Ball of the foot cushions are usually made out of foam rubber or silicone. Silicone cushions are so soft that they make walking in high heels on any hard ground surface feel like walking on pillows. They are sickly-looking and an eye sore. People usually get turned off by them, when seen in public. These are all closed toe boxes, as opposed to open toe boxes where some of the toes can seen.
Pointed toes are the most sexy, but they usually cause more pain and damage to the toes.
Even in flats, pointed toes can help cause or aggravate bunions. A bunion is a condition in which the big toe becomes crooked and deformed. It often requires surgery to correct. A bunion for a high heel wearer is like a liver problem for an alcoholic. Pointed toes can also cause overlapping toes and toe nail problems.