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But what should you do if, after a pedicure, you are still dissatisfied with how your feet look? For once, exercise isn't the self-improvement answer. Feet may be the one body part working out won't help. In fact, well-worn feet are often considered especially unattractive. (Ever see a ballet dancer's tootsies?)
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When you look down and see an assortment of bunions, corns, and calluses, however, know you are not alone. These cosmetic and medical problems are a result of wear-and-tear…and the shoes we wear while we're tearing around. Take a good look at those pointy pumps you just bought and adore. Do your feet come to a point like they do? Are your toes one-inch wide…combined? Of course not. And until evolution catches up with our lifestyle, we'll have to deal with the consequences. There are, however, some tools to do just that.
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Pedi Procedures
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One of the most common, economical, and least dramatic procedures available to improve the look of your feet is laser hair removal. Even the loveliest lady can have hair on her big toe and on the top of her foot. It's not something we like to talk about. A quick swipe with the razor while in the shower does the job, but if you're not into toe stubble, the hair can be permanently removed with effective laser treatments.
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Bunion surgery is also widespread. A bunion is the painful swelling of the bursa of the first joint of the big toe. Shoes that do not fit properly are a major contributing factor. The aesthetic result is an unpleasant lump on the side of the foot that most stylish shoes cannot accommodate. That lump can be removed. It is routine surgery, but you will be out of action for a while. Hammertoe is another unattractive foot condition where the toe becomes bent like a claw. It can occur in more than one toe but is most common in the second toe. Conservative treatment includes wearing properly fitting socks and shoes and doing specific stretching exercises. If these fail, surgery can straighten the toe.
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Foot derma asion is gaining popularity. The surgical procedure of scraping off upper layers of the epidermis with an a asive device has been called the ultimate tool for calloused feet. Other procedures, however, are not as universally accepted and come with various levels of controversy. One of the newer treatments is to either remove or add fat to the foot. Chubby feet that “muffin-top” out of tiny, peek-a-boo shoes can be trimmed with the use of liposuction, and fat can be added to the ball of the foot to make wearing high heels less painful.
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Additionally, there are more extreme surgical procedures that make wide feet narrow and even lengthen or shorten toes. There's also a “toe tuck” that involve surgery to narrow or completely remove the pinky toe. These are real surgeries that require substantial recovery time and come with the risks of real surgeries (infection, nerve damage, and pain).
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The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) issued a statement that “warns consumers that the risk inherent in such surgery can far outweigh the benefits. The AOFAS advisory notes that foot surgery should not be performed in the absence of pain or functional limitation.”
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Finally, if you are thinking of having your too-long second toe shortened (a procedure that more women are requesting), there's something you should know. According to the practice of podomancy, an ancient Chinese divination similar to palmistry, a longer second toe is a sign of a great visionary. Others believe a second toe longer than the big toe indicates that you have royal ancestry, or Native American or Celtic heritage.
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So, if someone does notice your telltale toe, you've now got a great comeback.
