Cosmetic Foot Surgery - High Heel Feet

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The High Price of Fashion: High Heel Feet and Cosmetic Foot Surgery

By Dr. Oliver Zong

From the runways in Milan to the streets of New York, women all over are obsessed with accessorizing every outfit with the most stylish designer high heels. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have pretty feet to compliment their stylish, strappy stilettos, and unfortunately wearing high heels daily can lead to an excessive amount of foot pain and injury. If your feet are starting to look like the high heeled shoes you wear, then you may have "high heel feet" which often accompanies the excessive wearing of stylish but ill-fitting high heeled shoes.

High Heel Feet - What it is

The typical "high heel foot" is one which is triangular-shaped in the front like a high heel shoe. The big toe is pointing towards the little toes and the pinky toe is pointed towards the big toe. The toes in between are often curled up (hammertoes) instead of straight, and any or all the toes may have corns on them.

There may even be a bump by the pinky toe called a bunionette or tailor's bunion. It is often the result of the foot taking the shape of the pointed-toed shoes their owners love. On top of that with the added pressure on the ball of the foot caused by heels, there are often numerous calluses present on the soles as well.

Who has High Heel Feet?

Having a Manhattan practice, I see my share of high-heel wearing fashionistas who have complaints from wearing high heels. In the city, walking is the most common way to get around; and since the pavements are not too forgiving, your shoes had better be. Excessive walking in ill-fitting shoes can turn a minor foot problem into a larger one.

The average person takes 8,000 to10,000 steps a day. Multiply that by 365 days a year, over a period of ten or more years and imagine the pounding and wear and tear that your feet undergo. Over time with continued stress and pressure being applied to your feet, they can literally start to change shape. While the cause of the deformities may not solely be caused by shoe gear, ill-fitting shoes can definitely exacerbate the situation.

Wearing proper shoes while walking around the city may not completely prevent foot problems from occurring, but wearing the wrong shoes can make foot problems worsen or occur sooner than they normally would have.

High Heel Feet - Solutions

Today seventy-five percent of Americans will experience some type of foot problem at some point in their lives. There was a time when there was little that could be done cosmetically to improve foot deformities.

Today, most problems of the feet can be corrected. Once the damage is already done, there are few ways the problem can be remedied. Foot surgery to straighten the traumatized toes is most common and most effective cosmetic foot surgery. You can even do it on your lunch break; it only takes twenty minutes per toe and the procedure is covered by insurance. Once a foot injury or deformity is present, it is unlikely to go away naturally.

Conservatively, you can wear more sensible shoes. Shoes that are squared off are better than shoes that are pointy. If you already have a deformity, then you will need a shoe with more room to accommodate your foot. But if you still insist on wearing your Manolo's, practice common sense; wear them in moderation, and definitely not for walking long distances.

Soaking your feet or getting whirlpool treatments can also feel good. No one likes to have surgery, but sometimes it is the best course. Sometimes your foot can become so traumatized that the only way to walk pain-free or even to fit into your shoes is to have surgery. Big toe straightening surgery is usually performed for cosmetic and mechanical reasons.

When paired with other conditions, complications can be exacerbated. The increased publicity of cosmetic surgery has contributed to the rising popularity of going "under the knife" for vanity, making it easier for people who normally would not consider surgery.

About Dr. Oliver Zong

Dr. Oliver Zong is a Podiatrist in Manhattan's influential Financial District. As one of the premier Cosmetic Foot Surgeons in the country, he serves as the Director of Surgery at NYC FOOTCARE and is on the Board of Directors at Gramercy Park Surgery Center.

Besides traditional and cosmetic foot surgery, Dr. Zong is also an accomplished Cryosurgeon and co-founder of the Podiatric Cryosurgery Center of New York. He is an Attending Physician at New York Hospital Downtown, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Cabrini Medical Center, and Gramercy Park Surgery Center.

For more information please visit www.NYCFOOTCARE.com.