There has been some talk in the news and online regarding foot surgery being done for cosmetic reasons. More specifically, surgery for people who think their toes are "too fat." As a foot and ankle surgeon, I find this discussion interesting. With some exceptions for limb-threatening infection, most surgery that we perform on the foot and ankle is considered "elective." This means that though there may be significant pain and the problem could drastically effect the quality of life, the surgery is still not considered emergent.
So, when I hear about people having surgery for purely cosmetic reasons I get a bit concerned. Don't get me wrong, often times, foot surgery to correct a painful deformity also can cosmetically improve a patient's foot, but there are complications to be aware of. People have asked me, well there is cosmetic surgery for example my nose, why can't it be done on my feet? My reply is to state the obvious that we do not walk on our noses but we do walk on our feet. That is the difference and the concern. The foot is a functional body part that can be disrupted through surgical intervention. If there is pain, surgery can be wonderful, but if there is no pain and surgery is performed for cosmetic reasons alone, one needs to be very careful.
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