Always try on the shoes with a teacher present when buying the first pair. After you buy them sew on the ribbons and elastic yourself. I cut the top of the satin on the toe off to get more traction. You can also take a carrot pealer and scrape off the part of the shank beneath the ball of the foot for more traction. What most ballet dancers dont realize about pointe is the wear, tear and stress that is put on the feet.
Blisters are a main concern for dancers.
The rubbing of the inside of the shoe creates painful blisters that may bleed inside the shoe. To prevent blisters, tape your toes with athletic tape where the most friction is. Always remember to keep toe nails cut short. If you dont you may experience ingrown toe nails or bruised toe nails. Bunions are also a painful injury due to pointe shoes.