Ruminations

Um, Cinderella Surgery?

U.S. women have started a trend for so-called 'Cinderella surgery' which sees them having the size and shape of their feet surgically altered so they can fit into designer shoes

"Life takes its toll on feet. I get lots of requests to make feet smaller. It's really difficult for women who love glamorous shoes and are over a size 8. By shortening toes and removing bunions, Cinderella surgery can reduce feet by up to one full size."
"Everyone wants that perfect parabola, with the toes forming a smooth arch. Shoes are usually fitted to the big toe, so women with over-long second and third toes wear shoes that are too small, causing corns, swollen, painful joints and toe deformities."
"It's very important to have a specialist look at underlying causes before considering surgery."
"Some [women] never wear sandals; others won't go swimming, even on holiday or with their children. One patient told me she'd never shown her feet to anyone, even her husband of twenty years."
Jason Hargrave, consultant podiatric surgeon, Albany, New York

Some podiatrists, offer foot surgeries which include nail resizing, foot narrowing, a toe tuck - a surgical procedure to shorten the second toe, and toe obesity surgery that make fat toes thinner and more beautiful.

"Varicose foot veins can be removed via surgery or by injecting a chemical to close them down. Up to twenty percent of women have hidden varicose veins in their legs that affect blood flow. If they aren't treated, foot veins will recur."
"An ultrasound scan of the leg is necessary before surgery."
"Almost all vein procedures are now walk-in-walk-out, performed under local anesthetic, with minimal downtime, apart from two weeks of compression stockings after sclerotherapy."
Prof.Mark Whiteley, consultant vascular surgeon, Whiteley Clinic, Guildford, Surrey, GB

As a pioneer of "Cinderella Surgery" Dr. Hargrave is, unsurprisingly, a proponent of it; for its beneficial health effects in altering misshapen feet, of course. His surgical procedures include bunion removal resulting in foot slimming; toe shortening, shaving lumps and bumps and separating webbed toes, all of which conditions make women very aware of their imperfections and loathe to have anyone view them. The last word in elegance is fashionable footwear for women, with high heels and narrow toes, and they certainly take their toll of the wearer, over time.

There are surgeons whose specialties include bulging veins, and adding fillers to smooth out scrawny feet. Anti-aging techniques through plastic surgery of the face and various body parts to renew that lithe and youthful look that the middle-aged regret having lost remain hugely popular with a youth-transfixed society, so why not 'correct' the appearance of ungainly, misshapen feet to restore them to a more comfortable version of returning youth?

With the prospect of taking advantage of the availability of anti-aging foot-lifts there is also the delightful prospect of being able, once again, to fit that foot into those beloved designer shoes. Of course those same shoes whose constant stress on the foot caused the problems to begin with, will once again recreate damage to the foot, but in the meanwhile, the foot has gained the advantage of more time to flaunt its graceful appearance in a beautiful, ill-fitting shoe.

Got bumps on your instep? They "may be an overgrowth of bone above the first metatarsal-cuneiform joint", all very technical and medically professional, so don't sweat the terminology just be assured that the surgeon can correct that unsightly, uncomfortable, limiting situation for you. Bumps like that, be assured, have a tendency to develop in "people with high-arched feet". The bad news is that underlying osteoarthritis may be involved. Take your pick; alternately the bumps might only be a soft tissue lump caused when lubricating fluid leaks from a joint.

Shaving down bone may take only fifteen minutes, performed under local anesthetic, and all there is that attests to the procedure is a tiny, hidden scar. "Once healed, they feel much more comfortable in shoes day to day", assures Dr. Hargrave. The very descriptive, "Cinderalla Surgery" can be deceptive, however, masking the fact that the surgery represents a serious medical intervention with its own risks. Shortening of long toes require that a segment of bone be removed from the joint with a metal clip fusing it to the correct position ($5,843).

On the medical side, "This will also prevent a too-long toe becoming a hammer toe", assures Dr. Hargrave -- an intervention that can be performed under local anesthetic. Risks? Infection, thickened scars, failure of bone to heal, and the possibility of thrombosis. For at least three months following surgery, toes will be swollen and bruised. There are interventions for mallet toes and hammer toes; stunted digits to be elongated with a bone graft from the heel. "It's a complex procedure", the cost a cool $11,684, each toe.

A special boot must be worn for six weeks, recovery is in terms of months, and when all is said and done, the toe may not be perfectly aligned. Bunions? They form when the big toe joint begins an outward slide, causing the toe to lean toward its partners. Bunions can make feet very broad since they can occur on both sides of the feet, and it becomes a trial and a tribulation to find shoes that will fit that broadened foot. Even so, their presence can cause pain wearing shoes and walking about.