HEAVEN FOR TOES!
Tantejoan here, trying my best to walk a mile in Gigi’s shoes, the better to fill in for Drugstore Deals. Trouble is, it’s 90 outside, and New York sidewalks are hard on the tootsies in the best of weather, and, let’s face it: I have terrible, horrible, disgusting feet. You don’t believe me? Think I’m exaggerating? Take a look at Exhibit A, my left foot. (The weak of stomach may want to avert their eyes here.) Had enough? I’ve got another one just like it.
My feet are a horrible confluence of genetics and poor childhood shoe replacement patterns. Genetics I cannot control -- all the women in my family have these broken, Russian peasants’ feet, complete with bunions, hammertoes, corns and assorted other atrocities, in one form or another. With me they are all so pronounced that when I went for a consultation with New York’s premier foot surgeon he exclaimed, upon first seeing them (and very unprofessionally, he later admitted) “Oh, dear God in Heaven, Joan!” Then he sat down and wrote a letter to my internist telling him in detail what he would have to do to make them better. It was over three pages long.
Finally I determined that having lived this long with my deformed dainties, I might as well keep them until the end. But because the Lord is supposedly Perfect, and my feet are extreme evidence to the contrary, I decided it was my duty to spare Him the shame. I don’t want Him to look bad, so I have taken it upon myself to cover these monstrosities with only the prettiest of shoes. No sandals, though, for obvious reasons.
The only trouble with my little plan is that, sooner or later, shoes will pinch, bind, rub or otherwise hurt. It’s inevitable, even though cute shoes now come in wider widths. To deal with this sad truth I have had to resort to many clever aids and inventions. So many, in fact, that I keep Dr. Scholl on retainer. There is the moleskin. And the gel cushions. And the bunion cushions. And the massaging insoles. The list is long, and grows longer. I ache, I buy, and then I buy some more.
Today, at the brand new CVS pharmacy that opened one block (or 329 agonizing steps) from my apartment building, I discovered on my way to work a new wrinkle on My Big Fat Foot Problem. It’s early days yet, but I am giving a cautious Big Toe Up for a new line called Heaven4Toes, and especially for their Toe Cushion For Women. Here is their story:
“Heaven4Toes™ was born out of necessity. Proprietor Souhayla Denha had suffered painful discomfort while wearing her favorite shoes. The abrasive friction between the shoe and skin had irritated her toes, causing malformations in her toes. After many visits to the podiatrist, she could not find relief. She had tried to find a cushioned product to provide the comfort she needed for her feet, but none existed on the market. Through laser surgery, the excessive rubbing ultimately resulted in the removal of her toe nail. Determined to never experience that pain again, she began to search for comfortable padding and fabric. She discovered a soft, polyurethane fabric which she inserted inside of her shoe. Thus Heaven4Toes™ was born! Souhayla Denha had created the relief she was looking for. She could now wear her favorite shoes without discomfort or irritating the skin. With Heaven4Toes™, she desires to help countless men and women prevent painful skin conditions, and wear their favorite shoes in heavenly comfort.”
Unlike so many pedi-aids that focus on the underside, side or heel of the foot, the toe cushion is an adhesive-backed smooth, cushiony layer that is placed on the top inside of the shoe. Once trimmed to size and so situated, it prevents friction between foot and shoe, and is thin enough not to cause pain by tightening the space it occupies. The toe cushion adheres to the shoe, but can be easily removed and replaced with a fresh one in about 2-3 months. I like the concept, and so far, after wearing it for five hours, I report no discomfort. Me likey. Heaven4Toes has several similar products, some which will be familiar to the Dr. Scholls addict, but some unique to them. They have a boot cushion for instance that is designed to prevent chafing at the boot top, an area that is not often given its due. And they have products for men as well.
For someone whose daily round is accomplished by hopping in and out of cars the travails of a city pedestrian can perhaps seem small, but as anyone who walks at least four miles a day on concrete can tell you, anything that will bring relief to hot, tired feet is worthy of praise. Heaven4Toes, I salute you!
Who else needs inserts and paddings and what ones do you love?
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i just bought some ball of foot pads and cant wait to wear them. one of the hundreds of reasons i hate going out is wearing heels and the balls of my feet KILLING me. i cant stand that feeling after i take them off and walk on a flat surface. so painful. i hope the cushions help.
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I had major back surgery and any comfort for my feet help I will have to try these cushions for sure I hope they help me
Suzanne Bailey :)
Awwww... You poor thing. My Mom has the same problems, she just had bunion foot surgery last April, I went home to take care of her for a couple days. She had both her feet done back in the 80's too, I still remember her in crutches. And it CAME back last year. UGH... Which it should not come back but it did. I'm so scare to have the same but so far I'm ok, no bunions. Knock on wood! She was visiting a couple weeks ago and I was checking out her scare on top of her foot, it's pretty yucky but she has no pain and can wear all kinds of shoes again. She's so funny she had it done in spring so she could wear sandals for the summer :) Joan good luck with your feet! xox
i got bunions too..:(one foot is worse than the other, i still wear flipflops sometimes but it aint that pretty. i looked at the option of surgery once and spoke to a pediatrist and he said not to bother, that the surgery is very invasive and if i dont have pain, i shouldnt go for it. I was kinda bummed, cos i really would love them fixed. oh well. I just try and find cute flat shoes that cover my wonky toes.
makeup makeup makeup!!!!!!!
Is that really your foot? We all have our problem spots and insecurities. I just want to thank you for being brave enough and honest enough to share with us one of your problem areas. That can really help more women then you know. I fortunately were blessed with ailment free feet. But after a few hours in heels even my feet are aching. I have some cute heels that are so comfortable that they cause no problems. But then I have other cute shoes that cause a ton of irritation, chafing, and blisters:( These toe cushions definitely seem worth trying out. The only thing I have ever tried are the Dr. Scholls gel insoles for my tennis shoes. I have never actually tried using anything inside of my heels, although I should probably try it. My feel would probably be in a lot less agony. Since you were brave enough to let us know about your peasants' feet, then I'm going to share my problem spots. I think everyone should share with us one of their not so perfect characteristics. We all are after all human, and you know that none of us are perfect. It really can help women to feel better about themselves though to share things like this. So anyway my problem spots are my ears and my eyes. I hate my ears and they are pretty jacked up. I mean I don't look like I have goblin ears. But one of my ears is attached and one of them is not attached. One of my ears is also longer and pointier then the other. It is hard to tell in some pictures, but is pretty prominent in other pictures. It makes me super self conscious. I used to want to have plastic surgery so I could have pretty, normal, equal ears. Then I decided not too, because I have grown somewhat fond of my silly ears over time. My other problem spot is my eyes. My right eye is lazy. It normally isn't as open as my other eye. Sometimes it droops to half way closed. It is really annoying, but I was made that way for some reason:D
fairyrave, thank you for sharing your imperfections -- we all have 'em, except maybe the late Audrey Hepburn, bless her. And we all cope in different ways, right? That IS my left foot, and except for this exposé I keep it and its sister well covered. You probably have become an expert at cute hairstyles to disguise your ears, and possibly even your lazy eye. (I think Veronica Lake's famous "do" may have started that way.) I know there are exercises and tricks to retrain the eye early on, but sometimes it can be what makes its owner fascinating rather than merely presentable. Actually, my friend Tim and I think that at the beginning of her career, Rhianna had a lazy eye, too, because she usually camouflaged one eye with an assymetical cut or "cheated" the camera by standing at an angle. Lately she shows both eyes, which leads us to think she had corrective surgery or a lens implant. She's still a beauty, though, and from your photo so are you!
Dear Heavens, Joan. Your poor feet! I can imagine that all that walking in NYC has done a number on your feet. I have used Dr. Scholl's foot cushions to make my shoes a little more snug. I am a size 5 and I have a heck of a time finding shoes. Once in a while, I can get away with a 5 1/2 shoe with some foot cushions.Has anyone used YogaToes? I have seen them in stores and online. They are toe stretchers and people claim that they reduce swelling and straighten toes. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/204023/product_review_yogatoes_offer_solution.html
I'm sorry Joan, your feet must feel terrible! My grandma has those same bunions because of years of wearing pumps in the office. No matter how much I love beautiful and sometimes painful shoes, I always stick to my flipflops!
How ugly are my feet? The salon where I get my pedicures is run and staffed by Vietnamese technicians and I knew when they were talking about my feet even in another language. I have bunions on both feet and notice that the left is getting worse. My feet take wonky to a whole new level. I am also a fitness instructor and workout at least 2-3 hours a day. I am not having surgery because it not only takes me away from my job, but it is painful and not always successful. I buy my shoes a half size bigger and look for round toes. My feet hurt in most shoes. I do wear sandals and my mephistos and danskos are coveted treasures. I have shoes that I can only visit in my closet. I have a pair of Italian boots that are so stunning that I try to withstand the pain, but rarely make it past an hour or so. I left a restaurant barefoot the last time I wore them. So I would like to try these inserts.
hey, you're in good company - Victoria Beckham has bunions from years of wearing nothing but heels!
I so need inserts. I tend to stay away from heels even though I love them because they make the balls of my feet hurt really bad. But I own like 8 pair just because I love the way they look...I find wedges are much easier on the feet though. I think it is because there is more support. I am looking into these, thanks for the article!
I do! I definitely use those foot petals cushion things to make my shoes a whole lot more comfortable. Depending on the shoe, I place the cushions either on the ball or heel of my foot.
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TanteJoan - kudos to you for showing your tootsies! I did ballet for years, and I know girls less than half your age with feet that would match yours. I got off relatively lightly - I love heels, the higher the better. Beauty is pain, right? These sound like a fabulous idea.Don't know what it is about Meg's but it's like a damn confessional over here - I can't help spilling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So here is my filthy, dirty foot secret. When I'm home, or walking the dogs, I wear.............. crocs. I have, on occasion, gone to the mall in them. My gay brother and his ex (they are still good friends) nearly passed out when they saw them. I know they are ugly - but have you ever put them on? They are just soooo comfy. Actually don't - next thing you know, you'll be wearing them out on dates.....(no I didn't, I almost did, but a kind and loving friend intervened in time)
Rie
i have deepest sympathy for you. A have had 11 surgeries on my left knee and right foot. My right foot is so scarred up it looks like a streetman of LA. It has been so long since my feet didn't hurt, i can't remember what that is like. Old adage is true, if your feet hurt, you hurt all over. I must have 100 pairs of shoes as i am in pursuit of the painless pair. Never got to wear pretty shoes and i hate that. I hold my breath with bunions, my dad had them bad, he has surgery on them a few times. So far so good.I will tell you though no matter how ugly they get, it is better than not having them. So be extra nice to them, get a foot bath, perfume it us, given yourself a pedicure, massage them and slather them in a lovely smelling cream and put a nice pair of comfy socks on and they will feel better and look better at least.Another nice thing to do for your self is make ice cups (just put styrofoam cups 1/2 full of water in the freezer) and deep massage your tender tootsies. Hang in there !
dotti, old but not dead yet, polymath still in training, makeup junkie and general overspender.
Ugh I soo wish I could be a cute shoe person!!!!!I got shopping with my friend who just so happens to wear the size they put out on display... Look at all the cute shoes... I always have to ask for my size.. and i get "the look" from the assistance person.I wear a size 9 -10 depending on the shoes.Cute shoes are no longer cute anymore when they're that big!!!*cries*And when I do find a pair that looks ok. I feel horrible wearng them because my poor little feet are so used to the comfort of sneakers.I need all the shoe cusions. Toes, heels, sides!For now I resort to wearing almost bellbottom pants to cover my shoes :(
Tan is Love
My feet have been the bane of my existence lately. It got so bad that I finally broke down and went to see a podiatrist. That's when I found out that I have bunions, tarsal tunnel syndrome and a low arch. It's been 3 weeks without my daily run, I'm going crazy without it. But alas, my custom orthotics have come in, and I'll be fitted for them on Monday! I can't wait... so I'll be running again in no time. gem: I've been curious about the Yoga Toes too!
I don't need to wear pads or anything but i have damaged my feet with badly fitting shoes in the past. i had really bad bumps of the outer side of feet as a teenager which have thankfully gone away. my biggest treat for my feet is to wear flat shoes (so boring but they keep my feet happy). i also got fitted for a pair of cushioned support trainers for walking which i practically live in during the week. not exactly a fashion statement but they are like walking on air!
Ooh, they have arch cushions too! I have freakishly high arches and sometimes during the day I have to take off or loosen my shoes because they dig into my arches. Maybe this would help!
i need to find something to cushion my heel and toes, it can sometimes get painful after walking a lot
I have okay feet, but walking in NYC occasionally does a number on them. When I was working at a law firm, I loved those gel inserts for high heels. Those and Aerosoles heels were lifesavers!Yoga-Toes are pretty decent, too, after a long day in questionable shoes.
tantejoan, honey, your feet scared the crap out of me! And I felt so sorry for your little footsies!fairyrave--thanks for sharing your story about accepting your facial quirks :) It can be so hard to just accept ourselves exactly as we are. I always wish my forehead weren't so big (Rogaine may be in my future, but hair plugs a la Jon Gosselin... ewwww.)In college I used to wear cute heels all the time (because that's what college girls do! haha). My feet definitely didn't look so hot--tons of blisters :( Nowadays, since my job sometimes involves chasing and lifting middle schoolers, and getting my toes stepped on fairly regularly, I stick with very flat, very comfy shoes. I try to find the cutest ones possible but it's hard. :( I still get blisters now and then too! But now that I've been using Band Aid Blister Block and Dr Scholls Rub Relief, I don't usually get blisters :)I only use inserts in a few pairs of shoes that I own--my old Nikes needed a better insert so I got some for those, and that was awesome :) My black patent leather heels have inserts (the heel and the ball of the foot ones) but they're not good quality--the Steve Madden store I bought them from stuck them in for me for free. I also have one pair of Dr. Scholl's gel ball of foot inserts that I switch around, but since I bought most of my shoes to fit w/o inserts, I don't use them that much :(
♥ Lipgloss and Spandex: a blog for gals who look good and run fast
I had a bunionectomy in 2007. Ortho surgeon had to break long bone of the left foot and straighten it with piece of metal and 6 screws. It was worth it. I had no pain after surgery at all, just had to wear the walking cast for a while. I never did really wear heels much. But now my shoes are mostly clogs with a wide toe box. I go for comfort, not style, obviously. But at least my feet don't hurt. :O) Good luck.
King taco I was just going to say that aboyt victoria beckham.I actually dropped a heavy metal chair on my foot and will prob have to get it fixed further.Fairy rave from your picture I can see you are amazinly pretty.Bluedevilkitty-mom always says high forehead's are a sign of intelligence(my former french teacher might beg to differ-but when you spend french class looking out the window wishing brad would sweep you away from the boredom-your not going to learn much nes pas!)Joan have you tried the silk slippers with the acupressure soles?-there supposed to be lovely and there very pretty looking.
PotionPrincess♥
potionprincess, I will be sure to share that information with anyone staring at my forehead! :P (Although, come to think of it, my former French teachers would probably laugh in my face too! I was never terribly inclined to learn French....) In the meantime, I like to do a side part.
♥ Lipgloss and Spandex: a blog for gals who look good and run fast
Wow, your feet are jacked up but I commend you for sharing. My biggest body flaw (or flaws if you will) is the map of stretch marks on my belly hence you will never see me in a belly baring anything.I'm so happy that there is a product that is for the tops of the toes! I thought it was only me whose feet would rub the tops of the most comfy shoes. Maybe now I can wear some cute flats. Thanks!
You're super awesome!
Tantejoan, that was a well-written and hysterical post! Actually I thought your foot looked cute, but I'm known to adopt the most bedraggled and forlorn pet at the pound. I have run into a few uncomfortable shoe situations and I really like the Dr. Scholl's silicone twist-up stick for alleviating rubbing.
Indi
indi, only someone as sweet as you could ever think my toes are cute! Big smooch!
I bought these really reaaaaalllly cute Coach sneakers last summer. I thought they were so amazing, so I bought 2 pairs. BOTH of them gave my feet the most painful blisters, so I used those blister protection bandaids from BandAid Brand. They are like thick gelly bandages for your feet and theyre a translucent nude colour to match your skintone and hide the fact that youre wearing a bandaid. I ended up selling the shoes because I hated bandaging my foot up every time I wanted to wear them, but the bandaids worked pretty good.
Oh that looks painful.I have very sensitive feet! it's genetic too, my dad has the same, we get callous(sp?) on our feet if we wear any shoes that's slightly uncomfortable. But i think i'm enjoying my purchase of comfy leather heels... hurts my wallet but definitely worth it!!!
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My feet are disgusting too! My friend called them Dobby feet once because my toes are really gross looking :[ I'm definitely going to check this product out, I love the way it's from the drugstore! Thanks! :)And I'm going to NYC soon, so walking a lot will definitely be a problem...sigh.
xoxo
I have horrible. I use extra cushioning on heels especially because they hurt much quicker than other people's feet. I get any sort of padding that cushions the foot, but does not insulate it too much which would otherwise make it hot. Gel inserts work well for me.
Oh Joan my feet (both) are horrible! I have Bunions, hammer toes and a Mallet toe. Sounds like some kind of tools going on with my feet. So I know how you feel. Very brave that you put your picture of your foot up for all to see. I have started wearing YOGA SANDALS. They claim they will help deformed toes, feet, etc.... They feel good on and really stretch the toes and bones in my feet. I definitely will check this product out though.
DIZZI
I have terrible feet and I am only 20. I have bunionettes on my little toes, as well as bone spurs coming out from my heels.I can reccomend nothing but the inserts ballet dancers use. I also dance, so have many of the products already, but I wear them in my normal shoes as well.They're primarily made out of a gel material and you can get them for all your toes seperately too. I love them!
ughh, i hate corns and calluses on your feet/toes. it's such a pain to see them when you wear sandals and flip flops... or anything open toed. :(
xoxo
Ohhh you poor thing having such painful feet! And having to walk on concrete all day.. ergh, I really don't envy you. :|I wonder, have you ever seen a podiatrist for your foot pain? I used to be slightly pigeon-toed but thanks to my parents quick thinking I was booked into a podiatrist at a young age. They gave me plastic inserts that moulded my feet in the correct way and since then I've been walking straight and have had no pain or twists in my hips or spine which may have developed from walking pigeon-toed.
Thanks so much shaybear and all for sharing! Yes, my podiatrist and I are BFFs, and she's fitted me for orthodics. plus I have regular pedicures to handle callouses, etc. My pedicurist's name is Karma, and I beleve she is storing up plenty of that stuff just for not running at the sight of me!
Glad to hear you're seeing a podiatrist as well as the other ladies who form you 'foot arsenal' - fighting against painful feet! Hope you find some permanent relief at some point, lovely. ♥
I consider myself lucky after reading all of you ladies posts. I have short, little fat toes and size 9-10 wide feet. I mean really fat toes. Ugh, the pretty shoes never come in my size! I also have high archs and the balls of my feet kill me when I wear heels. Therefore, I only own flats. (Gasp! I know!) I put the Dr. Scholl's arch relief inserts in my shoes but they don't seem to help very much. I commend you tantejoan and fairyrave and all of the other ladies who have shared or will share what they consider their "flaws". Though if we were all perfect, we'd probably be pretty boring.
I love and live for shoes, but when teaching I can't wear heels all day. I invest in a lot of these "comfort" products. Some work better than others and some are just a complete waste. I haven't heard about this line yet, but will definitely be giving it a try.
I agree it has been so hot outside it is not funny. I try to dress in sandals or flats. My feet can't stand any heel over 3 inches...I also wear shoe insoles to keep my arch supported while I walk.
Oh I have a terrible time finding shoes that don't make my feet (and legs) ache! Or that don't give me blisters!
I got a pair of party feat in Australia, they are like sticky pads u put on urs high heels so ur feet down move around
O wow awesome!! Thanks for this review!! A CVS just opened 15 mins from my house so ill definatly have to check that out! I dont really have any foot issues.. but i do know what you mean about the rubbing! and they dont ever have anything on the market for ABOVE the foot .. just below! Thanks again!!! <3
Isn't it sad all that us women have to go through, suffereing, but still wearing our pretty shoes. If my hubby gets a pair of shoes that aren't comfy, he just won't wear them. But I myself have suffered breaking in shoes, with bandaids placed in strategic locations on my feet. I'm glad they make something now for the top of the foot. That's where I usually get all the friction and that's the part of me that suffers the most when I'm breaking in shoes. I do want to suggest another product that I found, also at CVS, called Band-Aid Friction Block Stick. It's supposed to help reduce the friction, just rub it on where you need it. So you can rub it on in places these pads don't reach and use it in conjunction with them. It(the friction stick) actually works pretty well, not a miracle or anything, but definatley helps.
Oxana, thanks for reminding me of this excellent product. I used it frequently on my last trip to San Francisco, a city even more walker-centric than my own New York City, especially since so much of it requires walking up- and downhill. I'd sit on a nearby bench, apply the block, and go back to walking. On my last 4 day trip I wore a pedometer and clocked 25 miles! Why do I walk so much when my feet are so bad? I love it! It's my favorite form of exercise, and I always travel for pleasure to great walking cities. SF, Chicago, Savannah, Charleston, Boston, Vancouver, Montreal, etc. And that's only North America.
this sounds really useful for those nights out on the town. i dont wear heels that often but when i do i'll definitely look for these first
Oh poor you my mother has feet like this too and she won't do anything about them, they are very painful for her :-(
How terrible! I haven't had any foot problems, but I know my mother has. Probably something they may come up later in life for me, and I'm not looking forward to it.
unfortunately, women tend to think we need to suffer to be beautiful. men would never wear shoes that are too tight or too uncomfortable even if they look super-good! come to think of it, men dont ever wear uncomfortable clothing, shoes or accessories. My closet, and i am sure my other ladies' closets too, is filled with dresses too tight or dangerously short, bags too big and heavy, and shoes that could have been used during the times of Inquisition as torture devices. And i am not giving up any of these items as well. I am just glad that companies started to come up with products that make our shoes a tiny bit more comfortable! Make sure to pamper your feet with lotions and relaxing bath treatment, TanteJoan- your feet will thank you, like mine did :)
no one's feet is perfect. god created us this way. but thanks to geniuses out there, they created products to help us (especially women) with the discomforts that we go through.
Growing up poor helped my feet. I ran barefoot all summer. I have good looking feet, actually quite pretty. I can wear any shoe I want, except heels and than is not because of my feet. That is because I broke my ankle years ago and it has come back to haunt me. I swear by the pedegg and it gets rid of the dry spots and callusses before they start. I think genetics must have helped.
Beste Hilsin