Horrible new trend: cosmetic toe surgery

Cosmetic surgery is constantly on the rise, with new, untapped parts of the body up for potential restructuring. Toe surgery is the new trend, or more specifically, helping women's feet look pretty in high heels, and let them wear high heels more comfortable. This has become a $45 million a year business.

One woman named Audy was embarrassed that her second toe was longer than her big toe, and yearned for a procedure to make her toes conform to what she considered ideal. "All the girls are wearing cute high heels, open toes and they look pretty, and me-I have to wear always closed shoes because I feel like they're staring at my long toe," Audy told ABC News.

Podiatrist Ali Sadrieh in Beverly Hills, California., actually offers toe shortening procedures for up to $3,000, and they sound as awful as you'd imagine. They must dislocate the toe, saw out a small chunk of the bone, and then insert a titanium rod to hold the shortened toe together. This seems gruesome, and painful, and like the perfect surgery for an insecure person with too much money. Really, who even looks at your toes?! (This also reminds us of when Demi Moore got that weird surgery to get rid of saggy skin above her knees.)

Several other feet surgeries are growing in popularity as well. There's the pinky toe tuck, where fat is removed from the littlest piggie to make it narrower and able to fit into more pointy shoes. Another procedure involves liposuctioning fat from a patient's belly and injecting it into the balls of their feet to act as a permanent cushion when wearing high heels. Double yuck.

We're not the only ones freaked out by these procedures either. The American Podiatric Medical Association and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) are both strongly against cosmetic foot surgeries because of the potential risks and complications that may accompany them, like permanent nerve damage, infection, scarring, chronic pain, not to mention the feet reverting to how they were pre-operation.

Our advice for women considering these procedures? Consider the pain, perhaps find a more constructive use for your money, and switch to flats.

Related links:
Dangerous high heels: Women's shoes reach hazardous heights during the recession
How to Walk in Heels
Would You Give Up High Heels for Health? Researchers Say They're Evil and Addictive