They are almost universally loved by women, but it has emerged that high heels are causing a range of problems for fashionistas, including emergency dentistry and broken wrists.
According to a poll by shoe manufacturer Hotter, more than three million females have received hospital treatment because they have fallen off their shoes, with one in ten twisting an ankle or tearing a tendon.
Meanwhile, a third admitted they have fallen face-first at least once as a result of too-high heels, with many smashing their teeth and later needing emergency dentistry.
However, six in ten of the respondents said they would carry on wearing high heels, even though 89 per cent admitted their nights out are frequently ruined by them.
A Hotter spokesperson commented: "It's incredible to imagine the pain and discomfort women endure for a pair of killer heels or an ill-fitting impulse sale bargain."
Women who have chipped their teeth because of their shoes may be pleased to know that Dr Philip Friel recently said in an article for the Scottish Daily record that eradicating chips can be carried out "successfully, non-invasively and very aesthetically".
