Women pay to put best foot forward
| Sarah Ryan | |
| CanWest News Service |
Thursday, November 27, 2003
A trend toward cosmetic foot surgery is leading Canadian women to give up a slice of their toes to fit into trendy high-heeled shoes.
The procedures, already popular in the United States, are now being performed in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa.
Dr. Robert Chelin, president of the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association, performs the surgery on "fashion oriented" professional women, including lawyers, doctors and editors.
"Heels give women a sense of control and power," Dr. Chelin said. Three women who have had face lifts in the past consulted Dr. Chelin just this week about reshaping their feet, he said. Cosmetic surgery now accounts for about 30% of his practice, he said.
Dr. David Greenberg, an Ottawa podiatrist, says a very small percentage of his clientele have surgery for purely cosmetic reasons. But when they do choose cosmetic surgery, it's more often to better fit into sandals rather than pointy-toed heels.
A foot-lift can vary from toe shortening, in which a small piece of bone is cut out and the tendon reattached, to straightening, when the middle joint is removed. Uncomfortable corns and bunions can also be removed.
Altering the female foot for fashion is not a new concept.
Foot binding, which took place in China from the 10th century until the early 1900s, involved tightly binding the feet and toes to keep feet as small as three inches long, considered a sign of beauty and status.
In the U.S., Dr. Suzanne Levine, a podiatric surgeon at Institute Beauté, has been busy explaining to newspapers, magazines and television why women need to cut their feet.
"I give women the ability to wear these beautiful shoes and have their feet look better and feel better at the same time," she told CNN.
For those willing to suffer for beauty, Dr. Chelin warns of the possibility of swelling, discomfort for seven to 10 days, and post-operative infection.
Dr. John Giurini, chief of podiatric surgery at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said the side effects can be permanent.
He says cosmetic surgery can replace a condition that is not painful with one that is a permanent disability and that doctors should act as health advocates regardless of the desires of clients.
Dr. Jeannette Furtak, an Edmonton podiatrist, agrees, saying cosmetic foot surgery "is very short-sighted. If you can wear most shoes, keep well-enough alone."
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