The past decade has witnessed a prominent rise in popularity of leg lengthening surgery, evolving from a strictly medical procedure to a common aesthetic one. Dramatic increases in social capabilities and self-confidence have been recorded in those who have gone through this lengthy procedure. However, such increases only come after a serious and long-term commitment to the procedure as well as a lot of work on your part. In this article, we will discuss how much this growing taller surgery costs as well as whether there are taller surgery side effects.
Before we answer your question of “Is leg lengthening surgery worth it?”, let’s start with why people want to grow taller through surgery. The truth is, being tall has many advantages. If reaching the top shelf does not sound attractive to you, then a more active social life would definitely do. In fact, society places a lot of emphasis on a man’s height while it does not care much about a woman’s height unless she is remarkably above or below average. Numerous scientific studies have shown that the height of their partner is more important to women than to men.
To explain this, one theory suggests that we instinctually consider those who are taller more dominant and powerful. As a result, taller men trigger a feeling of security and safety in women. Taller men also benefit from this perception of being powerful to propel up the social and corporate ladders. Taller people are found to earn more on average than their shorter counterparts.
How do I make my bones grow longer? Can you surgically get taller?
The thought of getting taller through surgery might cross your mind at least once if you are not endowed with the genetics to be able to reach the top shelf. You may need to do a lot of research and explore can you get your legs lengthened or how many inches can you grow with limb lengthening. To make taller surgery work, it requires a commitment, and the effects, be it positive or negative, will stay with you forever.
First and foremost, there will be scars all over your legs. However, most patients report that their lives are not affected in any significant way. Besides, as there is a drastic change in your posture and height before and after taller surgery, you will need to get a whole new wardrobe. This can be a con or a pro depending on your lifestyle. You will also need to consume more calories on a daily basis with the added muscle mass.
Some people may wonder “Does limb lengthening make you disproportionate?”, but it actually depends on how you take care of yourself during the recovery process and whether you follow your doctor’s instructions closely or not. Before it is used for cosmetic purposes, leg lengthening is a technique to correct deformities of the bones, joints, and soft tissues. For this reason, limb lengthening will ensure the proportion of your bones. Despite this, your center of gravity may take a while to adjust and you will potentially hit your head on things you never had to worry about before.
How long is leg lengthening? Does bone lengthening hurt?
What about healing time? How long does it take to recover from limb lengthening surgery? The answer is from six months to one year as your body has to build a significant amount of new muscle, bone, flesh, and nerves. Needless to ask “Is leg lengthening surgery painful?” because yes, you will have to suffer from pain, lots of it. It is allegedly the worst during the procedure and will subside greatly once the lengthening is done and healing increases. More importantly, the procedure could result in serious side effects such as bone damage from refracture and bowing, nerve damage, or joint stiffness which are potentially lifelong or irreversible.
How much is the surgery to make you taller?
This is a common question when it comes to leg lengthening surgery. It is undoubtedly one of the most expensive cosmetic procedures in the world. According to the Paley Institute, you will have to pay at least $100,000 in the US for surgery to lengthen your legs. This plus the costs during the healing process and physical therapy can amount up to $300,000 in total. But is leg lengthening surgery covered by insurance? Unfortunately, no, as of now, insurance does not cover the cost of such “I want to be taller surgery”.
At this point, you might ask yourself “why is limb lengthening so expensive?”. Well, if you consider what is actually going on during this procedure, it can help justify the price but still, although so many people desire it, the cost is a huge barrier. Let’s find out more in the next section.
How does limb lengthening work?
Our bones naturally regenerate themselves to fix the fracture when they break. This is the basis for how does height increase surgery work. Limb lengthening works by separating the bone and pulling apart or distracting the bone segments very slowly. This leaves a gap to form in the bones. As distraction in the bone segments slowly happens, your bones regenerate, which leads to an increase in bone length.
An osteotomy is performed throughout the leg lengthening surgery. It is a surgical cut of the bone. The fixator will be applied when the bone is separated. After the operation, patients usually stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. Besides, the day after surgery, most patients will begin their inpatient rehabilitation. Specifically, patients will be taught to move their joints, get out of bed, transfer to a toilet or a chair, use crutches or walkers, and use the stairs.
After surgery from a few days to a week, lengthening takes place. The latency period is known as the time between the end of surgery and the start of lengthening. For the callus or new bone to form at the break site, it is imperative to wait for a few days before lengthening. This process is manually done using an external fixator. Depending on the tolerance of soft tissues and the bone, the fixator will lengthen the bone at different rates. The average rate is 1 mm a day. Patients and their families will be instructed on how to turn the distraction rod on the external fixator 4 times a day, at ¼ mm each.
How many inches can you gain from height surgery?
The first concern post-surgery that most patients have is about their mobility. So, can you walk after leg lengthening surgery? After undergoing such a difficult and complicated surgery, patients will need to be in physical therapy 3-4 times a week, with each session lasting a few hours. This should be continued for at least 6 months to build up mobility. Although the experience might sound arduous and time-consuming, you will gain mobility again if following your doctor’s instructions.
The total recommended lengthening is 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) in the thigh bone (femur). Higher complication rates are possible if you want to lengthen more than 3 inches in one bone. You can perform another entirely separate lengthening procedure in the shin bones (tibiae) one year later to gain up to an additional 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) in height.
Is leg lengthening surgery safe?
So, with so much money and time invested, is height increasing surgery safe? It is reported that limb lengthening surgeries have approximately 95% of the success rate, which is rather high. Serious complications from leg lengthening surgery are rare, although minor problems regarding pins and stiffening in the joints may occur. Also, as mentioned above, due to small incisions in most procedures, you will have to deal with minimal scarring. That being said, serious complications are mostly seen in patients who are already diagnosed with high risks.
Now that you know the answer to your question of “How can I lengthen my legs?”, you should discuss your goals and lifestyle with your doctors in detail before considering undergoing this procedure. Of all the tips on how to grow taller surgery should only be your last resort. In fact, there are many other ways to help you grow taller without surgery. Check them out here
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