Most dance teachers will tell you that more often than not a beginning pointe student will outgrow their shoes before they wear them out. The teacher must watch the students carefully and question them when they suspect that a students shoe have grown too tight. Some children will complain, while others will suffer in silence.

The parent must be made aware that starting their child in pointe shoes is a very expensive endeavor. Pointe shoes do not wear like other shoes. A professional dancer can wear out a pair of shoes in 1/4 of a performance, and an advanced dance student can wear out a pair of pointe shoes in a week and many times more frequently than that. Parents must be made aware that pointe shoes should under no circumstances be bought "to grow into". They must fit like a glove from the first wearing. The tips of the toes should just touch the tip of the shoe. Parents must also understand that having their child wear pointe shoes for longer than they should can cause severe injuries to the feet and ankles, not limiting the chances of broken toes, a broken foot, and even a broken ankle.

If finances are a concern, then a parent should think over the idea of putting their child on pointe throughly and decide if they are willing to manage their finances around the cost of pointe shoes. In todays world, it is not unusual for a pair of pointe shoes to cost upwards of sixty dollars or more depending on the manufacturer.

Shoes that are worn out might become very soft and muchy in the box and shank; sometimes the block or shank may crack or be severely bent out of shape. When this occurs the shoe no longer procides the needed support to sustain the human body on the tips of the toes. The look of the satin is rarely an issue in shoe replacement.