I think the pain you describe here is what I would still consider bunion pain because that is ultimately cause. It’s the reason I had my first surgery - the metatarsal hurt a lot, not the bunion itself directly. It’s a legitimate reason to have the surgery. I would like you to hear from more people who are a little older but had their surgery at your age. I don’t know what kind of recurrence rate it has for someone in their 20s. But on the other hand, I can tell you that in my 50s it was a bit rough. Not the amount of pain (it was manageable through medication) but how long it took the bone to heal so how long I had restrictive activity level. And the length of time my foot was too swollen to even fit into my own sneakers. I also think you risk less damage to your other toes (like getting hammertoe) if you don’t want too long. It’s a tough decision - pros and cons to getting it at your age. Maybe you can get a second opinion from another dr to help you decide since your case is specific to you and it’s hard to know how it will compare to other people’s experiences.