Today a host of women are turning to cosmetic surgery to give their feet a “face lift” and fit them into high-fashion shoes. But physician members of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, who specialize in foot surgery, are taking a stand and calling this an ill-advised trend. “Undergoing foot surgery solely for cosmetic reasons raises serious concerns,” says Michael Cornelison, DPM, FACFAS, a Cupertino, CA foot and ankle surgeon and Fellow member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. “We need our feet for walking and getting around, so breaking these bones to reconstruct them for appearance’s sake is a troubling matter—it often affects function and can bring risks and complications.”
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| (L-R) Drs. Michael Cornelison and Thomas Roukis |
“Those who are compelled by these terms to pursue cosmetic surgery for their feet should be sure to ask for a description of all the possible risks and negative consequences, along with what the procedure is expected to do,” urges Thomas S. Roukis, DPM, PhD, FACFAS, President of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and a foot and ankle surgeon from La Crosse, WI. “To get a full understanding of the surgery, it’s important to seek the opinion of an experienced foot and ankle surgeon who has done these procedures for medical rather than cosmetic reasons.”