Woman’s World Article: Tailor’s Bunions (Bunionettes)
Here are some of Dr. Henry’s thoughts on bunionettes:
When should a woman experiencing bunion-type pain in her foot see a doctor?
Bunions and bunionettes (“tailor’s bunions”) are both incredibly common, so not everyone seeks medical attention right away. However, I tell my patients that at minimum, they should seek medical advice if the bunion or bunionette is 1) painful, 2) limiting shoewear, or 3) has been progressing or worsening over time. You can either see your primary care doctor – they may have a recommendation of a specialist for you to see – or seek the advice of an orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon.
What are the symptoms and risk factors for tailor’s bunions?
Tailor’s bunions are also called “bunionettes” because they’re like small bunions on the outside of your foot. They are characterized by a painful prominence at the outside (lateral side) of the foot, near the pinky toe. In addition to pain at the site, patients may also have pain with shoewear and/or a painful callus at that area. They may also note that the pinky toe deviates towards the other toes.
In most cases, the tailor’s bunion is a deformity – which means the bone has an underlying crooked nature that can be attributed to genetics. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone with a tailor’s bunion has pain! Shoewear also plays a role, and women are more likely to have symptomatic tailor’s bunions compared to men. Some patients who have a wider foot, or wear shoes with a narrow toe box, or spend a lot of time with high-impact repeated activities (like running) may develop thickening or inflammation of the soft tissue over the tailor’s bunion, making it more swollen and painful.
What are the more conservative medical treatments for tailor’s bunion?
Conservative treatment starts with appropriate shoewear choices (transitioning from pointed toe shoes or shoes with a narrow toe box to round toe shoes or shoes with a wider toebox) and activity modification. An over-the-counter or custom orthotic (insert in the shoe) may be helpful as well.
Can a woman self-treat a tailor’s bunion with home or drugstore remedies? Why or why not?
Every woman can start with good shoewear choices. This doesn’t mean abandoning all of your pretty shoes forever – but you may make some common-sense choices throughout the day. If you commute, it is better to commute in sneakers and then switch to formal shoes for important meetings/events. If you’re attending a wedding, you can always wear your dressier, narrow toe-box shoes for pictures, and then switch to something less constricting and more comfortable for the dance floor later.
Are there any at-home or Tik Tok-hyped treatments that women should avoid?
There are a lot of over-the-counter devices or taping techniques that people like to try at home. While I haven’t seen any of these cause harm, they won’t actually correct the tailor’s bunion, because they don’t correct the underlying deformity.
What are the medical treatments for tailor’s bunions if other treatments have not worked?
If you’ve tried conservative treatment and you’re still getting symptoms, there are surgical options. The mainstay of how we fix tailor’s bunions is by cutting the bone and shifting it into a better (straight) position. Although many people ask about “shaving” the bump, that’s actually a myth – you didn’t grow anything abnormal on the bone, so by shaving, you would just be removing normal bone. To fix the underlying problem – which is deformity – we actually have to change the alignment of the bone. Fortunately, this is a common and safe operation performed by many orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons. In some cases, your surgeon may even be able to use a technique that involves a small incision and allows you to bear weight shortly after surgery. We currently offer this minimally invasive option in our practice.
Is there anything else that women who have a bunion on their pinky toe should consider?
Bunions and tailor’s bunions often go hand in hand – you may have one, the other, or commonly, both! You can talk to your doctor about your options.