Pain for Beauty: The Cinderella Procedure (VIDEO)

How far would you go in pursuit of style? Would you surgically alter your foot in order to wear high-heeled, pointy-toed shoes?

The “Cinderella Procedure” makes feet narrower while correcting bunions. You can also have a toe-shortening procedure that will allow you to wear narrower, pointy-toed shoes without crushing your toes. Or how about taking fat from your abdomen to inject into the balls of your feet for extra cushioning while wearing high heels?

Podiatrist Ali Sadrieh, of Beverly Hills Aesthetic Foot Surgery, is quoted in The Wall Street Journal as saying, “It’s unrealistic to tell women not to wear high heels. I came up with procedures that allow the women to function, pain-free, in the real world.”

Wow.

It is one thing to have corrective foot surgery for bunions and other painful foot conditions. It is quite another to do so for the sake of style. Surgery always comes with a certain amount of risk.

Perhaps I am hopelessly out-of-touch with the fashion world, but why on earth would anyone subject themselves to these procedures for the purpose of wearing punishing, impractical shoes? The fashion “experts” decide these torture devices are sexy so folks line up to have their toes shortened and their feet narrowed… something is very wrong with this picture.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Heidi H.

6:36AM PDT on May 27, 2012

There are so many really attractive flat shoes. Women need to wake up and walk in 'sensible' shoes. I know from experience.

I once wore shoes so high I had to leave work BAREFOOT at lunch time to buy a new pair of shoes. There was no way I could walk another step in my high heels. What nonsense we women make fashion out to be.

May 27
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Phillipa W.

12:56AM PDT on May 19, 2012

I don't know, wearing shoes your correct size seems a little better. Anyway, no-one, but no-one will convince me that my feet would be pain-free after that sort of surgery. Even after recovery (which I don't imagine being quick, and I do imagine being torturous) the arthritis... And I'm glad I'm not the only one who immediately thought of foot-binding when they read this

May 19
send a green star

Mara C.

8:53PM PST on Feb 14, 2012

I have a both types of bunions on my right foot. They are very painful. I just wear shoes with a deep toe box and avoid surgery. Does anyone know where I can by platform Birkenstocks? LOL!

February 14
send a green star

Suzanne L.

8:33PM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Back in the 50's and 60's some women had their pinky toes removed so they could wear the high-heeled pointy-toed shoes. And, in China before the revolution they used to break and bind women's feet into little, 4 inch "lotus blossoms" because they were considered sexy. I love my feet exactly the way they are - can walk, dance, run, all the good stuff feet were designed for, and my hubby likes 'em bare. Fashion is creates a lot of casualties.

Angelica P.

8:23PM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Mandi R.

12:09PM PST on Jan 9, 2012

Hmmmm...

January 9
send a green star

Rose N.

2:07AM PST on Jan 3, 2012

shocking

January 3
send a green star

Arifiana W.

8:55PM PDT on May 16, 2011

definitely wont do that surgery for my beloved feet

May 16
send a green star

Sarah M.

2:03PM PDT on Apr 8, 2011

This is ridiculous and it truly disgusts me. It calls to mind the practice of Chinese foot binding. It is incredible the lengths women will go to conform to the unrealistic expectations that a sexist patriarchal society forces onto the female gender. Truly discouraging...