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Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme
Words Emma Amoafo-Mensah
Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme is the Founder and Medical Director of Adonia Medical Clinic, a premium medical and aesthetics clinic situated in West London. A medical consultant by profession, with an impressive portfolio of experience across different medical and surgical specialties, Dr Ejikeme uses her years of varied experience to deliver expert aesthetics medicine. The proof of her success is clear; Adonia Medical Clinic are the current holders of the highly-esteemed Celluma Award for Best Clinic London. This is undoubtedly at least partly attributed to her passion to delve into the science behind skincare, and deliver evidence-based treatments that cater to all skin types. WOTC sat down with Dr Ejikeme to hear about her background, her skincare recommendations, and her top tips for anyone thinking about getting treatments like botox or dermal fillers.
It was a Monday evening. I had had an uncomfortably busy day, with a skin surveillance clinic in the morning and holding the on-call dermatology registrar bleep in the afternoon. I work in one of the busiest hospitals in the UK, so days on call are always taxing. Quite frankly, I was exhausted, but super excited to interview Dr Ejikeme, who is undoubtedly a huge source of inspiration for me.
I logged into Zoom and waited for her to join me. She soon did. She promptly apologised and explained that it took a bit longer to put her daughters to bed than usual. She looked flawless! I was already fan-girling within the first few minutes – a mother, doctor and businesswoman who looks this good after putting her children to bed.
Dr Emma: Please tell me a bit about yourself, your background and anything you think I should know…
Dr Ifeoma: So my name is Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, I’m Nigerian and my background is I'm a medical consultant at University College London Hospital. And then I have specialist interests and further training at Master's levels in aesthetic medicine. I also have a postdoc in head and neck surgery from Columbia University. My background started off with a real interest in head and neck surgery. I got all the way through the training, and then I went to the States, where I fell in love with aesthetics and with skin. That's how I ended up doing the Masters in aesthetic medicine and then became a lecturer at Queen Mary’s University on the Master's programme, which I've been doing for about four years now. I created the clinic to really enable a space that had both aesthetics and scientifically-lead treatments.
When I was in the States, I saw a lot of clinics that were extremely medical and they kind of lacked that beauty element. And then I came to the UK and I saw a lot of beauty clinics that really lacked the medical elements. And so I wanted to create a space that had a little bit of both, that was highly scientific, medically-lead and evidence-based, but was still luxury. And when you’re in there, you don't feel like you are in a hospital, you feel pampered, you feel looked after. I also created a space that had treatments for every single skin type. In practice, what that means is having thought about specific products, procedures and treatments that are safe and effective to use on black and brown skin. So that's really the ethos that's wound through Adonia medical clinic.
Dr Emma: I love that! What is it that made you fall in love with aesthetics?
Dr Ifeoma: I'm an artist! You can see some artwork behind me, it’s not my best work, though (laughs). I've always drawn, I love to draw, I used to do pottery and clay and all these different things. And in medicine, using my hands is why I was interested in head neck surgery. But when I got there, I found that the thing I really, really liked was the aesthetics of it. During my fellowship at Columbia, I did an observership with this really famous otorhinologist [a doctor that specialises in treating ears and noses], who worked on noses all day. So I expected to spend the entire day in surgery. But day one, he was injecting noses. And I’m thinking, what is he doing? This is back in 2010. Day two, more noses. What is he doing? And then I did a day in surgery, and when we do our follow ups, I see that after a rhinoplasty [surgical nose reconstruction] people are bruised, their noses are swollen. But when this otorhinologist did his nose injections, there was no bruising, there was no swelling, and people could go straight back to work. And something just clicked. I thought, wow, nobody else was doing this back then, it was incredible. And so after that observership, I switched from doing head and neck surgery to general medicine and then decided to do aesthetic medicine because I really loved the results you can get and the amount of impact that you can have on someone's life by changing different aspects of their skin or even the bone structure using non-surgical techniques. It's amazing.
Dr Emma: So what would you say is the most satisfying part about it?
Dr Ifeoma: I think it is the way you can boost people's confidence. It always amazes me when I see a patient come into a clinic, shoulders slumped, mumbling, no eye contact. And then we do a treatment or we do a series of treatments and they'll tag me an Instagram post. And I'm like, this is a completely different person. Just the way they felt on the inside, now reflected on the outside. And that gives me so much joy. I think that's one of the best things: being able to really help people with their confidence and their sense of self.
Within the first few minutes of the interview, I felt like I had an insight into the kind of woman Dr Ifeoma is: forward-thinking, ambitious and someone with a genuine heart for people. I’m one of those doctors who has never wanted to do anything else. I’m not sure where the idea came from, because I don’t have any doctors in my family, but I have embarrassing photos of me at my 7th birthday party wearing a doctor’s uniform. As cliché as it sounds, I do believe that medicine chose me before I had the chance to choose it. I wanted to know if Dr Ejikime had a similar story to me.
Dr Emma: At what age did you know you wanted to go into medicine?
Dr Ifeoma: At 18 I knew; and it wasn't a straight “I always definitely want to do this”. I remember that when I was 18, I really enjoyed debating, so I thought maybe I should do law, but I really loved chemistry and biology as well; so maybe it's medicine. I come from a long line of doctors. My dad's a doctor, my sisters, my great aunt are all doctors. And so for me I had much more exposure in medicine than I did law.
Dr Emma: How do you balance everything? Being a mum, the business, teaching, press?
Dr Ifeoma: I do lots and lots of lists, and I have a really great support network. My husband is phenomenal. He's extremely supportive and extremely hands on with the kids and the business. I'm fortunate that my parents and five siblings are all close by. Also, I have an incredible team at the clinic. I have the best team! Everybody treats the clinic as if it's their own business. We all look out for each other. I definitely know my skillset and the things I'm not good at, and I delegate all the things that I'm not good at. And so I think that's how I keep on top of things.
Dr Emma: How have we been able to create such a productive culture at the clinic?
Dr Ifeoma: I think we have a very flat culture. I welcome everybody to tell me that I'm wrong. I want everyone to think of ideas. I welcome criticism. I give praise freely. I incentivise my team by investing in them, I care about them. I'm interested in what's going on in their lives. I know about their families and know about mine. I don't keep it so separate. And I encourage every single member of the team to find their passion.
So, you know, if somebody is really interested in something that we don't currently do in the clinic, if they're passionate about it, they can go research and find out about it, and we'll get training in it. So as much as they invest in the clinic, I invest in them and their interests as much as I can.
Dr Ejikeme has so much experience and wisdom to offer. It doesn’t surprise me that she is a Key Opinion Leader for so many brands, including Aquagold, Ultraformer, CeraVe and Obagi. So now, that cliché question that I hate asking but love hearing people’s answers to.
Dr Emma: What do you say to the woman who wants it all?
Dr Ifeoma: I would say there's two things, first is to understand that collaboration is better than competition. A lot of women, especially as they progress, become highly competitive with other women, but many of my biggest supporters are women. So, for example I have a WhatsApp group with lots of women who own clinics who do exactly what I do, who see exactly the kind of people that I see, within a one-mile radius to me and I am not bothered. We share experiences, we share social media tips. And, you know, we're all in it together. Understanding that is a game changer.
The second thing is to understand your weaknesses; learn to understand your weaknesses because you can't do it all. Doing it all is a myth. You can do the things that you know how to do and you need to delegate the things that you're not good at or you just don't have time for. And I think this is something that I do and I'm continually learning to do.
And one of the ways to do that is to ask other women! You know, those women, who are supposedly your competition; ask them, how are you doing it?!
I was soaking in so many life-nuggets. We had only been speaking for 20 minutes and I genuinely felt like I was talking to my older sister or cousin. Dr Ejikeme has so much practical wisdom to share, so much so that I almost forgot to ask her about skincare, and I know you all would never forgive me if I didn’t!
Dr Emma: What are your top beauty and skincare tips?
Dr Ifeoma: I think the first is: listen to your skin. A lot of people start a skincare routine when they’re 20, and then when they’re 30 or 40, they’re still using those same three or four products they started using in their 20s. Now, as the seasons change, as the years go on, your skin changes. And when you feel that the products that you're using no longer serve you, you need to do something about it. That doesn't mean go and buy all the products! It means just notice that something has changed. Seek help if you need to. Come and see someone like me who's able to have a look at your skin, see what's going on, and tweak the things that you're doing so that you can get the results that you want.
Dr Emma: What do you think is the most common skincare mistake you see people making?
Dr Ifeoma: I think one of the most common mistakes at the moment is using too many products and over-exfoliating. I think there's a lot of skincare information out on different social media platforms at the moment. And I think there's a tendency to feel like you have to try or use all the things that everybody talks about. I think it’s great that people are becoming much more savvy in understanding the actual ingredients in their products, but you don't have to use three different acids or use an acid twice a day, that sort of thing. People are over-exfoliating and getting some of the symptoms of over-exfoliation, such as acne breakouts, sensitivity and dryness, dermatitis…
Dr Emma: So what about the person that doesn’t have much time for skincare, and doesn’t want to do much research – what are the absolute basics that everyone should be doing?
Dr Ifeoma: 1. You need to cleanse your skin twice a day, whether you wear makeup or not, whether you leave the house or not. And this is usually with a gentle cleanser. Your everyday go-to should be a relatively gentle cleanser. And then you can think about being active depending on your skin goals.
2. You must moisturise. Whether you've got dry skin or oily skin, everybody needs to moisturise. But what you moisturise with will change. So as a blanket rule, if you have oily skin, you're going to moisturise with something that's not comedogenic or that is oil-free or a lotion. If you have naturally dry skin – not dehydrated, but dry skin – you're going to go with more of a hydrating cream including things like ceramides or hyaluronic acid.
So that's your base. And then, of course, sunscreen. Sunscreen is for everybody all through the year and all skin types. And again, look for a sunscreen that works for your skin type. I think that's probably one of the things that people struggle with the most, but don't realise – finding a sunscreen that they like and that sits well on their skin. So yes, those are the things that are non-negotiable.
Dr Emma: What are some of your favourite skincare products?
One of my favourite brands is Cerave. I love them because they have intelligent cleansers and they produce things that most people can afford. It's something that you can pick up anywhere, and no matter what your skin type, there's something for you.
Also, I'm really enjoying the PHAs from Medik8 at the moment, their Press & Glow is a very intelligent toner that helps gently exfoliate the skin without stripping it. I really love the Obagi range, but that's a medical grade range that should be sold only under the guidance of a physician. I use it a lot at the clinic. I’m also really enjoying the Murad Retinol, which is another really intelligent retinol, because you can get into trouble with some retinoids/retinoids by over-exfoliating, but this is quite gentle, but still packs a punch.
Dr Emma: What do you think about the role of social media in skincare these days? Because it obviously has its pros and cons.
Dr Ifeoma: I've been posting videos about skin for a long time. I think the good thing is that social media empowers people in an accessible way to learn about any topic, including skin. I think, at times the information can be very conflicting, and it can be difficult to kind of weed out what's fact and what's fiction and what's marketing. So I think that can be challenging.
I notice that now that there are lots of people who do have training in skincare who are on tiktok. You know, I see lots of dermatologists on tiktok. And initially I was like, ‘what is going on?’ But then the more I watch it, the more I understand that, you have to be in that space. People who have the background and the training in skin need to be in all the spaces that people are consuming information about skin. So I think that's really important. I think ultimately, it's a good thing. It's important for people who know things to rise to the top.
Dr Emma: You mentioned that your clinic has a good balance of the medical side and the aesthetic side, do you think this should be the model for the aesthetics clinics of the future? How do you see the industry changing over the next few years?
Dr Ifeoma: I think there is still a huge need for aesthetics to be more regulated. People that have no understanding of anatomy are legally allowed to inject dermal fillers and anybody is allowed to inject Botox (you're just not allowed to buy it because it’s prescription only) and I think that is scary. In my practice, we do a lot of revision treatments. Some people think injecting the lips is an easy thing to do. Actually, I think it's one of the most complex areas to treat. I don't do the big, big faces. It's all about natural, subtle results. Nobody should know what you've done. They should just think you look amazing. So people who want that look often gravitate towards me, and I end up treating people who want to go back to that natural look.
Dr Emma: So do you think we need to make practicing aesthetics a lot more restricted?
Dr Ifeoma: Oh, one hundred percent. Absolutely. It should be only people who have a license to prescribe. If you're injecting dermal filler or you're injecting Botox, you need to be able to manage the complications, and managing the complications almost always involves prescribed treatments. There's no speciality in medicine where you’re allowed to do a treatment but you can't handle every potential complication. And if you can't, you have no business doing that treatment.
Dr Emma: So if someone is considering getting some aesthetic treatments, what are the key things they should look out for when choosing a clinic?
Dr Ifeoma: The first thing I would do is check that the person has a license to practice. Because actually, not all doctors have a license to practice. If they're a doctor, check the GMC, a dentist: GDC, a nurse: NMC. Check that they are licensed and keep up with the basic requirements of registration.
The second thing is to understand their level of training. Be direct and ask them; how have they ended up in aesthetics? What training have they had? They should have done either a Level 7, a postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, or Master's.
The next is, what level of safety do they have? They should be affiliated with people like Save Face, the JCCP or BCAM. You want to be going to people who are at the top; it’s your face! Whilst it's not a requirement, it will give you an understanding as to whether they've gone over and above to make sure that they are safe and externally regulated
Finally, make sure the products that are being used are premium. In terms of toxins, you want to have products that are licensed in the UK. And in terms of dermal fillers, you want to make sure you get an understanding of why they've chosen those fillers. Price should never be the reason!
Dr Emma: What's the most common aesthetic procedure you do?
Dr Ifeoma: I see a lot of skin, a lot of skin. And the number one thing that I see is hyperpigmentation, especially acne hyperpigmentation. In terms of injectables, my most common procedure is full-face.
Dr Emma: My last question would be: I'm assuming you see people that have different opinions about the way they look, and things they dislike about their faces or bodies. So let's just say you're speaking to a million of your little sisters through this magazine; what would you like to tell them?
Dr Ifeoma: I would tell them that, the things you see on your skin that you really don't like today; tomorrow you could be laughing. I'll give you a great example of this. When I was in school, cocaine chic was all big, you know, to be as thin, so thin that it looks like you’re on cocaine. So imagine if someone had augmented their body permanently to be that thin?! Apart from it being extremely unhealthy. But also now, they would be asking ‘why did I do that?’ Another example of this, maybe a better one, is eyebrows. Tiny, thin eyebrows used to be all the rage. And so people pluck and teased and then the eyebrows never go back. And now bushy eyebrows are all the rage!
So I would say that if you're under 25, and there's an aspect of your body or your skin that you think you want to change, I would say, wait. Because as you grow, the things that you disliked when you were younger, may actually become some of your greatest assets. So don't try and augment those things, understand that they feel uncomfortable now, and focus more on the parts of your face and body that you love. Because what often happens is, if there's a tiny part of you that you dislike, it consumes you, it becomes the only thing you see in the mirror. I would encourage you to instead make a conscious effort to look and admire the things that you do like. And the more you focus on those things, the more you realise that actually, for the majority of people, that's what they see. They just see your assets. They don't see the things that you don't like. Now, if after years and years and years and years these things still bother you, then you should do something about them.