How to Accommodate Overweight Clients

If your salon isn’t equipped for plus-sized women, you may be losing out on valuable clientele. As nail techs and salon owners, it’s essential to your business that everyone feels welcome, relaxed, and pampered. In order to ensure clients of all shapes and sizes are comfortable, be aware of the following requirements.

Use a Couch in the Waiting Area

Couches are unrestrictive and comfortable for both petite and plus-sized clients, as long as they don’t sit too low to the ground, which could make getting up difficult.

Provide a Foot Rest

Make sure you’re able to support your client’s leg if she is unable to do so herself. A foot stool can usually do the trick. Additionally, don’t force your client to roll up her pants if she wishes to cover her legs. Work around her pant leg, and if you can’t offer a massage, that’s OK.

Supply large sizes if you carry robes

If your salon offers services such as waxing or massage, make sure to have robes that will accommodate larger sizes.

Install a handle bar on the wall

While getting in and out of a pedicure chair, a handle can help plus-sized clients, as well as clients who are pregnant, disabled, or elderly. Make sure they are professionally installed and sturdy. Although well-intentioned, offering a helping hand is not as secure as a grab bar.

Remember the Golden Rule

Plus-sized clients should be treated no differently than any other client and common courtesy should prevail at all times. Don’t make any negative remarks about their appearance, don’t force diet advice on them, and don’t ask them if they are pregnant. Instead opt for a compliment — whether it’s, “I love your jewelry” or “You’re glowing today!” The job of a nail tech is to make clients feel both relaxed and beautiful no matter their size.

Spruce Up a Banquet Chair

Banquet chairs are an affordable, flexible seating option because of their portability, sturdy steel frame, and lack of armrests. Spruce up an otherwise boring piece of furniture with some fun fabric, a bow, and/or a cushion.

Use a portable pedicure bowl if necessary

You may want to have at least one portable pedicure bowl and a sturdy, wide-set chair without armrests for clients who aren’t mobile enough to climb onto a luxury pedicure chair. An ottoman is always a comfortable addition.

Set Up the Luxury Pedicure Chair

A luxury pedicure chair is a great investment, and a heavy client doesn’t want to break it any more than you want her to. Push the seat base as far back as it goes, and opt for armrests that can flip up and down if you can.

Make Sure She Has Enough Space

Leave enough space in between manicure tables if the client’s back and another nail tech’s back face each other. If the manicure chairs have closely set arms or shallow seats, keep another more accommodating chair to offer her if she looks uncomfortable.