Too Much Money? Try Cosmetic Foot Surgery

Forget about pedicures; women who want their toes to look as posh as their Jimmy Choos are turning to cosmetic foot surgery.

Since the '80s, trends in plastic surgery have spiralled downward. Beginning with facelifts, the focus has moved from breast implants and tummy tucks to butt lifts, sex-organ remodelling and thigh liposuction. But now women are casting a critical eye on their toes. "Feet are the final frontier," says Dr. Robert Chelin, a podiatrist in Toronto and vice-president of the International Federation of Podiatrists.

The practice of cosmetic foot surgery started about 10 years ago in select clinics in Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Now, the pressure to have younger-looking feet has never been greater, says Dr. Oliver Zong, a Manhattan-based podiatrist whose clinic, NYC FootCare, specializes in foot facelifts and toe tucks. "Everybody wants to wear Manolos or those types of shoes," he says, "and because the current fashion focus is on shoes, the cosmetic focus has moved there too. I'm so busy right now, I have to book an appointment just to eat my lunch."