Cosmetic Surgery to Cushion the Feet?

Cosmetic surgery can help improve the appearance of just about any part of the body. Now doctors have developed an unexpected use for cosmetic fillers that is as much about comfort as beauty. Discover how women are making high heels bearable.

More and more men may be choosing cosmetic surgery these days, but here’s one procedure they won’t be bothering with: filler injections in the feet.

Harley Medical Group, a leading chain for cosmetic surgery clinics in the UK, recently reported that some women in London are undergoing filler injections to plump up the underside of their feet, and relieve the pain that comes from wearing high heels.

Rather than buying shoes that are kinder to their tootsies,  women ask surgeons to inject dermal filler into the balls of their feet – thus filling them out and providing padding inside the foot.

The procedure,  called a “foot filler,” is a recent innovation. In 2008, most patients visited Harley Medical Group for facial Botox injections, and only one or two women requested anything injected into their feet. But, since its inception, the cosmetic cushioning trend has gained momentum. In 2009, more women requested the foot filler treatment, according to the cosmetic surgery provider, and rates are expected to continue rising in 2010. This despite warnings that the cushioning effects only last up to three months, at the most. The effects of filler don’t last long in the feet because of the pressure that walking puts on them. And the pressure will be even higher if the patient spends a lot of time walking in high heels. According to the Harley Medical Group, each foot filler operation costs at least £240, which is almost $400.

Fillers may be an effective way of making feet comfortable in uncomfortable shoes, but some people have more radical ideas about other injectable items. In 2008, actress Sharon Stone lost primary custody of her adopted son after a San Francisco judge decided she was overreacting to the boy’s medical issues. Among them, court documents said, she suggested Botox injections for his feet to make them smell better.  Botox, in fact, has no effect on foot odor, though some doctors may use it on feet to reduce sweating.

RELATED STORIES:

Botox May Be Cure for Baldness (VIDEO)