A transgender woman has told how she binds her feet so that she can fit into ladies' shoes that are four sizes too small.

Jolene Dawson, from Australia's Gold Coast, has spent tens of thousands on plastic surgery including a boob job and bum implants in her quest to look like a Bratz doll - and has now turned attention to her feet.

The 21-year-old, who was born male but identifies as a woman, is desperate to have foot reduction surgery, but in the meantime she has taken to taping her feet with vinyl tape in order to fit into high heels.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline FEMAIL, 6ft 2in Jolene, whose feet are naturally a men's size 10 (AUS/UK), explained: 'I started binding my feet when I was 16 and bought a pair of really nice Steve Madden shoes.

'But I bought them a few sizes too small so people would think I had really small feet.

'I looked up how the old Chinese women used to bind their feet. I'm not as extreme with it like they were and I do a lot of recovery to keep my feet healthy.'

Transgender woman Jolene Dawson has told MailOnline how she binds her feet using vinyl tape in order to fit into smaller shoes - and has been doing so for the past five years

Jolene, whose feet are naturally a men's size 10 (AUS/UK), tucks her toes under her feet and wraps her big toe under then holds them in place using vinyl tape (left); doing so gives the impression of 'small little doll feet' and also allows her to fit into high heels (right)

Jolene, who says the trick can help her fit into a men's size 6 (AUS/UK), added: 'In an ideal world I would have foot reduction.

'I tuck all my toes under my feet and pull my big toe over. After about 30 minutes they go numb but it looks like I have small little doll feet.

'I use vinyl tape because it's durable and helps grip on to shoes from the inside. It's not as painful as people think because after a while they go numb.

'Because I bind my feet I spend a lot of time getting them massaged and pedicures. I also do 15 minutes of toe works with a hair tie so I don't get bunions.'

Last week, Jolene told MailOnline how she has spent a staggering $92,500 AUD (£54,967) on cosmetic procedures including forehead fillers and jaw slimming in a bid to emulate a Bratz doll.

Speaking about her feet binding, Jolene told MailOnline: 'In an ideal world I would have foot reduction. 'I tuck all my toes under my feet and pull my big toe over. After about 30 minutes they go numb but it looks like I have small little doll feet'

Jolene insists binding her feet doesn't cause long-lasting damage, saying: 'Because I bind my feet I spend a lot of time getting them massaged and pedicures. I also do 15 minutes of toe works with a hair tie so I don't get bunions'

Jolene started binding her feet when she was 16 and bought a pair of Steve Madden shoes. She recalled: 'I bought them a few sizes too small so people would think I had really small feet'

Corns, blisters and deformities: The true cost of feet binding revealed Mr Junaid Ahmed, of Feet for Life Ltd, told MailOnline that taping the toes can put you at risk of developing 'painful callosities and corns' due to abnormal pressures placed on toes and plantar and dorsal areas of feet. He said: 'This could also cause an alteration of gait (walking style) which can lead to associated pain in feet, legs, knees and back, ie postural issues. 'There is also a risk, dependant on length of time, of damaging nerves causing neuropathy- loss of sensation in certain spots due to tightness. 'There would also be an effect on the circulation to the toes by restricted movement.' Commenting on Jolene's case, Mr Ahmed added: 'The temporary loss of sensation experienced by the patient means any blisters for example are not felt which can become problematic and possibly infected. 'Pulling the big toe over could also lead to a hallux valgus deformity which is when the first metatarsal phalangeal joint becomes more prominent on the medial side, which is irreversible unless we operate. This can also cause increased arthritic changes to occur in the joints being taped.' Mr Ahmed added: 'By massaging the feet and doing exercises such as yoga would help. Alternating at times without taping and wearing comfortable shoes also good.' Advertisement

Jolene has also splashed out a fortune on beauty treatments including full-body hair removal as part of an ongoing bid to drastically alter her appearance.

Speaking to MailOnline about her transformation, Jolene, who buys and sells businesses for a living, explained: 'It was almost accidental at first.

'As a child I really liked Bratz dolls. Then as I got older and realised that I wanted to become a woman, I started surgery to get the chin and the heart-shaped face.'

Bratz dolls, which exploded onto the toy scene in 2001 and spawned a spin-off TV show and movie, are known for their distinctive pointed chins, feline eyes and inflated pouts.

Jolene, who is currently single and has yet to go full gender reassignment surgery, revealed: 'Growing up as a boy, I never really thought about [playing with Bratz dolls].

Jolene pictured here aged 19 - the year she decided to transition - was inspired by Bratz dolls, which exploded onto the toy scene in 2001 and spawned a spin-off TV show and movie

Speaking about her image to FEMAIL, Jolene said: 'As a child I really liked Bratz dolls. Then as I got older and realised that I wanted to become a woman, I started surgery to get the chin and the heart-shaped face'

Transformation: Jolene previously told MailOnline how she has spent a staggering $92,500 AUD (£54,967) on cosmetic procedures including forehead fillers and jaw slimming

Glamorous Jolene, from Australia, has splashed out a fortune on beauty treatments including full-body hair removal as part of an ongoing bid to drastically alter her appearance

Jolene, who is currently single and has yet to go full gender reassignment surgery, revealed: 'Growing up as a boy, I never really thought about [playing with Bratz dolls]'

'But then, when I watched the cartoon, I realised they looked look like what I saw as beautiful.'

Although she underwent most of her surgery in the space of just six months Jolene, who buys and sells businesses for a living, says she realised from a young age that she wanted to be a woman.

She added: 'When I was a child I used to watch Baywatch with my family, and I thought when I got big I was going to be like the characters wearing the swimsuits and not the shorts.

'I decided to go ahead with it when I was 19 and had [the cosmetic surgery] over a six-month period. But I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve felt rushed.'

The 21-year-old told FEMAIL: 'I decided to go ahead with it when I was 19 and had [the cosmetic surgery] over a six-month period. But I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve felt rushed'

Jolene says: 'When I was a child I used to watch Baywatch with my family, and I thought when I got big I was going to be like the ones wearing the swimsuits and not the shorts'

The 21-year-old has splashed out a fortune on beauty treatments including full-body hair removal as part of an ongoing bid to drastically alter her appearance

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline FEMAIL about her transformation Jolene (pictured here in hospital before her nose job) explained: 'It was almost accidental at first'

Inspiration: Bratz dolls, which spawned a spin-off TV show and movie, are known for their distinctive pointed chins, feline eyes and inflated pouts

Jolene, who has funded all of her procedures herself, has no immediate plans to undergo full gender reassignment surgery but says she will go through with it 'eventually'.

For now, she is planning to have her Adam's apple removed and her belly button 'sewn up' in the next phase of her Bratz transformation.

And while Jolene admits her physical appearance attracts a lot of passing glances, she insists pays no heed to unwanted attention or cruel comments.

'I've always been really confident,' she said. 'If somebody doesn’t like me, it’s more a missed opportunity for them.'

Jolene has a strict policy of being '100 per cent open' with potential romantic partners, saying: 'If you're going home with me, you're going home with all of me.

'And if you don't want all of me, then I don't want all of you.'