No pain, no (height) gain?! Despite the grueling recovery, people continue to flock to surgeons to help solve their height-based insecurities.
The New York Post reports that a 41-year-old Minnesotan named Moses Gibson spent $75,000 to increase his 5’5″ frame by three inches to get more dates.
After a successful first surgery, he shelled out another $98,000 last month to hopefully get himself up to 5’10”.
“After the first procedure, I was happy with it to some extent, but it was always in my mind that I wanted to do a second one to complete it…I’ll be happy at 5-foot-10. But if my body and everything else allows me to go 3 inches to get to 5-foot-11, then even better!”
Gibson also notes that the surgery is “definitely worth it.”
“I’d advise anybody who wants this to go for it—it’s definitely worth it. I’m definitely wanting to spread the word, and if it can help other people go through it then so be it, I’m glad.”
This sentiment was echoed by a 26-year-old named Alex, who told NBC News that he would endure the pain and cost to end the height-centered ridicule. Alex also asked NBC to keep his true identity disclosed.
“My goal was never to be tall. It’s to be in a place where no one comments on my height…If all it is is pain and money, alright.”
However, like any surgical procedure, there are some potential complications. According to England’s National Health Service (NHS), limb-lengthening surgeries pose risks like poor bone formation, blood clots, and infections.
Regardless, though, Alex’s surgeon—Dr. Shahab Mahboubian—notes he expects to perform twice as many surgeries this year as in 2020.
“I even have 60-5-year-old guys that have come to me to undergo the procedure because it just doesn’t stop. The ‘short’ jokes keep going on and they feel inferior,” Dr. Mahboubian said.
Mahboubian describes the surgery as a four-hour operation that costs around $75,000 for the initial surgery and an additional $10,000 for the final step, removing the rods.
