The silly side of fashion often shows up on our feet. Okay, certainly not on your feet. But iconic trendsetters such as Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Kristen Stewart are flooding Instagram with images of their very influential feet encased in clear plastic footwear.
Some of these plastic high heel shoes are even created by top-line designers like Jimmy Choo and Chanel, and they can be priced upward of $1,000! Who knew? Not us, did you?
Wear plastic on your feet and breed your very own swamp
The internet reaction has been mixed, with perhaps more mockery than raves. Those intrepid souls wearing plastic shoes for any significant length of time have noted an accumulation of moisture (pools of sweat) accompanied by a lot of heat. To make matters worse, the plastic used is often rigid and causes significant foot discomfort along with blisters and bleeding. The more hyperbolic reports describe the creation of an ecosystem like a tiny swamp, with visions of moss, mosquitoes, and crocodiles on the horizon.
“We join in the plastic shoes skepticism” states UFAI’s Dr. Avanti Redkar. “The lack of aeration in such footwear, coupled with the heat generated by the human foot while walking, creates an atmosphere perfectly conducive to the growth of bacteria and fungus. It’s not pretty at all.”
In addition to being painfully stiff, the plastic is inelastic. Dr. Avanti says, “With a plastic shoe, your feet will inevitably swell, but the plastic encasing them won’t expand nearly as much, if at all. So not only are your feet squishing as you walk, but the resulting restriction cuts off circulation and can cause significant pain.”
Prolonged rubbing against plastic shoes can cause dermatitis
Allergies to plastic are not uncommon, and prolonged rubbing against plastic shoes can cause a contact dermatitis, which is characterized by an intense burning sensation.
Given all the above, we’re fairly sure that Kim, Rihanna, Kristen, et al., wear these plastic foot prisons only long enough for the paparazzi to get their shots. We’ll bet that the second they’re out of camera range, those shoes are promptly kicked off.
Every day we see and help correct the damage caused to women’s feet from wearing pointed toe shoes, tall platforms and sky scraper heels. This is the fallout from fashion trends in footwear. But these plastic shoes are truly over-the-top.
To read the entire article, check it out at Vogue Magazine.
If you are suffering with bunions, ankle instability, hammertoe, nerve pain and any other shoe related problems, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with UFAI. The doctors at University Foot and Ankle Institute are here to help.
Our nationally recognized podiatrists and foot and ankle specialists offer the most advanced foot and ankle care along with the highest success rates in the nation. We are leaders in the field of research and treatment of all foot and ankle conditions.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call (877) 736-6001 or visit us at www.footankleinstitute.com.
When not tending to patients at University Foot and Ankle Institute, Dr. Jafary utilizes his surgical expertise assisting those less fortunate. As a member of the Yucatan Crippled Children Foundation, he has traveled to Mexico several times and performed hundreds of limb correction surgeries on children with disabling foot and ankle disorders. Dr. Jafary also participates in Podiatry Overseas, which takes him to underserved countries to treat patients with lower extremity deformities.
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