Anyone who regularly reads this blog knows that I’m not a fan of cosmetic foot surgery. Every so often I have to explain to a patient why I will not preform the foot “facelift” operation they so desperately covet.
My explanation is clear and concise. If you aren’t experiencing pain in your foot before the operation, there’s no need to risk pain or complications. You can only go from no pain to greater levels of pain after surgery. If you undergo an operation for a cosmetic reason and end up with pain, you’re going to be dissatisfied.
I bring up cosmetic foot surgery because I read a fascinating guest blog by Renee James on the Huffington Post over the weekend. Her piece titled “65 Can’t Come Soon Enough” surrounds the premise that 66 percent of 65-year-olds said they were satisfied with their appearance. The same can’t be said for most adults, though, and she describes how more women are looking into cosmetic surgeries to retain a youthful look. James noted that women are ignoring “the 26 bones and 33 joints in their feet, not to mention the 100-plus muscles, tendons and ligaments.”
James isn’t the only one condemning cosmetic foot operations. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) openly states, “Cosmetic foot surgery should not be considered in any circumstances, and the Society does not condone its practice.”
Simply put, women and men should not consider cosmetic foot surgery unless they are looking for pain relief, and by pain relief I don’t mean that your feet hurt because you crammed them into your size 5 heels instead of your size 7 flats. I am more than happy to remove that painful bunion, but why should I take care of your feet if you won’t take care of them?
So please, read the Huffington Post article and do some research about the dangers of cosmetic surgery before heading to your doctor’s office in hopes that he’ll slim down your little toe. The risk simply does not outweigh the reward.
Related source: Huffington Post