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High Heels to Hell- Women continue to buy, wear and love painful shoes for the sake of fashion
Minnesota Daily ^ | 10/17/05 | Abby Bar-Lev

Posted on 11/16/2005 3:23:25 PM PST by pissant

Women, brace yourselves. There is a scary new cosmetic surgery that is becoming increasingly popular. This surgery has nothing to do with your face, and everything to do with your feet. In order to fit into more high-end high heels, women have begun surgically altering their feet to fit the shoe. That’s correct: cosmetic foot surgery. Read it and weep … or rather, read it and freak out.

Cosmetic foot surgery does not include surgery to relieve pain or improve function; it is merely to change the appearance of one’s feet. Common cosmetic foot surgery includes shortening toes, injecting silicon or collagen to the ball of the foot, and/or surgery to narrow feet.

Demand for cosmetic foot surgery has soared in the past three years. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer have all gone under the knife for fashion. Business boomed beginning in 2003 for Dr. Suzanne Levine, the prominent cosmetic foot surgeon who preformed the operations on the aforementioned celebrities. She undertook 40 percent more cosmetic foot surgeries in 2003 than she did three years before. Levine was quoted in The New York Times saying, “Take your average woman and give her heels instead of flats, and she’ll suddenly get whistles on the street.” High heels make us appear taller and make our legs more attractive. They also cause distortion of the foot’s natural function. Women may end up suffering from bunions, claw and hammertoes. In addition to foot pain, women who wear high heels often suffer from shoulder, back, pelvic, knee and even jaw pain. Issues related to wearing high heels often lead to foot surgeries necessary for improved daily function. A 1993 study found that “women have more than 80 percent of all foot surgeries,” and that, “women have more than 94 percent of bunion surgeries.” These surgeries that are performed to alleviate pain and are not cosmetic foot surgery.

Cosmetic foot surgery is not just expensive, but invovles serious risks that could take a toll on one’s health. Possible complications of cosmetic foot surgery include nerve damage, swelling of the toes, infection and chronic walking pain. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society issued its opposition to cosmetic foot surgery. When women put their health at risk for such a trivial reason, like wanting to fit into high heels more easily, that demonstrates how entrenched society has become in the patriarchy.

According to Dr. Gary Jolly, president of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, men may have bunions but no pain because their shoes fit the natural contours of the foot and contain plenty of room inside the shoe. High heels force the foot into an unnatural position and often create problems where there once were none. If high heels can instigate so many health problems, why do women continue to buy, love and wear them? Actor John Berger, once said, “Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.” I am sure a lot of women are planning on writing letters in to The Minnesota Daily contesting that they wear heels because they like the way they look and feel in them. Even I, at a meager 5 feet tall, often feel a boost of confidence from the 2 inches or so of height. But where is the line drawn between what actually makes us feel good and what society and culture have told us should make us feel good? Where is the line drawn between our health and our vanity?

Looking down at blistered feet this summer, I was complaining about aching after a long day of work in high heels. My friend Brandon asked me, “Why do women wear high heels if they are so uncomfortable?” I am still searching for an answer. Now another question nagging in my mind is, What would you rather lose, the shoe or the foot? Until I find an answer to Brandon’s question, and being confident in the answer of my own, I am putting my heels on the shelf and buying a pair of comfort soles.


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: fashion; pissantthread; yes
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To: PaulaB

Unless one is wearing them to the nearest street corner!

MM


101 posted on 11/16/2005 5:09:56 PM PST by motormouth (Good Grief!!!!)
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To: najida

PING!!!! LOL


102 posted on 11/16/2005 5:11:17 PM PST by pissant
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To: pissant
From Steve Martin...
Cruel Shoes

Anna knew she had to have some new shoes today, and Carlo had helped her try on every pair in the store. Carlo spoke wearily, "Well, that's every pair of shoes in the place."

"Oh, you must have one more pair..."

"No, not one more pair... Well, we have the cruel shoes, but no one would want..."

Anna interrupted, "Oh yes, let me see the cruel shoes!"

Carlo looked incredulous. "No Anna, you don't understand, you see the cruel shoes are..."

"Get them!"

Carlo disappeared into the back room for a moment, then returned with an ordinary shoe box. He opened the lid and removed a hideous pair of black and white pumps. But these were not an ordinary pair of black and white pumps; both were left feet, one had aright angle turn with separate compartments that pointed the toes in impossible directions. The other shoe was six inches long and was curved inward like a rocking chair with a vise and razor blades to hold the foot in place.

Carlo spoke hesitantly, "... Now you see why... they're not fit for humans..."

"Put them on me."

"But..."

"Put them on me!"

Carlo knew all arguments were useless. He knelt down before her and forced the feet into the shoes.

The screams were incredible.

Anna crawled over to the mirror and held her bloody feet up where she could see.

"I like them."

She paid Carlo and crawled out of the store into the street.

Later that day, Carlo was overheard saying to a new customer, "Well, that's every shoe in the place. Unless, of course, you'd like to try the cruel shoes."

103 posted on 11/16/2005 5:12:21 PM PST by Redcloak (We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singin' "whiskey for my men and beer for my horses!")
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To: najida

Do you know that I thought

of you right off

cause I know you LOVE heels like me


the next heel thread I am on

I will give you a ring ;)


104 posted on 11/16/2005 5:12:44 PM PST by PaulaB
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To: pissant; JoeSixPack1; Tijeras_Slim; blackie; BraveMan; uglybiker

I was finally able to convince Joe not to go riding in these.

(I kid, I kid!)

105 posted on 11/16/2005 5:13:26 PM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Redcloak

I missed that one! LOL


106 posted on 11/16/2005 5:14:21 PM PST by pissant
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To: PaulaB

Yeah, she's modest like that in front of everyone else. And I'm way too jealous to handle the consequences! 5'4", 105 lbs, and those boots in public- no, not gonna happen.


107 posted on 11/16/2005 5:15:28 PM PST by ovrtaxt (Does this suicide belt make my butt look big?)
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To: motormouth

Nice shoes, I always found the ones with a strap around the ankle most attractive on a woman.

Saying for today:

Shop till you drop, THEN sit down and buy SHOES!


108 posted on 11/16/2005 5:15:35 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: martin_fierro; JoeSixPack

But he usually skips the jeans, no?


109 posted on 11/16/2005 5:15:46 PM PST by pissant
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To: martin_fierro
ewww it loses its appeal on a man


sorry fellas
110 posted on 11/16/2005 5:16:16 PM PST by PaulaB
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To: pissant; martin_fierro

eeeeeewww!!


111 posted on 11/16/2005 5:17:12 PM PST by ovrtaxt (Does this suicide belt make my butt look big?)
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To: ovrtaxt; JoeSixPack; martin_fierro

He's covered in fur like a yeti, so it's not so bad. LOL


112 posted on 11/16/2005 5:19:18 PM PST by pissant
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To: ovrtaxt

When Mr PaulaB

asks why I need so many pairs

I calmy explain

that there are shoes for the public

and then there are shoes for him

I don't get asked after that..money

well spent is his thinking


**sigh** its good to be a woman ;)


113 posted on 11/16/2005 5:20:17 PM PST by PaulaB
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To: tet68; PaulaB

Yup, I like the strap too, but have to admit, Paula's black shoes were nicer :o)

MM


114 posted on 11/16/2005 5:21:24 PM PST by motormouth (Good Grief!!!!)
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To: PaulaB

You need to hang out with my wife. I would LOVE more of that attitide in my house!


115 posted on 11/16/2005 5:21:38 PM PST by ovrtaxt (Does this suicide belt make my butt look big?)
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To: ovrtaxt
LOL tell her

to call me as soon as possible

my number is

1-800-Dr.Paula
116 posted on 11/16/2005 5:23:15 PM PST by PaulaB
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To: pissant
BARF
ALERT

.

.

.

.

.


117 posted on 11/16/2005 5:26:05 PM PST by Arrowhead1952 (DUmmies are permanently stuck on stupid.)
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To: bert; Maximus of Texas
Many women have a feeling of basic inferiority because they don't measure up. The fact is when compared to men the average woman is short.

I'm going to assume you really were just trying to start trouble with this one, so I'll be nice.

I am taller than most men (unless, of course, I would have the good fortune to be in a room with an NFL football team),and I still wear high heels. Pumps, boots, stilettos, wedges, you name it, I wear it. Flats are ugly.

Of course I mostly wear flip flops and tennis shoes, or no shoes at all.

But if I am gonna dress up to look nice or cool, I will not hesitate to be taller than my husband. Which he hates. But I don't care.

118 posted on 11/16/2005 5:31:08 PM PST by teenyelliott (Soylent green should be made outta liberals...)
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To: PaulaB
Dr Paula


119 posted on 11/16/2005 5:32:15 PM PST by Maximus of Texas (On my signal, pull my finger)
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To: Arrowhead1952

A bag over her head and she isn't half bad! ;o)


120 posted on 11/16/2005 5:34:36 PM PST by pissant
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