The number of short men undergoing painful surgeries to grow a few inches taller is on the rise in the US, a surgeon claims.
Dr. Shahab Mahboubian told NBC news he now performs twice as many leg lengthening surgeries — which cost between $75,000 and $170,000 — at his California clinic compared to three years ago.
The rise has been attributed to the ‘Tinder Generation’ obsession with dating taller men and short men being passed over for opportunities at work and in relationships.
Moses Gibson, 41, from Minnesota, made international headlines last week after undergoing two ‘excruciatingly painful’ surgeries to increase his height by two inches, taking him from a below-average 5ft 5 to 5ft 10.
The surgery involves breaking men’s legs, implanting magnetic rods and using a remote control to stretch them over a period of several months.
NuVasive Precice 2 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
A six-foot-tall man underwent “excruciatingly painful” $165,000 leg surgery to increase his height two inches. He is seen before (left) and after (right) the first procedure
“I get about 20 emails a day asking about limb lengthening procedures and up to 40 when one of our posts goes viral on TikTok or Instagram,” Dr Mahboubian told Insider.
‘The general population believes that whatever height you reach is your final height, but that’s not the case – a lengthening procedure offers the opportunity to get taller.’
Although men still make up only 8 percent of all cosmetic procedures performed each year in the US, the number is on the rise.
a 2019 report revealed that more than 1.3 million cosmetic procedures were performed on men in the previous year, a 29 percent increase between 2000 and 2018.
The most popular surgeries for men in 2020 were facelifts, eyelid corrections, rhinoplasty and liposuction.
Doctors tell DailyMail.com that the increase is due to more men are experiencing body dysmorphia, thanks to social media and societal expectations.
But men have long been insecure about their height – one Research conducted and published in 2016 by Body Logic MD on more than 1,000 men and women in the US found that 60 percent of men want to be taller.
And it seems that being taller gives men more opportunities. A review from 2020 explored the ethical implications of length extension. It found that taller people were more likely to have higher incomes, better education and greater marriage potential.
A smaller stature can also make dating a challenge. Research published last year studied the relationship between height and dating preferences among heterosexual people in the US, Canada, Cuba and Norway. The study found that men preferred shorter women and women preferred taller men relative to their own height.
Mr. Gibson finally decided to go under the knife to increase his size. He has now had two cosmetic procedures – which have cost him a whopping $165,000
A three-month progression from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York shows a gradual lengthening of the femur. The circled opening shows the new bone growth
This was the case for Mr. Gibson, who underwent two surgeries to grow two inches taller.
It cost him about $165,000 and a grueling recovery. But he claims it was worth it.
‘[After the first surgery] I became less hesitant and less concerned about the outcome when I talked to women. I’ve got a girlfriend now,’ Mr Gibson said.
“I started wearing shorts and taking full body shots, which I never used to do. It’s crazy, no one should feel this way.’
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.
Dr. Rozbruch also writes that those recovering from surgery should stick to a healthy diet and take calcium supplements to help the bones heal faster.
At the end of the recovery, the rods are removed in a separate procedure.
“Limb lengthening surgery can be performed safely and effectively in both children and adults, including those in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and even 60s,” writes Dr. Rozbruch.
A 26-year-old named Alex (not his real name) also underwent leg lengthening surgery last January, making him four inches taller. He told NBC News that shorter men “routinely get down because of this trait that they can’t control.”
“My goal was never to be tall. It’s to be in a place where no one says anything about my height,’ Alex said.
He estimated the entire process cost him $100,000.
The Height Lengthening Institute, where Dr. Mahboubian works, charges about $82,000 to $169,000. Because the surgeries are cosmetic, insurance probably won’t cover them.
Surgeries to lengthen the legs depend on the body’s ability to regenerate new bone, writes Dr. S. Robert Rozbruch, MD, chief of limb lengthening at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. website.
The body can also grow soft tissues, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves to support the new bone.
The Hospital for Special Surgery 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.
“There has been a dramatic shift in the perception of this surgery in the United States and interest in the field is rapidly increasing, with many promising developments on the horizon, including new devices that promote faster healing,” said Dr. Rozbruch.