contribute to the overall effectiveness of the treatments you provide?
Launching our foot care product line has really changed the game for us and our clients. We have both preventive products and also those that repair major foot concerns.
Our DermaFIX-IT which is our foot lotion, contains 25% Urea, lactic acid, glycolic acid and lots of active ingredients. This product has shortened the recovery time for our clients. It is highly potent and effective. We start them with this DermaFIX-IT and after they achieve their desired result, we switch them to FIX-IT Foot Repair Lotion that contains 10% Urea and lactic acid for maintenance.
Another best seller from our product line is our Derma Mycosis Nail Repair. This product helps to eliminate fungal nail infection, nail discoloration, athlete’s foot and also damaged nails.
Have you noticed any trends or common foot and skin care issues among your clients? How do you address them?
Lots of people suffer from fungal nails that they often times gotten from the salons they visit. The sanitation practices of these salons are usually nothing to write home about.
The first thing we do, is a consultation. This is an opportunity to educate the client on best practices and also how to care for their feet and nails.
Ingrown toenail is also a common foot concern we see. A lot of people, allow these salons to tamper with these nails, leading to infection and more complications. We offer a correction system, that helps correct these ingrown nails, and for the inflamed cases, we direct them to a medical practitioner for further attention.
What advice would you give to individuals who may be neglecting foot and skin care in their daily routines?
If you forget to care for your foot, it will also forget to take care of you when you need it the most.
Finally, could you provide our readers with some insights into the future plan and aspirations you have for Flawless Esthetics Clinic?
My desire is that we become a fully functional Out- Patient Foot Clinic with podiatrist, doctors and nurses working full time with us.