The main reasons to consider surgery are painful or activity-limiting shoe irritation, progression, toe crowding, or a bunion that is changing how you walk. As bunions progress, they can contribute to metatarsal overload, arthritis, hammertoes, balance issues, and more difficult correction later.

The goal is not just cosmetic. The goal is to reduce pain, improve shoe comfort, help patients stay active, and correct the structural problem before it becomes more severe. See who may be a candidate.

In our experience, it is often advantageous to correct bunions before they become severe. Earlier correction is usually easier to perform, more predictable, associated with fewer complications, and less likely to require additional procedures than waiting until the deformity has caused more advanced overload, arthritis, hammertoes, balance issues, or instability.

If the bunion is painful, limiting shoe choices or activity, visibly progressing, crowding the toes, or changing how you walk, it is reasonable to schedule a consultation. Dr. Sullivan and the medical team can review your foot, X-rays, and goals to help you decide whether treatment makes sense now.

Potential advantages include smaller incisions, less soft-tissue disruption, less scar tissue, less blood-flow disruption, immediate protected walking, and an easier recovery for many patients. Because patients continue loading the foot during recovery, they often avoid the life disruption that comes with prolonged non-weight-bearing recovery.

Many patients, including active patients and older patients who need to remain independent, appreciate being able to walk in a protected post-op shoe right away. Learn more on walking after bunion surgery and the recovery timeline.

For many bunion patients, Dr. Sullivan believes minimally invasive correction is the better option because it can correct the deformity with smaller incisions, less soft-tissue trauma, less stiffness, less scar tissue, and a faster recovery than many traditional open or fusion-based procedures.

That said, the right answer depends on the foot. Severe instability in a young patient, certain arthritis patterns, or complex revision situations may require a different recommendation. Dr. Sullivan and the medical team will evaluate you specifically. For comparisons, see SERI vs. Lapiplasty and SERI vs. traditional bunionectomy.

Bunion surgery is heavily influenced by a surgeon’s training, experience, and comfort level. Most surgeons are trained first in traditional open techniques, and many continue using the procedures they were taught during residency.

There is also an industry bias in surgical education. Many cadaver labs, surgical skills labs, continuing education events, and training courses are sponsored by hardware companies that have a financial incentive to teach and promote hardware-heavy procedures. As a result, much of the post-residency training available to surgeons is hardware-based and hardware-biased.

Minimally invasive bunion surgery requires specific experience, judgment, and technique. Dr. Sullivan’s practice is built around these minimally invasive procedures, which is why The Bunion Cure approaches bunion correction differently than many traditional surgical practices. For more context, see SERI vs. Lapiplasty and SERI research and literature.

The best candidates usually have painful or activity-limiting shoe irritation, progression, toe crowding, or a deformity that is limiting daily life. Arthritis, poor circulation, diabetes, nicotine use, neuropathy, severe deformity, and prior surgery do not automatically rule someone out, but they may change the plan or require extra precautions.

Dr. Sullivan and the medical team will evaluate your foot, X-rays, goals, and health history to explain whether you are a candidate and what procedure plan would be recommended. Start with Am I a candidate for minimally invasive bunionectomy?

Minimally invasive foot surgery uses small incisions and specialized instruments to correct structural problems while limiting soft-tissue disruption. At The Bunion Cure, all procedures performed by Dr. Sullivan are minimally invasive and designed as walk-in, walk-out procedures with protected limited weight-bearing.

SERI bunionectomy is a specific minimally invasive bunion correction technique, not just a generic “small incision” approach. It is designed for 3D correction, including first metatarsal derotation and sesamoid alignment. Instead of plates and screws, SERI typically uses a temporary pin, which allows immediate protected weight-bearing while keeping the incision very small and providing good stability without a large plate-and-screw construct.

Plates and screws can sometimes become symptomatic, require removal later, or make revision surgery more difficult because larger hardware is retained in the foot. Read more about SERI minimally invasive bunionectomy.

The procedure depends on the bunion type, severity, joint condition, toe position, X-rays, symptoms, and the patient’s goals. SERI bunionectomy is one of the main minimally invasive procedures Dr. Sullivan uses, but not every patient needs the same operation. Some patients may need another minimally invasive osteotomy, bone shaving procedure, soft-tissue release, hammertoe correction, or another related procedure.

All bunion procedures performed by Dr. Sullivan at The Bunion Cure are minimally invasive and designed as walk-in, walk-out procedures with protected limited weight-bearing. Dr. Sullivan and the medical team will evaluate you specifically to explain what would be done and whether you are a candidate. Start with minimally invasive bunion surgery or Am I a candidate?

A bunion, also called hallux valgus, is a structural deformity where the big toe drifts toward the smaller toes and the first metatarsal shifts out of alignment. Patients often notice a painful bump, shoe irritation, redness, or progressive toe crowding.

Learn more on our minimally invasive bunion surgery page.

Bunion correctors, braces, and splints may provide short-term symptomatic relief for some patients, but they do not create lasting structural correction of the bunion deformity. Once a true bunion has developed, the underlying alignment problem is still present.

Wider shoes, silicone sleeves, or silicone spacers can sometimes reduce irritation. If the bunion is painful, limiting shoes or activity, or clearly progressing, a consultation can help determine whether correction is appropriate. Learn more on our candidate page.

Often, yes. Many patients can have both feet corrected in the same overall recovery timeframe, commonly on back-to-back surgery days. This can be especially helpful for out-of-town patients or patients who want one consolidated recovery plan.

Whether this makes sense depends on your feet, health history, home support, and the procedures needed.

The post-op shoe is used during the early healing period to protect the correction while still allowing limited protected walking. The exact timeline depends on the procedure, X-rays, swelling, comfort, and how the foot is healing.

For the vast majority of people, getting back into a normal shoe is possible around four weeks. Many bunion patients have a key follow-up around week four, when the temporary pin is removed if used. For a broader overview, see our bunion surgery recovery timeline.

This depends on the procedure and the type of work you do. Desk-work patients often return sooner than patients who stand or walk for long periods. Jobs that require hours on your feet may require light duty, schedule changes, or more time off.

Because patients walk in a protected post-op shoe right away, many people find recovery less disruptive than they expected. See the recovery timeline for more detail.

Patients can drive themselves if they do not take Ativan. If you take Ativan, you need a driver. Nitrous oxide does not prevent driving.

Driving also depends on which foot is treated, your comfort, and your ability to drive safely. If you are very anxious, the office may recommend Ativan and a driver for comfort and safety.

Most patients describe the recovery as much easier than they expected, though pain varies by patient and procedure. Minimally invasive techniques typically create less soft-tissue disruption, less scar tissue, and less blood-flow disruption than larger open procedures, which can help many patients recover with less pain.

For a fuller answer, visit How painful is bunion surgery?

Most patients are in the building for about two hours total. The procedure itself usually takes about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how many procedures are being performed and what needs to be corrected.

The total visit also includes pre-op preparation, local anesthetic, post-op instructions, and getting ready to leave safely. Dr. Sullivan and the medical team will explain the expected plan and timing for your specific procedure at consultation.

Every surgery has risks. Possible risks include infection, nerve irritation, delayed healing, recurrence, stiffness, transfer metatarsalgia, malunion, delayed union, or nonunion. Serious healing problems are uncommon and are more likely when patients have severe neuropathy or do not follow post-op instructions.

Read the full patient-friendly risk discussion here: What can go wrong with bunion surgery?

The Bunion Cure is in network with most major insurance carriers, but benefits vary by plan. Call the office to confirm specifics before surgery.

See the current overview on cost, insurance, and financing.

No. Minimally invasive bunion correction and SERI bunionectomy are not brand-new experimental ideas. SERI and related minimally invasive bunion techniques have published literature with large patient groups and long-term follow-up.

Dr. Sullivan has extensive experience performing these procedures. For patient-friendly references, visit our SERI research and literature page.

An arthritic bunion involves pain, stiffness, bone spurs, or joint damage around the big toe joint. The best treatment depends on the amount of arthritis, motion in the joint, X-rays, and the patient’s goals.

Arthritis does not automatically rule someone out from minimally invasive treatment, but it may change the procedure recommendation. Dr. Sullivan and the medical team will evaluate the joint and discuss realistic options.

Out-of-town patients commonly use one of two plans. Some stay in town for three nights and are seen on day four for stitches and X-rays. Others go home or fly home after surgery and return between one and two weeks after surgery for stitches and X-rays. Everyone returns at week four for pin removal.

Patients can certainly fly home after surgery. Because airports involve long distances, many patients use airline wheelchair assistance, which most airlines provide when requested. Talk with the office so the team can help you plan. More detail is available on our travel page.

A tailor’s bunion is a painful bump on the outside of the foot near the little toe joint. It can cause shoe irritation, redness, callus, and pain with activity.

Tailor’s bunions can often be evaluated and treated with minimally invasive techniques when appropriate. Learn more on our tailor’s bunion page.