Claudia Jordan is excited to go sandal shopping for the upcoming spring/summer season! The former Real Housewives of Atlanta star recently chatted with BET Lifestyle about her recent cosmetic surgery that has her ready to put her best foot forward.

In November 2022, Jordan visited Dr. Abraham Wagner of JAWS Podiatry to remove corns, which occurs when the skin thickens on the top of the toe or foot. The star documented her experience at the Florida cosmetic foot institute, which specializes in minimally invasive foot surgeries.

We recently caught up with the Tea-G-I-F co-host to learn about her foot surgery experience, along with why she chose to move forward with the procedure after putting it off for eight years.

Keep scrolling to read the candid interview.

BET.com: We’ve been following your foot surgery experience on Instagram. Why did you decide to share your journey on social media?

Claudia Jordan: Well, since my toe "condition" became so public after being on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I figured it was only right to put a period on the story and share how I resolved my issue with the same people that saw my toes on the show eight years ago.

BET: Has this been something you have been wanting to do for a while?

CJ: OMG, yes. I’ve been trying to hide and cover these corns for decades! I finally went to a doctor eight years ago for a consultation, but the process seemed so barbaric to me that I never followed up with the surgery.

BET: How did you develop corns on your toes?

CJ: I was running track, long jumping, and spending a lot of time in my competing sneakers, which are called spikes. During these exercises, there was a lot of trauma to my toes.

Then I started modeling when I was 17. Although I was a size 9.5 shoe, on several occasions I was styled in shoes as small as a size 7.5! 

For 8-hour days on set, my toes were crammed in a very unnatural and uncomfortable position. It was awful! After years of this, my toes became deformed and in a permanently clenched position. This is what hammer toes are. It’s when your toes are actually deformed on the skeletal level and it takes surgery to fix it.

BET: As a celebrity, did you feel pressured by society to fix your feet?

CJ: Not so much by society, the pressure actually came from myself. When I would start dating someone, I would automatically feel like I had to disclose that I was "only cute from the ankles up."

I struggled to find sandals to hide my corns, which became harder and harder over the years. It's really shocking how limited the shoe options are that hide corns, especially when so many women suffer from them. I had considered starting a shoe/sandal line that would be flattering to myself and others dealing with the same thing.

BET: That's a great idea! Has work or your love life ever been affected by the look of your feet?

CJ: I don't really get embarrassed often, but it is something I had become self-conscious about, especially after I shared my story on RHOA. I still get made fun of about a scene on a reality show that aired eight years ago. If someone wants to argue with me online, the first thing they do is talk about my toes.

It's too bad because I thought being vulnerable and opening up and showing my flaws would have been received differently like, "Wow, that's cool that she's not pretending to be perfect."

I will say that SO many people with similar-looking toes reached out to me and expressed appreciation for my transparency about my struggle. As for my love life, I’ve never been snubbed or rejected over some toes!

BET: We appreciate your transparency. With so many podiatrists in the USA, why was Dr. Wagner your go-to specialist?

My good friend Mimi Faust had been in contact with him. Dr. Wagner worked on one of her Love And Hip Hop co-stars and did wonders. I went to reach out to him via Instagram DM and saw that he’d reached out to me years ago to offer his services, so I knew it was meant to be!

He was so good at explaining everything and making me feel comfortable. Dr. Wagner and his wife were amazing. He is a miracle worker!

BET: What questions should people ask their doctor if they are looking to have surgery on their feet?

CJ: Talk to your doctor to become very clear about the recovery process. Ask about how long you will not be able to wear heels or certain shoes. Ask about good scar creams to help in your healing.

For me, it took about 7 weeks to heal. It's also important to NOT pick the scabs, let them naturally fall off to avoid permanent scarring.

BET: What are the best ways to care for your feet to avoid corns?

CJ: The best way to avoid corns would be to not sacrifice your comfort for vanity. Some of these shoes that cost the most money are the most damaging to our poor little toes. Now, I go for more open-toe shoes where my feet can breathe and not be so constricted. I also wear sneakers a lot more. I show my feet more love.

I started wearing heels when I was around 14 or 15, so years of rubbing and chafing caused some very thick calluses on my pinky toes. When they were removed I got to see how much of the corn was pure scar tissue.

I also learned never to use over-the-counter corn removal pads! They contain acid that burns away the corn, but it also is very damaging to your skin—especially for darker skin tones.

BET: Great advice! How much can people expect to pay for a similar surgery?

CJ: The surgery can start at about $2,000 and go all the way up to about $10,000 depending on how many corns you need surgically removed. I will tell you that it is totally worth it!

I cannot wait to wear pretty sandals this summer without being self-conscious and feeling the need to curl my toes up every time I see someone looking down at my feet.

It's going to help my confidence and it's also one less thing the social media bullies have on me. HA! But seriously, I am so glad I did this and I really appreciate Dr. Wagner. He's the best! If anyone is interested in having prettier toes—he fixes all kinds of other issues as well—please send him a message via IG and tell him I sent you over!

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Editor’s Note: This story has been edited and condensed for clarity.