While podiatric procedures were originally intended for medical reasons, such as relief from pain, correction of deformities, and restoration of function, a growing number of people are getting surgery for their feet for aesthetic reasons.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, more and more podiatrists are catering to patients’ requests to improve the appearance of their feet.
Some doctors are not keen on catering to such requests, believing that there’s no reason to fix something that’s not broken, but there are also more specialists welcoming the business brought by the “cosmetic” demand.
It’s important to recognize the psychological benefit of the procedure as well, and since cosmetic foot surgery, Maryland podiatrists claim, is known to work out the insecurities people have, there’s absolutely nothing ethically wrong with performing it.
The goal is to help, so whatever the motivation may be behind the procedure, what they want is to deliver a solution that yields the results their patients want.
So what motivates most patients to go for cosmetic podiatry?
1. Toe shortening – It’s actually common for people not to have the usual inclined “toe line.” A lot of times, the toe beside the biggest one is taller or the middle one is the tallest, so there’s like a peak right at the center. Shoes are not designed to accommodate such a shape, so closed shoes hurt and feel really awkward, while open-toed footwear are not flattering. They often look weird and most people do not want an abnormal “toe line.”
2. Big toe fat reduction – Extraordinarily chubby big toes make shoes fit tightly and they are prone to ingrown toenails. They’re a great cause of discomfort that a lot of women simply don’t want to deal with anymore, considering how slender most women’s shoes are.
3. Hammertoe correction – This is done by shaving off some fat and the bone to correct the shape. Hammertoes are prone to developing corns and calluses, and they are unattractive. Plus, they also tend to hurt a lot especially if hard leather shoes are worn.
4. Extra toe removal – This actually deserves the top spot if there were a ranking, but a lot of people are born with extra toes and extra toes are just big sources of insecurity – they elicit offensive reactions. Podiatrists understand the need of their patients to not look “freaky” because of their extra toes and to easily buy shoes which are made for five toes per foot.
5. Fat injection to the soles of the feet – Having extra fat on the soles of your feet can alleviate a lot of pains that come with wearing certain shoes. Typically, fat is injected just right below the toes to serve as a cushion so high heels will be less painful to wear.
If you are considering any type of cosmetic foot surgery, give us a call at 301-937-5666 to schedule your consultation so that we can discuss your best options.
