The Doctor’s Show – Aesthetic Toe Shortening

See Dr. Sadrieh featured on the Doctors Show for Aesthetic Toe Shortening on November 20, 2008.

  1. luciane borges says:

    Hello Dr. Sadrieh, My name is Luciane Borges, I saw you at the show the doctors and I am very excited about the some of the surgeries you perform. All my life I suffered because of my feet. I have bunion in both feet, ugly toes. I really want to know how expensive is to do some of the surgeries, and if you do have any kind of plan to help someone that needs your service. Thank you Luciane Borges.

    • Emily Sims says:

      Dear Dr. Sadrieh,
      I have a short second toe on my right foot resulting from an injury when I was 2 (49 years ago). While climbing down from a very heavy old piano bench (I had flipped over on my stomach because my legs were too short to reach the floor), I pulled the bench over on my bare foot. The visible result was a smashed big toe which required stitches. The big toe recovered and grew another toenail. The 2nd toe began to curl under as it grew. I was told it was due to a damaged growth plate from the accident.

      When in jr. high, I had surgery to straighten the toe. The surgeon straightened it and fused the joints (my toe won’t bend now), and now it is too short and sticks up so that the toe beside it goes up under it. When I expressed displeasure with it, I was told the only other option was to amputate it which I opted not to do. It looks hideous to me. The end of my toe is shaped normally but there is just not enough bone length. My other foot is normal.

      I saw an Orthopedic surgeon 25 years ago and he told me he “wouldn’t touch it with a 10-ft. pole” because it was not causing me any pain. Thinking that medical advances might have resulted in a solution, I saw another Orthopedic surgeon and a local Podiatrist last year and neither offered me any real solutions. Clipping the tendon to bring the toe down, pulling the toe out and attaching it to the toe beside it while risking permanent nerve pain did not seem like a good idea to me. The Podiatrist mentioned that there are procedures that will result in new bone growth but none that are done locally or even nearby (I live in Gadsden, Alabama). Can you offer any possible solutions? Thank you for your website and for the help you offer in this area.
      Gratefully,
      Emily Sims

  2. Lisa Williams says:

    Dear Dr. Sadrieh, My name is Lisa Williams,and I too saw you on The Doctors. I’m totally amazed at the results of your Cinderella surgery. My feet look just like the one you operated on that day. This problem has been passed down in our family and my grandfather ended up having his 2nd toe cut off. I have never liked wearing sandals and have always hated my ugly feet. I would love to hear more about the cost of the surgeries and if with my other health issues you can help me. Thanks, Lisa Williams

  3. Diana Vitola says:

    The Cinderella Procedure is like a dream come true especially for someone like myself who has suffered with bunions all my adult life. I have them on both feet and would love to have them both taken care of at the same time. With the older methods, this is virtually impossible because of recovery time. I have constant foot, leg and low back pain due to my poor foot alignment. I live on the east coast. Does anyone on this side of the country do this procedure and is it covered by health insurance? Do you ever come to the east coast to do surgery?

  4. Luisa Botero says:

    Dear Dr. Sadriech, My name is Luisa Botero and I saw the show about the Cinderella Procedure in the Doctors Show, and I am just amazed about the results. My mom had really big bunions and I got them too, one of my foot is worst than the other and pain is too. It is not that I can not wear sandals that I love but the pain is so much that sometimes I can’t even walk. I would like to know how much is the cost of this procedure and is it being covered by insurance?
    Thanks you so much, Luisa Botero

  5. kim says:

    Hi Dr.Sadrieh my name is Kim and i’m from toronto ontario canada and i’m 21 years old, i recently had a bunion surgery done on my right foot, and they must have done it wrong because the large bump is still there and i still have pain, it’s been over a year now. Is there anyone you can recommend in ontario because i really want to be able to wear normal shoes like thong sandals and maybe the occasional high heel. Also i was wondering how much it costs and i fits covered by insurance. Thank you. Kim

  6. Pam Hansen says:

    Hi Dr Sadrieh My name is Pam however I am writting for my sister she doesn’t have the internet and is planing on having her bunions removed this spring and was told that it would take at least 6weeks per foot with another 6 weeks in between the surgery’s so that she could bear full weight. She was also told that she would have a foot cast of some kind. I told her about your surgery method I saw on The Doctors TV show today and she wants to know if you know of anyone in the Des Moines IA or Omaha NE are doing your method? If so could you please let me know thank you. Pam

  7. Hello Dr Sadrieh. I saw you on the Doctors Show the other day and was encouraged to see your bunion correction procedure. I have bunions and hammer toes and currently wear a size 10 4E double added depth shoe. To be honest, the stories of routine bunion surgery and the length of recovery time scare me. I see you are in California. Is there anyone in the New York/ New Jersey area or on east coast that does this procedure that you could recommend?
    Thank you, Carol

  8. Lynn Paningbatan says:

    Hello Dr. Sadrieh. My name is Lynn Paningbatan from Florida. I saw your Cinderalla episode at The Doctor show,very impressive. I have the same problem in my right foot.I had my left foot done 15 years ago the old fashion way with the big screw.I would like to have my left foot done your way Cinderalla way.Is there anyone in this area that does this procedure?My husband and I lost our job last 3/02/2009. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Option until the end of March. If no one does this procedure in Florida can you do the procedure and take insurance only as full payment? Please help me. Thank you very much.
    Lynn Paningbatan

  9. Karen Facchiano says:

    Hello,

    I also saw your procedure on the Doctors Show. I’m sure you are overwhelmed with responses to this procedure. I like many of the people have bunions and am starting to feel quite self conscious about them. I have thought about the sx many times, but always change my mind because of the pain and recovery period. My mother has had one foot done and the pain I saw her go through is something I don’t want to experience. I am also curiuos if there is anyone in the Boston Ma area that has been doing this procedure. Thank you for your time .
    Karen

  10. Dr. Sadrieh says:

    Hello Karen,

    One the wonderful things I get to do, is help people fix their feet without having that horrible experience they always hear about.

    I also pride myself of never being overwhelmed with demand… I promised myself when I started practice that quality will never be replaced with volume, and despite the high demand my procedures have, we have maintained the caliber of service that only a handful of practices in the country provide!

    That is why I respond to EVERY post and comment. So welcome to our practice Karen.

    I hear comments like yours in my office every day. Almost every person who has family or knows someone who has had foot surgery has heard some horror story. That is one of the reasons that I decided to take a departure from the conventional approaches to foot surgery, and start combining practices that Plastic Surgeons and Orthopedic Surgeons perform regularly with Podiatry. The results speak for themselves. Patients have pain free, easy recovery, and aesthetically pleasing results. The secret is really in attention to detail, innovative techniques, and most of all, good ‘ole fashioned American quality!

    I would love to give you a name of a colleague in Boston, but the procedure I perform is unique to my practice. There are many highly skilled and qualified surgeons in Boston. I think if you consulted with an innovative, young surgeon, you would be surprised. The only issue is that most Podiatrist’s still perform surgery with traditional methods they were taught in training.

    Ultimately, I always give my out of state patient’s the respect of a free consultation. You can contact my office and send your digital xrays and digital photos of your feet to me, and my staff will arrange a phone consultation for a preliminary impression on what I could do for your feet. My office manager Shu Shu is my right hand and she will take very good care of you coordinating this experience for you. You can either call (310 691 5411) or email (footsurgery@mac.com) the office and we can plan on further discussion in person.

  11. Dr. Sadrieh says:

    Hi Pam,
    Thank you for writing on behalf of your sister. Ironically I went to school in Iowa! In Des Moines! I loved it there.. wonderful State with so many good people. I owe a lot of what has gotten me this far in my career to the humility and honesty the wonderful people of Iowa have.

    I would love to refer you to a colleague in Iowa, but like I commented to Karen, I built this procedure in response to my observations of my own patients. Thus, at this time there is no one else doing this procedure like me. I do go to Iowa a couple of times a year, and you are welcome to have your sister contact my office and try to co-ordinate a visit either here or there and could work the logistics of post operative care around my visit? I have seen hundreds of patients from around the U.S. and have figured out creative ways to manage them post operatively without risk to the patient or the surgical result.

    I would love to talk with your sister in person. She is welcome to call the office or email me and we can at least do a phone consultation?

    Thank you for commenting.

  12. Dr. Sadrieh says:

    Hi Carol,

    Now I would LOVE to get my hands on your feet ;-) 4E! Wow, I bet we could fix your foot so that you would have to change ALL the shoes in your closet… unfortunately most of my patients love what we do for them, but their husbands don’t!

    It makes me sad to tell patients that I have a hard time referring them to someone in their area since this procedure is something that I developed. Although bunions are performed all over the country by excellent Podiatrists, each of us have a unique technique that we develop and most are the guidelines of the traditional techniques that we learn in residency.

    Like I usually advise out of state patients, a “virtual” consult is usually the first step to trying to get you a preliminary answer to your questions.

    I look forward to hearing from you in person. Ask for Shu Shu when you call the office.

  13. Roxanne Barbe says:

    Dr. Sadrieh,

    I have Tricare Prime Remote for insurance and they cover hammertoe surgery which I had 10 Feb 09. I was under the impression that this would also shorten my toes but my second toe is still longer then my big toe and now they curve towards my pinky toe. I still have the floppy toe and I am currently in physical therapy. I was wondering if you could take a look and maybe solve this problem. I am willing to undergo surgery again as I would really like this problem fixed. I think that from the surgery I had done I will have pretty significant scarring.

  14. MERCEDES says:

    HI, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU CAN RECOMEND PODIATRIST IN CHICAGO I NEED TO SHORTEN MY LONG TOES OR CLOSE TO CHICAGO IL 6-2-09 PLEASE EMAIL ME THANK YOU

  15. Can you recommend a Doctor in Ct that does the type of surgery to narrow the foot, bunions, etc.Thankk you, Joyce Skowronski

  16. Roxanne Barbe says:

    You say you respond to every post. I posted 7 months ago and I check monthly. I still have not received a response.

  17. Dr. Sadrieh says:

    Hi Roxanne, I’m sorry that your post was not replied to? Comments that require office follow up are always called for follow up after my office manager emails the author of the comment back. I will follow up on Monday to find out why your comment did not get an email response and a follow up call scheduled?

    I can definitely look at your toe and give you an opinion. Revision surgery is an unfortunate situation as every doctor strives to do the best for their patients. I will make sure that you get a comprehensive solution to the problem with your feet once we get a change to consult.

    At this time, I would recommend that you call the office in the beginning of the week, since your question requires for us to talk. The office number is 310 691 5411. You can ask for Shu Shu. Instructions for getting a consultation are also in other comments I have posted.

    You can also request an appointment online.

    Hope we can talk soon.

  18. Ash John says:

    HEllo, Doctor I Saw You On The Doctors You Did A Magnificent Job I Have Questions.
    I Have Bunions On Both feet Two Corns And A Hammertoe That Got A Corn Now.
    I Was Wondering If Its Okay To Get Bunion Surgery On Both Feet At Once Or Wait Because Im Afraid My Medical Would Be Cut Off. If I Do GEt Them Done At The Same Time Would It Be Better. I Still Have Pain And Swelling And It Hurts To Walk All The Time. Unfortunatley Im In San Diego Not LA.Please Reply Back To Me ASAP.
    Thankss

  19. Ash John says:

    I Aso HAve Very Flat Feet Which Dont ReAlign My Structure Of My Body My KNees Hurt My Back And Sometimes My Hip. I Have Tried Other Good Shoes They Didnt Work As Well And I Also Tried Cushionsing Still the Same. And DUring Bunion Surgery Can All Doctors Renove Corns And Hammertoes That Are Visible While Doing The Bunion Surgery And Also Flat Feet So Narrowing.

  20. Lucille Kochan says:

    Hi Doctor..

    I have been told that I need a toe fusion as I have arthritis in the joint. I am in constant
    pain and cannot wear shoes. Movement is limited. My question is will this surgery help me get out of pain and will my foot (toe) be deformed due to this type os surgery and how successful has
    this surgery been. Am I doing the right thing!..Help! I live in Beverly Hills, Florida..there aren’t many
    choices of doctors, so I am putting my trust in one that was recommended…

    -Thanks in advance for an information you can give me.

    -Lucille

  21. samantha says:

    i am having a hard time deciding wether to fix my toe i have a short toe. just like in your picture. Ive seen two dr.s and one says he can fix it but hes not 100% sure it will look normal after. The other dr. s is trying to talk me into amputation of my small toe. Im 23 years old and I have always dreamed of a day where i could wear flip flops and get pedicures and not be so self conciense. I hate it .My whole life Ive hid it from everyone. im so embarasses i just want it fixed. any advice dr.?

  22. Kels says:

    Dr. Sadrieh,

    Ever since I was a little girl I’ve always hated my toes. I’m seventeen going on eightenn and was wondering if I’m too young to get this surgery? If not what can I do to fix my toes?

    Kels

  23. Marty says:

    Hello Dr Sadrieh,

    Like many of the women who posted here, I would absolutely love to correct my ugly toes. For the past 9 years, I have been struggling with this issue. I can’t remember the last time I wore open toe sandals in the summer. I really use to love going to the beach but now, I always have to look through my closet and find sandals that hides half of my toes. I am so ambarassed, even ashamed, by their shape and the awful corns(on 8 of my toes). In fact, my podiatrist often suggests that I undergo the surgery because he sees how bottered I am with this. Nevertheless, I am also very affraid of getting surgery because of the horror stories I have heard about.

    I am a single 29 year-old, hard worker, very independent, in very good shape and this issue definately holds me back! As a women, I am ALWAYS so self-conscious about it… this not just vanity, believe me, there are days I just want to cut them off!

    I live in Montreal, Canada, do you have any recommendations PLEASE? At this point, I think I would be willing to go the US… I REALLY WANT NOT TO HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OF MY FEET ANYMORE!!!!

    Thank you for helping,
    Marty