New study says high heels may lead to cancer

By Amanda Kabbabe and Gillian Pensavalle, Buzz60

Though they make your legs look killer, there are dangers that come with high heels.

Some of these dangers have been well-documented. For example, research has shown consistently wearing heels can damage muscles and joints, and sometimes that damage is irreversible.

Now, even more dangerous claims are surfacing: Highh heels may lead to cancer.

Maybe.

According to Dr. David Agus from the University of Southern California, the pain from wearing high heels causes what is called a "low-level inflammation." This is due to your body trying to accommodate walking in a completely unnatural way.

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Usually, inflammation isn't a bad thing. It's your body's way of protecting itself. You've seen a similar reaction when you get a cut and the surrounding skin gets red and puffy.

However, when your feet are a mess after hours of wearing stilettos, it can turn into a chronic condition.

Dr. Agus says if the inflammation is occurring all the time, it can actually harden arteries, which is linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes. This reaction has also been known to dramatically increase the risk of cancer.

So, while stilettos won't directly cause cancer, wearing super high heels all the time -- or shoes that squish your toes together -- can cause damage that may increase your risk of cancer.

Plus, they're really, really uncomfortable.

Sneakers, anyone?