THE DANGERS OF COSMETIC FOOT SURGERY DISCUSSED BY TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST

PODIATRIST DR. SHARON DREEBEN, CHAIRWOMEN OF THE AMERICAN FOOT AND ANKLE SOCIETY AT A PRESS BRIEFING IN WHICH SHE OUTLINED THE DANGERS OF A NEW AND DANGEROUS TREND IN COSMETIC SURGERY.  SHE STATED THAT A SURVEY OF HER MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY HAD BEEN ASKED TO PERFORM COSMETIC SURGERY ON NORMAL FEET.  OVER HALF OF THE OF THE PATIENTS THAT UNDERWENT THIS UNNECESSARY SURGERY HAD COMPLICATIONS.  SHE STATES " TWO DISTURBING MESSAGES EMERGED. 18 PERCENT OF THE MEMBERS AGREED THEY WERE WILLING TO PERFORM UNNECESSATY COSMETIC SURGERY ON NORMAL FEET!  AND IN ANOTHER SURVEY 25% OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC SAID THEY WOULD CONSIDER COSMETIC SURGERY IN ORDER TO FIT INTO FANCY SHOES TO IMPROVE THEIR APPEARANCE.

PODIATRIST DR. NANCY KADEL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ORTHOPEDICS AT THE UNIVERSITY  OF SEATTLE IN WASHINGTON SAYS "THE MOST COMMON COSMETIC PROCEDURES ARE TOE SHORTENING AND FOOT NARROWING.  SOMETIMES A HUGE PRICE IS PAID.  SOME WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED PERMANENT SWELLING OF THE TOES.  OTHERS WITH DEFORMITIES AND INFECTION.  AND IF A NERVE INJURY OCCURS PATIENTS COMPLAIN OF CHRONIC PAIN.  PODIATRIST KADEL POINTS OUT THAT THE BIGGEST IRONY OF ALL IS THAT SOME PATIENTS WHO HAVE HAD COSMETIC FOOT SURGERY WHO CANNOT WEAR ANY KIND OF SHOE COMFORTABLY."

THERE IS A PODIATRIST IN TORONTO WHO 'CLAIMS' THAT 35% OF HIS PRACTICE INVOLVES COSMETIC FOOT SURGERY.  HE HAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NATIONAL POST THAT WAS PROCEEDED BY THE EDITOR'S QUOTE "HAVE WE LOST OUR MINDS FOLKS".  OUR FOOT CLINIC WOULD NEVER EVER RECOMMEND SUCH SURGERY AND WE PRACTICE CONSERVATIVE TREAMENT AND ONLY RECOMMEND DRUGS AND SURGERY AS A LAST RESORT.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY DR. HARDY AND MARZ HARDY, D.Ch., B.Sc., PODIATRIC MEDICINE, TORONTO CHIROPODIST AND TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST AND THE TEAM FROM ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINIC.