Darren lengthened his legs to be taller. Now he walks with a limp

More people than ever before are making themselves taller with surgery. But while this can improve lives, some are left with long-term problems.

Leg lengthening, or stature lengthening, has been used to correct deformities and leg discrepancies for decades. But now it's becoming increasingly popular for cosmetic reasons too. Source: SBS

Darren (not his real name) was naturally tall at over 6 feet (around 182cm) but he wanted to be taller — so he opted for leg lengthening surgery.

Based in the United States, he made up his mind after seeing ads online.

"On occasion, I'd be like, 'My legs look short'. I was not in a good part of my life and just wanted to do something really crazy," he told Dateline.

"I thought, 'What the heck? I'm going to do it.'"

Weeks later, he flew out to a European country he's reluctant to disclose for the procedure, which was far cheaper than it would have been in the US.

But after spending about US$130,000 (around $195,000) on surgery, recovery and months living overseas, the 35-year-old is living with numerous complications.

"Both legs were misaligned in different ways, and I had spasms for a year. I have one leg that is longer than the other, and I had equinus contracture, which was basically permanent tippy-toes," he said.

"It took months of stretching to be able to touch my heels to the ground."

The procedure has taken a huge toll on his life.

"It made things really tough on my marriage and on me. This whole thing has been a nightmare in many, many ways."

'Multiple benefits'

Victor Egonu, however, is "super happy" with his leg lengthening procedure.

He had one leg lengthened after fracturing his tibia at 12, leaving it shorter.

"I lived through my teenage years with this limp, which was aesthetically displeasing. I had also lost some height, because you're only as tall as your shortest leg," he said.

"I was very self-conscious. The shoe lifts weren't really solving the problem, and I wanted something more permanent."

Victor Egonu says leg lengthening has transformed his life for the better. Source: Supplied

He underwent the procedure in 2012 when he was 23, adding 4cm to his height in four months. It cost him around $40,000, which was covered by insurance because the reason was medical.

Six weeks after the operation, he was cleared for exercise — and having jumped in height to around 175cm, the US male average, he said he feels far more confident.

"As a man, it's definitely helped me to be more outgoing. It gave back balance in my hips, and I've avoided things like scoliosis and early arthritis. There are multiple benefits for me," said Victor, who has a YouTube channel where he talks about his leg-lengthening experience.

"It's very, very dramatic, it's very crazy, but it's also very transformative."

'More talked about, more accepted'

Leg lengthening may sound radical, but it's been around for a long time.

Original versions were performed in the early 1900s, but a big breakthrough came in the 1950s when Soviet doctor Gavriil Ilizarov wanted to help people with bone injuries and deformities after World War Two.

He invented a circular frame that went around the leg to gently stretch the bone over time, growing new bone.

In recent years, people who simply want to be taller have also embraced the technique.

Exact numbers of those who have undergone the procedure are unavailable, but a 2022 global study valued the market at US$4.1 billion ($6.2 billion) in 2021, projecting it to grow to US$8.6 billion ($13 billion) by 2030, with the Asia-Pacific market growing the fastest.

It’s a trend that's also fuelled by discussions on platforms like Discord and Reddit, and in incel communities and manosphere spaces, where members often link height to attractiveness and social success in the pursuit of "looksmaxxing".

Dr Dror Paley, CEO and medical director of the Paley Orthopedic and Spine Institute in Florida, has carried out more than 30,000 leg lengthening procedures, both medical and cosmetic.

He said the procedure for cosmetic reasons has become less controversial.

"The demand [for cosmetic stature lengthening] has always been there. But as time has gone on and the procedures have gotten better, it's become more talked about, more available and more accepted within the orthopedic community."

It even hit pop culture in 2025's romantic comedy Materialists, where Harry, played by Chilean American actor Pedro Pascal, reveals he had cosmetic leg lengthening to add 15cm to his height to boost his dating odds.

But why do people do it?

Dr Beth O'Gorman, research fellow in psychology at the University of Queensland, has researched how men's height dissatisfaction affects their sense of masculine identity, and said society still links height to masculinity.

"Shorter-statured men do tend to be more likely to be dissatisfied with their height than a man who is six foot [182cm] or above," she said.

"For men who don't feel like they are sufficiently tall — and my research found that this actually wasn't constrained to short-statured men — it seems this impacts their perception of their own masculinity."

But not all patients are men, Paley said, with women, trans people and those with dwarfism also seeking out the procedure.

He said most people lengthen their legs by about 7-8cm.

How do you lengthen a leg?

While methods have advanced since Ilizarov, the basics remain the same: break the bone, then slowly pull apart by about 1mm daily to grow new bone, followed by months to harden.

There are three main methods:

• The external fixators, developed by Ilizarov, involve metal frames outside the leg with pins in the bone, with patients adjusting them daily. This method is versatile but bulky, with infection risks and bigger scars. 
  
• The Internal Lengthening Nail (ILN) method implants a telescoping rod inside the bone, lengthened by a magnet remotely, so there are no external hardware or scars. This means the procedure is more comfortable, but it costs more and requires precise surgery. 
  
• The Lengthening Over Nail (LON) method starts with an external fixator, then switches to an internal nail to shorten frame time and strengthen healing. 

An X-ray of Victor Egonu's leg, three weeks into his lengthening procedure using an internal lengthening nail. Source: Supplied

Paley said internal devices are more appealing because no one knows you're undergoing the procedure.

However, all methods are complex, lengthy and painful, with the patient requiring months of daily rehabilitation.

And while many people who undergo the procedure gain height without ongoing problems, complications remain common.

A 2025 study of cosmetic limb lengthening (in 489 patients) found no procedure‑related deaths and high overall satisfaction, but problems were frequent — with both internal and external methods.

The main issues include infections, nerve damage, stiffness, deformities and refractures.

Home or away?

In Australia, limb lengthening is mainly performed for medical reasons, with few surgeons offering cosmetic procedures. Not covered by insurance or Medicare, it costs up to $150,000 out-of-pocket, which drives many patients overseas.

Türkiye and India are popular for cheaper treatments, but Australian surgeons warn the standard of care may not be what people can expect back home. They say there are underestimated risks and aftercare challenges, with complications often requiring treatment when patients return to Australia.

The Australian Medical Association said it "advises caution to anyone considering undergoing surgical procedures overseas".

Orthopaedic surgeon and former president of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, Andrew Ellis, has treated patients returning from overseas with complications. He said leg-lengthening surgery is "not well-suited to tourism travel because the patients return with issues, and they need to be looked after here".

"Those who simply want to be taller face an unregulated system with safety standards that protect patients very differently from Australia," he said. "The potential complications are reasonably frequent, the treatment takes a long time and is carried out in a language that is not theirs.

"This adds to communication issues, and a lack of complaint and escalation pathways of protection for patients and a health burden when they return home."

All methods of leg lengthening surgery are complex and lengthy, and require months of daily rehabilitation. Source: Getty

Despite warnings, leg lengthening tourism appears to be thriving.

An Istanbul-based clinic, which Dateline has chosen not to name, has treated over 700 patients in 10 years, including 15 to 20 Australians. Patients typically pay $US20,000 to $US30,000 ($30,000—$45,000) and spend three to six months in the country for the procedure, post-op recovery and physiotherapy.

The founder told Dateline recent technologies make the treatment less painful and more accessible than it has ever been, yet risks remain.

"I think people are now considering it without much fear. But even though the surgery is much safer, there are still complications. It takes a lot of courage, financial stability and time to recover; for a long period of time, you are not able to walk properly.

"I advise people thinking about this to reach out to a mental health professional first and decide if this is something they want for themselves."

In the US, Paley said he has corrected numerous errors from lower-cost limb lengthening surgeries performed overseas, including those on Australian patients.

"We've treated some Australians, and we've also seen several Australians that unfortunately have bad results elsewhere, and they've come to us to fix their problems," he said.

"The problem is money. The moment something becomes a cash business, it lends itself to abuse."

Living with the consequences

Darren's tale remains a cautionary one.

Three years after his procedure in Europe, he still can't run or jump, and he walks with a limp because one leg is longer than the other.

He's saving for surgery to fix his problem in the US, where his family is close, and he believes standards are higher.

"I'm probably going to have limb-lengthening surgery again on my shorter leg, and the recovery process for that's going to be another year or so, so I'm not rushing to do that,” he said.

He urges people considering the procedure to do their research.

"Clinics will never show you the really bad stuff," he said.

"Would I do this again to be taller? Definitely not," he added.

"I'd rather be mobile and just six feet. That'd be much better."

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