Meet the California surgeon who lengthens limbs and purposely breaks men’s legs so they can grow six feet
With his slicked back hair and carefully practiced smile, he could look like an ordinary Los Angeles surgeon.
Dr. However, Shahab Mahboubian does not specialize in age-defying facelifts, breast augmentations or other Hollywood-beloved surgeries.
Instead, he focuses solely on limb lengthening – a dazzling procedure that can make a person six inches taller. Still, it can cost up to $170,000 (£134,000).
The operation consists of deliberately breaking both legs. After that, magnetic rods are placed in snapped thighs and shins and then gently stretched over a few months using a remote-controlled device.
More men than ever are now undergoing the procedure in desperation to add a few extra inches to their height, according to Dr. Mahboubian.
Dr. Shahab Mahboubian, 47, of Burbank, California, can stretch his patients’ limbs up to 5 inches (13 cm)
The surgeon, who heads the Height Lengthening Institute, said he’s “definitely seen more requests” and about 80 percent of his clients are men
It costs £60,000 to extend your thigh and at least £65,000 for your shin, but he says people will undergo the painful treatment because they think it will make them look more attractive to women
In fact, the 47-year-old claims he now performs twice as many surgeries at his clinic in Burbank, California, compared to just three years ago. Eighty percent of his clientele are also men.
Why? Well, dr. Mahboubian claims it’s because men think getting taller will make them more attractive to women.
Dr. Mahboubian, owner of the Height Lengthening Institute, said: ‘Being short can have a huge psychological and mental impact on someone’s life and can lower their confidence.
“Those who undergo the surgery long for more self-confidence and are tired of feeling inferior to others.”
He added: ‘The psychologically positive impact and increase in self-esteem after growing taller is huge and truly beautiful to watch.’
The rise has been attributed to the ‘Tinder Generation’ obsession with dating taller men.
For the past eight years, Tinder- and Plenty of Fish-style dating has meant that today’s youth are going on more dates and having more sex than their parents at the same age, according to Samsung Galaxy research.
The term itself was coined by Tinder itself after they had an online meltdown in 2015 in response to a Vanity Affair article.
Another possible reason to explain why the majority of his clients are men, Dr Mahboubian said: ‘Women can wear high heels to increase their height.
“In addition, men are generally more attractive and successful when they are taller.”
Surgery involves cutting the bone and inserting magnetic rods and pins into the leg.
For the next three to four months, the legs are extended by up to 1 millimeter or 0.04 inches each day using an external remote control. This helps new bone grow over the rods.
Patients then undergo several months of physical therapy and must walk with a mobility aid, such as a walker or crutches.
In a TikTok post, he explains how the procedure works, showing the large nail that is implanted in the leg
The nails work by breaking at least two leg bones in half. Nails are then drilled into each end of each femur or tibia, which is slowly teased apart with magnets over weeks as it heals naturally, resulting in a longer bone. But it can leave patients in pain and wheelchair-bound during the process, requiring months of physical therapy afterwards
Dr Mahboubian’s clinic offers individual femur or tibia lengthening, although it can still cost around $90,000 (£71,000).
For those seeking better results, it promises a ‘combined’ procedure three to four weeks apart.
The surgery has come a long way since it was first developed in the early 1950s as a means of treating soldiers’ injuries by Soviet doctor Gavriil Ilizarov.
It used external round frames drilled into the bone that could lengthen and stretch the legs.
The process works similarly to the internal magnet technique, except that the telescoping rods are outside the body and can be extended by manually turning the screws.
Nevertheless, like any surgery, the new process is not without complications.
Joint dislocation, blood clots and a fatal condition caused by oil leaking from the rod ends and entering the lungs are just a few of the many risks.
Not only is there a long list of problems, but the procedure and recovery are painful – one man was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep.
While some men think it will make them more attractive, others do it in hopes of looking like their childhood heroes.
Then and now: After surgery, Alfonso Flores, 28, of Dallas, Texas, stands at six feet tall, two inches tall as a result of an advanced procedure
Alfonso was able to take his first rehabilitation steps just one day after surgery. Pictured: X-ray before surgery (left) and after with the implants (right)
Alfonso Flores, 28, went from 5ft 11 to 6ft 1 to be more like the basketball players he grew up with.
Although Alfonso is not one of Dr. Mahboubian, the surgeon shares his equally successful results on social media.
He has a combined 170,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram. Photos show men going from 5ft4in to 5ft7in after the procedure.