Cosmetic surgery for feet is gaining a foothold among women who want to look better in their high heel shoes.

But, reports Susan McGinnis in part two of The Early Shows series on foot care, many doctors urge women to avoid the surgery.

McGinnis says some observers call the trend the " "˜Sex and the City effect."

Whatever its called, she adds, womens passionate love affair with their sexy high heel shoes is as hot as ever. And a growing number of women are taking their perfectly pedicured feet in for regular maintenance.

"I notice," says podiatric surgeon Dr. Suzanne Levine of Manhattans Institute Beaute, "especially at this time of year, women are most concerned about how their feet look and feel. Theyre wearing strappy sandals with needle thin heels rising in some cases to a majestic five inches. Theyre exposing their well pedicured toes."

Among the procedure Levine does on feet are "foot facials," complete with a salt scrub, "mask," peel and massage. Some patients get injections into the ball of their feet of a chemical called "Restylane" to cushion the blow of high heels.

Other women go even further to dress up their feet.

Danielle Maisano of Long Island, N.Y. had hammertoes and uneven toes. She says shes been embarrassed by her feet for years: "I was cursed, because shoes are my thing, and I got blessed with ugly feet."

But Maisano turned to Manhattan podiatric surgeon Dr. Stuart Mogul for help."Im gonna have my second toe shortened, so its gonna be level with the rest of my toes," she said before her operation.

"The surgery," explains Mogul, "revolves around creating a toe that is straighter, somewhat shorter, and a bit stiffer."

Maisanos hammertoes did cause her some pain, or they might have been out of bounds for Mogul, who says hes against performing foot surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, but says he has "learned never to stand in between a woman and her passionate love for her high heels, because the best of intentions can earn you her scorn" Mogul says he has learned long ago that some women view their high heels as "sacred objects" and will not be denied!

Other procedures doctors say patients are requesting include having toes lengthened, feet narrowed, foot and toe liposuction, and fat added to feet, all in the name of fashion.

But, continues McGinnis, not all doctors agree that cosmetic foot surgery is a good step.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says it sees too many patients suffer the consequences of botched procedures.

Baltimores Dr. Stuart Miller, whos with the AAOS, says a large part of his practice is fixing other surgeons mistakes: "The complications can be devastating. Some women have had to go through five or six surgeries just to get back to walking on their foot, much less getting into their shoes."

Try telling that to Maisano, whos busy building a new wardrobe of high heel shoes around her new, prettier feet.

"Im going high heels and open-toed shoes from now on!" she exclaims.

Its stories like these that just warm my heart!