A medical student has revealed that she subsidizing her studies by making over $6,000 a month - or $70,000 a year - selling pictures of her feet to people online.
Known by her professional name Sweet Arches, the 28-year-old self-confessed foot fetishist - who also works in a hospital theatre - has issued a warning to others thinking they can make a quick buck selling pictures of their tootsies.
Sweet Arches stresses that the process is incredibly time-consuming and that she devotes six to 10 hours a day to her sideline business. She also emphasizes that "aesthetically pleasing feet" like her own are essential.
After amassing over 106,000 fans on Instagram, she also gets between 50 and 100 requests a day via her OnlyFans account from people asking her to do everything from lick her toes to crushing ants between them.
The med student, from Portland, Oregon, explained: "Some people like the soles of the feet, some like the toes, some like to see them in different positions.
"People like to watch me crush things, like raspberries, grapes, or cakes with my toes. I’ve actually had someone ask me to squish ants, but that’s a no-no for me. Anything that’s living, I won’t do that!
"Some fans like ‘self-foot worship,’ where I play with my feet on camera. Others ask me to suck, kiss or lick my toes, or ask for me to send them worn boots or shoes."
She added: "One client asked for a pair of my boots. A lot of people with a foot fetish like the stinky smell, but it’s super hard for me to get my feet to stink. The client was still happy though, even though they smelled like my coconut foot mask!
“After one month of doing this, I tripled my hospital income as a surgical assistant - which is $2,000 (£1,600) before tax. It’s insane.
"Having a foot fetish myself, I started doing it for fun a year ago, just to share pictures of my cute feet. I didn’t think I could make a living from it."
Since she was a child, Sweet Arches says she has been fascinated by her own and other people’s feet, recalling: "I have always had a foot fetish, enjoying pedicures and making sure my feet look good.
"Even when I was very young, I’d always compliment people on their feet or randomly give foot massages to my friends, whereas most people think feet are weird. They would call me gross.
"Then, about two years ago, a friend showed me that there was a whole community of others like me online, so I dived right in. I was so happy to find like-minded people.
"I set up my own page on Instagram in May 2019 and started posting pictures and videos every day. I had no idea what I was doing, but looked at other sites for inspiration, then a few bigger pages gave me a shout out, so my followers went up.
"Now I have 105,000 followers on Instagram and 25,000 on Twitter."
Six months later, Sweet Arches set up an OnlyFans account – a social media platform that allows 'Fans' to pay a subscription for exclusive content from 'Creators'. She says: "I direct everybody to my OnlyFans site, so they can request videos or pictures.
"I’m still on a learning curve with it all. Some girls will offer pornographic videos or pictures, but I do not do that.
"There’s all kinds of different stuff and you can make it your own."
As well as the monthly subscriptions, Sweet Arches also revealed that she recieves tips in the form of gifts from her fans, and recently enjoyed a day out at a spa.
"I now have almost 1,000 subscribers on Only Fans, and usually get 50 to 100 messages or requests a day, so it is a lot to get through - although I have a friend who used to be a porn star, who gets more than 1,000," she said.
"Mine are mostly to do with feet, but there are requests for other pictures.
"I never get fully naked. I do respond to some risqué requests, but I’m cautious.
"The strangest request was from someone asking me to run him over in my car! I said absolutely not. That’s definitely the craziest thing I’ve refused to do.
"Working in a hospital, I thought that would be quite counter-productive!
"Everybody is super respectful, though. Even if they are asking me for something and I tell them I’m not willing to do it, they are still really polite."
Sweet Arches added: "But I do get sent, shall we say, pictures of male anatomy. That is a hazard of the job!"
Sweet Arches also makes sure her fans are kept happy by ensuring that her feet are always in good condition. She said:
"I do my own pedicures and manicures twice a month. Often I will go for natural or nude nail colors, but I will also take requests from people.
"I love a foot mask, too, and have a double-sided pumice stone in the shower that I use every day.
"I think if someone takes care of their feet, the rest of their body will look good. Feet and hands are so overlooked, even though research shows that feet are as sensory as the body’s more intimate areas."
Sweet Arches admits that, since starting her OnlyFans site, she has also developed a hand fetish and says her work has helped her to feel empowered.
She said: "I feel in control of my body and I can say yes or no to requests. I’m so passionate about it and have so much respect for the foot fetish community."
She also says that her friends and family fully support her side business.
However, Sweet Arches confessed that she does receive some negative comments:
"Most of the messages I get are really nice, but I will get the odd vomit emoji. The most negative thing I’ve heard is that I’m fat or a chubby girl – and that doesn’t bother me at all.
"I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to make an income from this and that I can pay for my studies."
She explained: "My ultimate goal is to be able to help my mum to retire. She is in remission from cancer and has been continuing to work as an auditor and quality line leader through her recovery. She is a powerhouse and I’d love to be able to help her."
But, with unemployment rising due to the pandemic, Sweet Arches is now warning others that think that selling pictures of their feet is a quick way to make money.
"It takes time and commitment to get to where I am now and you do have to have aesthetically pleasing feet, like I do," she said.
"I spend six to 10 hours a day doing this. It’s a full-time job. You can’t just start doing it and expect to make all this money.
"You really have to respect the foot fetish community, too. We all look out for each other as well, so we will know if you’re not genuine and if you’re just looking for a way to make a quick buck.
"While, the fact that I have a foot fetish myself has really helped me to understand why people enjoy it so much, which has probably helped to make me a success."
To follow Sweet Arches search @sweet.arches on Instagram and on Twitter @sweet_arches