Leg-lengthening: The people having surgery to be a bit taller - BBC News 

Employers: Prefer hiring taller men. Women: Only want to date tall guys. Men: *get leg-lengthening surgery* Society: Why would you do that? Your height is okay. *surprised Pikachu face*

2010: Love yourself however you are. 2020: Change everything that isn't socially accepted.

How to get taller? Google: Eat more veggies Bing:

People are commenting (understandably) that the world "should" accept people as they are, but the people having the surgery are doing it based on their actual reality, not what the world should be like. Obviously most braces aren't needed on teeth either, but we spend thousands and put kids through pain for cosmetic reasons. It's all on a spectrum.

I hate my height, but this makes my legs hurt just watching.

I’ve had this surgery in 2008 when I was eight years old. I had it done on my left leg because when I was born it was significantly shorter than my right leg and the difference would have increased as I got older. I was in the hospital for 3 months, body cast for 6 weeks, and physiotherapy for a very long time afterwards. Now my legs are practically equal, but I would NOT recommend this surgery to anyone if the reason is only to be a few inches taller. I have a huge scar on my leg from this, it was a very painful process, and if you have complications your leg may have to be amputated. In my situation, I am thankful that my parents made the decision to go ahead with this surgery.

2 inches tall here: it's fun skydiving off the bed every morning, but the day is spent climbing up again in time for bed.

I am a short guy myself, 5'4". It has affected my self esteem for a while for two reasons, myself and of course women. But now, I don't care and just laugh it off. I remember one time at a party in which a group of friends were talking, and one girl said she won't date a short a guy. The rest of the girls agreed. I was the shortest one in the group. Then, my roommate said that he won't date a fat girl either. Suddenly, they went berserk on him for being shallow and body shaming etc. I kept sipping my drink in disbelief. Eventually, life taught me none of this shit mattered, and it is all noise. I remained the unseen person, where every other joke is about my height. Little by little, I joined the jokes. The unseen me was the person everyone underestimated, never considered to be a competition, never taken seriously, or even my ideas were not heard. The toughest part, is that this was happening in my private life, and also at work simultaneously. I started to not care, relationship? I don't care, status? I don't care etc. 10 years later, it was me, the unseen, the underestimated, through the cheap uppercut from the blind side reached what I wanted to be. High school reunion occured, and the joke became the person that everyone wanted to meet and speak to at the reunion, and give a speech. Well, I did not attend. In my defense, I fell a sleep after long marathon of watching the squid game 😂. I love my life, my career, and who I am today and I don't have to share it with anyone. Surely, I went on couple of dates but never progressed beyond the first date because I am short lol. Not saying I am giving up. I am tired of women hypocrisy of making everything about themselves, I am tired of society being shameless, I am tired standing up for myself or debating it. I am not giving up. However, it is no longer my priority, but only an after thought. I am blessed to have what I have , my career, my education, my blood family and my best friend. Everything else is noise.

Being short has definitely contributed to my low self esteem and depression. I’d just be happy with being average.

I’m only 5’9” and knowing the fact some dude went through a painful, serious surgical procedure just to be 2 inches shorter than me makes me kinda sad.

Body positivity be: "It's okay to be 300lbs" also "Shorter than 6'0 go away"

how is it "perceived" dysmorphia if women actually want tall men.

I'm 5ft11 and still get called short 😂. No matter what people will always judge and compare so you are better off just accepting your self for who your are.

5'11 guy: 'OMG guys don't worry about your height, I get called sHorT'

The rationale is no different for any other plastic surgery. The only difference is this is much more risky.

Imagine doing this to only be told you're not tall enough

This is proof that beauty standards and norms need to be changed. The fact that people feel the need to do such extreme things to feel accepted is sad.

I’m 5’4”. There’s no way in hell I would ever do that. Being short has never kept me from enjoying life.

Being short has as many advantages as being Tall. Lets make a 'Short List' of them 😃

I hate the stigma on height. I thought society was past all these backward beauty practices, like skin whitening lead and foot binding before the 20th century.

physical pain is not as bad as emotional pain. being short kills you inside emotionally.

When I was 15 I was the shortest kid in class and 5'2". I was bullied by a tall kid who was about 5'6". I ended up going to a different school. About 10 years later I met him again. He was still 5'6" and I was, naturally, 6'2". The funny thing is that until I could finally look down on him I still felt short because of memories of his bullying.

All the skeptics are 6ft and above

As a short person I can understand why someone might choose to do this but even hearing it makes my legs hurt. Best of wishes for whoever is brave enough to go through it

As a 5'3" man, I find this very interesting. But also terrifying and I would never!

The issue with this surgery is that your arms look super short in comparison to your legs… like a Trex.

I had a deformity and had to have my leg lengthened by 5cm. I found it mind boggling that people would do this just to be taller. This was one of the hardest procedures I've ever had to go through and would probably never do it again even if I have to.

I moved to southeast Asia 10 years ago to feel normal with my height. Unfortunately, kids are now being better fed, so I’m short again.

I’ve had this surgery, only on one leg as i had deformity. I have broken both bones In my leg before and let me tell you this is much much worse. Pain so bad you eventually can’t feel anything after a while. Pain that made me so tired i could barely do school, and when i came home i went straight to sleep. And after all that i had complications. Had to have experimental stem cell surgery to fix it or i would not have walked again. Probaly cost a million pounds ,thankfully nationalised healthcare covered it. Still i can still feel that pain everytime i play footie or run to the bus. Think twice.

thats for recommending this to me, who is 5' 4"

tbh being short is the reason I’m depressed and enormously insecure

"simply because they just dont like their height" is such a dogshit way of framing it. people really dont have an idea the amount of mental burden and difficulties being shorter than like 170cm is for a guy.

Tall people to short people: “Height doesn’t matter! You’ll find someone eventually. Love yourself” Rich people to poor people: “Money doesn’t buy happiness! Do what you love!” Good looking people to average or ugly people: “Looks don’t matter! It’s all about confidence!” Athletes: “Everyone’s a winner!”

he's 5'7 now if he wears boots + lifts, he goes up to 5'9 which is average life-changing

I am a male 5'3'' and most males in my family are that tall. No question in my genetics. I have never felt inferior to the rest of the population. I work as a cop and have to keep an optimal physical strength everyday. And that means running, weight lifting, swimming, boxing, MMA, and shooting exercises on a weekly basis. Coming home and feel totally exhausted of my job demands is enough for me to endure everyday.

Short men are 54% more likely to commit violent suicide, so I’m no surprised. Short height in men brings a lot of lifetime pain.

I wonder how the legs will be when they are seniors. Most people get aches and pains if they've had any injuries in the past

Girls: "Short men can go die teehee" Also Girls: LoVE AnD AcCePt YOuRsELf FoR WhO yOU ArE U DoNT NeEd SuRGery

I would be worried of doing squats or running if I did this.

Doesn't this throw off your proportions. Everything stays the same length, only your upper leg lengthens. Going to sit on your knees suddenly your feet are halfway under your leg instead of under your bum. If you try to sit with your feet on the chair they wouldn't reach and your knee would be in your face.

As a tall women i knew the chances were high that the man i fell in love with would be shorter then me. It absolutely doesn't bother me that my husband is shorter then me. Why would i limit my choice of partner based of hight? The import things in a relationship really have little to do with hight.

For you guys who are 5'10" or taller, you won't understand me/us. Literally and figuratively, I/We have been looked down upon countless times by men and women alike.

You’ll only get this surgery if you’re _very_ short, but it can only add 13cm. So, very short people are becoming... quite short people. Sad state of affairs really.

If you’re above 5’6”. You simply do not get it. It’s debilitating being shorter than every guy AND girl. It’s depressing.

Breaking both your legs to improve other people's perception of you is awful. It's an understatement to say that things need to change. As a woman I've seen a lot of short men who look a 100 times more masculine and attractive than taller men I've seen (and I'm 5'11). It always upsets me when my male friends talk about how insecure they are about their height and there's nothing you can say to make them feel better. They simply believe that being short makes them unlovable and unattractive, it doesn't help that there are women who put in their dating profiles that they don't want someone shorter than them. Imagine having to swipe past that every day. We all have preferences, but these preferences are often informed by media like shitty romance tropes, or stupid ideas about what's masculine that men feed eachother.

I'm 5'3", so I get the desire to be taller, but my advice is stop giving a crud on this. There are more important matters which you should focus onto.

"Is weed legal in France" : first thing appeared on Google search

Being shorter has a few advantages, eventhough in the mating game you're significantly disadvantaged whilst partially prejudiced in other areas. As a small person you do not recieve respect, you work for it. Being short: Advantages- Increased stealth & easy to climb into places (Hopping over fences is very easy if you can get good footholds as well as if you have developed upper body strength) Generally more agile than taller people & nimble Lower center of gravity, strong bonus in ground game if you're strong (can result in being very slippery & hard to pin down) Very easy to manuever in crowds & avoiding detection Generally better acceleration than taller people Can fit into smaller areas as well as better comfortability Easier to build muscle Easy to slav squat Disadvantages- People will look to you as weaker generally because you are atleast physically less of a threat (can mitigate this by being fit/ripped) Less reach, weight, height & muscle in sports & fighting Generally slower maxiumum running speed (atleast in my opinion) Barriers to dating certain women Nasty comments whilst people will use your height against you as a weapon socially People think they can push you around, your dominance will be tested & undermined Generally the disadvantages carry more weight but enjoy what you have, your playing on hard mode so get used to it.

I’m 16 5’2 and I hope I’m able to make enough money to afford this surgery. Image your whole life being told that your going to grow and then told by your doctor that your done growing. I just had a wave of failure and depression wash over me and the way it made me feel I do t ever want to have kids especially a boy and have him go through the shit I’m going through and feeling suicidal like me.

Very happy 5’5” guy here in a wonderful long-term relationship with a taller woman. Confidence>>height

I’ve broken my femur in an accident before... I can tell you it is was THE MUST EXCRUCIATING PAIN I ever experienced and that wasn’t my only fracture. Also, after a bone’s fractured, no matter how light it may be your body’s strength is never the same. You’ll also experience constant aches and pains from exercise, standing for long periods of time... not worth the few inches!

I’ve had this surgery done for angular correction (deformity), and it’s excruciating. But I think people who do limb lengthening for cosmetic/vanity purposes (for a few inches) choose to do so by underestimating the pain and/or risk. Bone fusion is not guaranteed and the pain during bone distraction is extreme.

As someone who's 6'3 I can't say I don't understand what these guys are doing. Thinking about being a full foot shorter than I am and approaching woman seems like a nightmare. FFS approaching woman at my height is rough. Telling these guys to love themselves isn't going to make society anymore accepting or their lives any easier I'm glad that they found a way to feel happy in their own bodies even if that required a risky surgery.

He broke his legs to be 5,7 ....5,7 guys are breaking there legs to be 5,9 , 5,9 guys are breaking there legs to be 5,11 ......etc. ( this is insane just love yourself, self love is the best love )

Wish more people would talk about body positivity when it comes to men too.

Why noone talking about the female judging of small men as subhumans? Hating someone for his/her heigt is the very same like hating someone for his/her skincolor.

As a woman I don't blame him at all for wanting to be taller. I'm 5.7 myself and would call myself average height so I can't imagine how it must feel for a guy to be 5.4. I just feel extremely bad for him. Life is unfair as hell. He was seriously trying to do something about it, find a solution...at least us girl can get most surgeries relatively easily done, like boob jobs etc.

I am 5’7” and I still want to get taller . I change my mind after this . Got to learn to be grateful .

"we got our knees done" - said Marcus, from the movie White Chicks (2004) and now this is what's happening in real life 😳

I’m 5’4. Even if I had the money, the risks and pain just don’t seem worth it. If it would magically make me 6’0 then absolutely, but it’s just a few inches. Honestly, I’m surprised by his results. The difference is very noticeable and it seems to have made him happier.

Happiness does not comes from outside, but from within yourself. BUT obviously not from your leg.

I’m 22 and 5’2 with a 5’7 fiancée. From what I’ve learned, you have to step out of your shell, you have to pretend your height doesn’t exist. You have to deflect comments made towards your height and have tons of confidence and charisma.

if your choice is being constantly looked down upon by most people you meet, or pain, I'm not remotely surprised some people chose pain.

It’s annoying that the doctor is shutting this surgery down when he himself is tall. Talk about not getting it.

It's almost like there is a societal pressure on men to be tall if you want to succeed at anything.

WHY would ANYone purposely make the biggest bone in their body weaker?!? Just sad that that is seen as a 'solution' to anything.

I was forest gump during the “run forest - run!” clip as a kid. I had Severe club feet and it’s a miracle I can walk normally at all. As a result I’m 5’6” and have a deformed hand as well from birth defect. THANK GOD! Otherwise I might have considered something extreme like this. Instead, I was forced to grow a thick skin against bullies and shallow women, and work harder than taller counterparts to get ahead. Phauch what some people thinks… they’re stupid and we all know it. Work hard, make a good living, get a dog who loves you no matter what, live simply, travel to countries where you are appreciated by women for who you are. (East Asia is good for this). And you’ll never consider something as absurdly destructive to your body as this… live the life you were given and stop worrying about stupid shit like “if only I were 5’7” instead of 5’4”. Unless surgery gets you over 6’ tall… you’re phauched anyway from a societal acceptance point anyway… So spend your time accomplishing productive shit, instead of whining about stupid shit.

Acknowledging the impact of consistent stretching routines and 3 bottles of #heightryzer supplement! Unveiling this captivating journey at 24, standing at 5'7", and reaching 5'10" within 6 months, emphasizes the efficacy of your guidance. Truly transformative! 🙌🌟

Society: Men under 6 feet aren real men Females: Dont talk to me if you are under 6 feet Me (5'5): Ah yes that gonna be great 80 years of living

I’m 5ft2, I once considered this surgery but the thought of cutting my bones to half really terrified me and I’m sure there will be some consequences later when you’re in your 50s or 60s above. I have a very low self-esteem cause I’m quite short for a man in his 20s but lately I don’t care anymore...don’t care who and what they think of me. Why harm yourself to get taller when you can improve yourself by learning or doing more things like swimming, martial arts, etc. You can still do those things and be damn good at it and you’ll definitely enjoy it. Cheers guys, don’t let your height be the one that stops you doing the things you love now or in the future.

I'm 5''8, but I live in the Netherlands so that's practically like being 4''0 everywhere else

People who call these people crazy don't know that emotional pain is muuuch worse than physical pain ...needless to say that physical pain in this case lasts only for a few months

I’m 5ft3 and have never had much problem with my height. Work on your body and most women don’t care. The ones that do , you probably don’t want to know anyway. Just wear some tall man shoes if your that worries about it lol

I really do believe two things, however: 1. That taller men have an advantage in life where shorter men are physically and figuratively overlooked and 2. That taller men are unaware of this advantage as they simply grew up with it and into it and failed to notice anything unusual about their outcomes versus the outcomes of their peers. But I prefer to wear my Wescos than have my legs sawn apart, call me old fashioned.

My Indian colleague had this surgery in India. Height increased from 5ft 4 to 5ft 9. No complications. If you're thinking of this, have surgery in India. It is very popular surgery for men in India.

for £120,000 ? what happened to the old fashioned buying a sports car to boost confidence?

People understand body shaming is an issue when it's against overweight girls. People then think it's funny to body shame short guys... of course this was going to happen.

The problem definitely is not perceived : that shorter men are treated invisible in the dating world. But I know a wrong solution when I see one and this is definitely it

Ive had relatives who had had fractures and bone repairs (just injuries or accidents not this type of surgery). A number of them have had chronic pain and discomfort as a result. In my experience, surgeries frequently have side effects, either now or in the future. I'd be very cautious about getting a surgery like this for what is essentially vanity. You don't know what effect it could have down the road.

I had to have this procedure done and I almost died from the bone I got. It wasn’t an elected surgery and I had it done in America where I live. Having to literally remove my skin from the pins everyday and getting the screws turned was absolute hell. I’m sorry so many people feel as though they have to go to these extremes to be taller. I hope everyone finds their peace.

I am just 4ft 11. Its you, how you think of yourself that matters, how you treat others, you can be any height, height doesn't matter.

Girls: I don't date short guys Socially acceptable ✅ Guys: I don't date fat girls Girls: *triggered*

5'4" male here. Went through a good amount of ridicule as a teenager because of my height. ....that in turn lead to me working out at a young age to defend myself, and joining the Army to find a sense of belonging somewhere where "the mission" is all that matters. ............that in turn lead to me owning a house in my early twenties (using the VA homeloan i earned in the Army), and because of my short stature, strong frame, and hardened mind, I now climb 400' towers for a living, earning about 90K a year. (It's a high demand job because few people have the fitness or mental capacity to do it) I think if i was born average (or tall) height and never went through any "society induced hardship" in my teenage years, i'd just be working a simple (rather boring) job while renting an appartment and complaining about joint pains. Hope this puts out some perspective and inspiration to any of my fellow hobbits who may read it. Don't be a moron and have your legs broken so you can fit in to society's mold. There's advantages to being short. Use em.

I’m actually shocked this has made it to the news. This is something I plan on doing in the future.

0:05 All this to be 5'7 😭😭😭 Short Kings, we deserve better

Black , white, short ,highted, skinny ,fat, all are going live like 75 or may 105 years if they got good health... what's point of such surgeries?

I am a 4ft 10 female, very petite - have 2 sons both very tall, one over six feet. I wore high heels until was 70 - now I don't bother. To all tiny people - just try and enjoy your lives - it is so precious❤

So we’re going to get a bunch of really tall people with T-Rex arms

I say go for it. Your body, your choice

If a woman judges you for your height or anything else about your body then she's not the one

95% of limb lengthening surgeries are successful. It’s not that dangerous plus after a few months of pain, being taller is worth it.

Lets remember that adding 2 inches to your height is about increasing your height by 3%, but if you could add 2 inches to your pocket sword that could increase it by 30% to 40%

What!? The procedures is so painful!!! I can’t believe anyone doing it!!! I was born short and long leg because my right leg have different growth rate than my left. I did leg lengthening when I was 6 years old, then I did again in 7th , 8th, 12th and my last is 18 years old because that is when your growth slowed down . The procedures takes times and you will definitely have scars in your leg. You need to clean your wound everyday to prevent infection. So I really can’t believe people did this intentionally. I am from Malaysia and the procedures is expensive and I am blessed to have my family support. If you are reading this, thank you and have a nice day Edit: yup, you will sure have early osteoporosis. My doctor already told me this when I was 18 years old so I can never be normal and that is fine. Your achievement is more important than your appearance

Ive never understood why the society is so complexed about height.

Reminds me of when my mom told me that if you are tall, people have better impression of you at first sight. It is easier for you to look more intimidating, sometimes helping you to get attention or respect. However, if you are short, you have to act more feistier just to get the same amount of first impression as tall people. Especially, since she was like 4 foot something, she said she had an especially hard time in businesses, with prices or when working with several NGOs on her later days (especially cause the area she worked for was more gender biased)

I’m sorry but it’s easy for tall or regular height men to say this is not a big deal or this should be classed as body dis morphia !! Try reading the horrible comments about short men on the social media and then tell me this is just in their heads! Why are we so full of denial about the sad fact of life ?! We are told that this and that is ok when actually it’s not ok and it’s most painful for the Person who has to live with the condition Let’s be honest and talk honestly and not just talk just for the sake of it .

When you get told time and time again by women they don’t feel comfortable going out with a short guy.. or a short woman often say they wear heels so even if they’re are shorter than you or the same height ...you suddenly realise this is important to the majority of women

The society has made boy child worthless without money, that is not enough now he doesn't fit in a society if he is not tall. Ladies be considerate it is not their wish to be so.

Let people do whatever they wanna do, y'all mad at everything

Easy and more cost effective solution- buy a pair of Jordan 3s (one of the Jordans with the thickest insoles) which adds about 4cm, put 3 cm insole, you’re up 6-7 cm, similar gains to this procedure