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New Procedure Promises High Heel Help

MIAMI (CBS4) - For many fashionistas, forget about the diamonds, high heels are a girl's best friend.

But heels can hurt.

Now there's something that can help.

From the leopard print Louboutins to the sparkly Jimmy Choos the four, five, six inch heels are absolutely fabulous. They may look great but as we get a little older, all that extra oomph turns into a whole lot of ouch.

Part of the problem, women make less estrogen, and that, doctors say, causes the "cushiony" fat in the ball of our feet to thin out. Without all that natural padding, "You sometimes experience numbness, and burning pain after maybe 30 minutes of wearing high heel shoes," said Podiatrist Pardis Kelly.

"For those who have lost the fat in their feet due to age or certain medical conditions this time I'm going to give you a little bit more," says Kelly

The solution may be an injectable treatment called "pillows for the feet."

What gets injected into the foot is an anti-aging treatment Sculptra - used to plump up wrinkles.

"It's a filler that's used in the face however we use it in the ball of the foot," says Kelly

Tina Dryer no longer wears heels because her right foot no longer has padding. Even in flats, she has excruciating pain.

"I just want to be pain free so I can walk," said Tina Dryer. "The ball of my foot hurts, burns."

Dryer is getting the second of the two recommended, off label injections.

"It was painless, totally painless," Dryer said.

Another Sculptra user, Angela Giannini, is once again walking on air.

"Now I have total relief and I can wear my normal shoes again," said Giannini.

Angela has a condition, that affects the nerves in her feet, making it unbearable to wear even slippers.

A few weeks ago, she chose injections over surgery, and now?

"I'm definitely anticipating the holiday season. I will be wearing my 4-inch heels again."

The cost of these injections is about $1,000 a foot - out of pocket. The effects could last on average a little more than a year.

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