I had the “world’s most painful operation” to grow from 6 feet tall to 6 feet 1 inch. I have been in excruciating pain for FOUR MONTHS and can only sleep two hours a night
A Colombian influencer who paid $175,000 to grow from six feet to six feet says he is in constant excruciating pain.
Yeferson Cossio, 29, underwent limb lengthening surgery – which involved breaking his legs, implanting metal rods and slowly stretching them – four months ago.
But as the rods have slowly pulled his bones apart to straighten them, he said the pain has become so bad he feels like he will collapse and he is desperate to get the rods out.
The pain is so excruciating that it ‘constantly interrupts’ his sleep, with Mr Cossio saying he can now only sleep ‘a maximum of about two hours (each night)’.
Although expensive, plastic surgeons estimate that the number of men undergoing this surgery has doubled in recent years.
Yefersen Cossio, 29, has said he is in excruciating pain after paying to increase his height from 6ft to 6ft. The operation cost approximately $175,000
The amazing procedure works by breaking at least two leg bones in half. Nails are then drilled into both ends of each femur and shin bone, which are slowly pulled apart with magnets, resulting in a longer bone over a period of a few weeks. But it can leave patients in pain and wheelchair-bound during the process, requiring months of physical therapy
Mr Cossio, who has 11.1 million followers on Instagram, said: ‘I’m very nervous, I want this to stop but that’s not possible.
‘I’m not sleeping well at the moment.
‘I normally sleep four to six hours a day. (But for) the last 11 or 12 days I have been able to sleep a maximum of two hours.
‘And that is constantly interrupted by periods of 15 to 20 minutes because of the pain in my legs.’
He added: ‘I’ve tried sleeping pills but they don’t work for me. The pain wakes me up and I feel devastated.’
“Maybe there will come a point where my body breaks down and I can’t handle the pain or whatever.”
Mr. Cossio said he paid between 200 million and 700 million Colombian pesos for the treatment, amounting to about $50,000 to $175,000, which he received at a clinic in Bogota, the country’s capital.
The surgery involved cutting the bone in his leg and placing magnetic rods and pins on each end.
The devices have been in his legs for four months now, extending them by up to a millimeter every day with a remote control.
Mr Cossio’s medical team said he should be able to resume normal activities after his recovery
A three-month progression from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City shows gradual lengthening of the femur, or femur. The circled opening shows the new bone growth
He will have them removed during surgery on January 25 and will then begin rehabilitation, where he will learn to walk, jog and run again.
In recent videos, he is mainly seen in a wheelchair, where he must remain seated while his leg bones lengthen.
Yeferson is pictured above with his limbs being extended. In the clip, the girl with him says that he is a giant now
Doctors also advise patients to adhere to a healthy diet and take calcium supplements to help bones heal faster.
The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City estimates that limb lengthening procedures have a 95 percent success rate. The hospital lists minor complications such as scarring and stiff joints as common risks and states that serious complications are rare.
Mr. Cossio’s surgeon pointed out that the surgery is typically used to adjust deformities where one limb remains longer than the other, or when a patient loses part of a limb in an accident.
However, doctors estimate that the number of men undergoing cosmetic limb lengthening surgery has doubled in the past three years.
The increase is part of an overall increase in male plastic surgery. A 2019 report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that more than 1.3 million cosmetic procedures were performed on men the year before, a 29 percent increase from 2000 to 2018.
And it seems that being bigger gives men more opportunities. A 2020 review examined the ethical implications of height extension. It turned out that taller people were more likely to have higher incomes, better education and better marriage potential.
Mr. Cossio is pictured above after surgery. He had to have the devices in his legs for four months, which caused his bones to slowly lengthen every day
The photos above also show Yeferson before, left, and after, right, the surgery. He is scheduled to have the devices removed later this month
Mr Cossio said he heard about the procedure after experiencing pain in his legs, although he did not explain what it was.
“Two years ago I had a problem with my legs that I don’t really want to talk about because it’s very personal,” Mr. Cossio said. “But one of the things that had the most impact on me was stretching the legs.”
“I looked into it, met some people and discovered that it does indeed exist.”
Mr Cossio’s surgeon said the influencer will be able to carry out his daily activities normally as he recovers, such as walking, exercising and playing football.
He said he plans to stay about six feet.
Mr Cossio showed off the results on Instagram together with his sister Cintia. While filming with her phone, she asks him, “At what point did you get so big?” Stand up straight for me.”