Height Reduction

[Guest Michele H]

I met a wonderful young lady from Cleveland while undergoing FFS in San Fran last month who wants to reduce her height by 5 cm (roughtly 2 inches). I don't think she needs it but we each have our own journey so I am helping to put together a list of surgeons who can perform this surgery. I have located one possible surgeon here in the twin cities but would love to hear from any of of my sisters out there that have had this done, where it was done and if you would recommend the surgeon. I will translate the responses I get and send to X. BTW - here is a pic of me 9 days post surgery.

[Guest robsmith1]

Hey Michele,

would u be able to post the list of height reduction specialists on this page? I'm quite tall and its something I want to at least check into, you know. THanks so much!

[Guest Michele H]

I was not able to find a single surgeon. Prevailing opinion is that this is a really bad idea

[Guest julia_d]

This is a very harmful procedure.. there is a lot more to legs and mobility than just the length of the bones, and the possibility of ending up permanently disabled is high..

Saying that here is how it is done, but I think it is only done on people with legs of very differing lengths due to previous breakage or birth/develomental defect. link

I can only find surgeons who will do this procedure for people who already have problems due to one leg longer than the other.. It's too risky to treat as a "cosmetic" thing.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

My son-in-law had this done. He is 6'5" but has a slightly shorter leg (birth defect) and there was a year period where they tried to make his legs equal length. He had one of those 'birdcage' pinned casts that was very painful!

The proceedure was a total failure! He now walks with an even worse limp than before!

After all that pain I asked him was it worth it? He said at least he tried!

BUT if your legs are okay now - I stongly sugggest NOT to try to alter them.

And I am going to be a very tall woman! But I pass fine now.

Lizzy

[Guest viv]

Lizzy and Julia are on the money with this.

There are severe complications /dangers

with this procedure. Plenty of tall women

out there . Sorry I cant be positive hun,viv

[Guest julia_d]

I have my line on this because in my last proper job my colleague (staff member actually) had a daughter who had one leg 2 inches shorter than the other. She endured 8 months of excruciating pain and continually having to have the screws wound up to grow more bone.

While the procedure was ongoing she was pretty much completely disabled and at great risk from infection. In the end it was reasonably successful, but last time I saw her 3 years later she still had a limp because she said "it didn't feel right" after a lifetime wearing a shoe with a thick platform.

I don't think any "ethical" surgeon will deliberately cripple somebody just because they want to possibly be a couple of inches shorter.. There are large muscles in the legs which are genetically designed to work with bones of a certain length.. they won't shorten by 2 inches just because the bone has.. and there is a huge chance that the bones will just grow back to the original length again to fit the muscles.. bodies have a habit of doing things like that.. they do like to stick to the skeletal blueprint. Not only that.. the femur is one of the major red blood cell production sites..

This is all so dangerous and scary.. life threatening even.... the marrow in the femur is vital to life... who would voluntarily risk causing lukaemia and a possible life in a wheelchair or on crutches for a cash fee?

I don't think it's ethical for us to continue this discussion.. honest.

[Guest robsmith1]

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to thank you guys for all your responses/advice. Although height reduction is not gonna work due to these obvious problems, at least we were able to investigate. Did not expect so many responses so quickly!! This was wonderful!!

Now does anyone know about entire skeleton reduction surgery? Just kidding.

Thanks again everyone.

rob

[Guest Neuro]

Wow--that sounds pretty scary. I had heard about experimental 'growth' surgery, used on little people as children--VERY painful. But never heard about shortness surgery before!

I might be biased (being an envious little short guy and all) but I think tall girls are amazing. You have to be, like, 6'0 at LEAST to be a supermodel... right? You might stand out from the crowd, but I hope you can find a way to STAND OUT in the best, most YOU way it can be > like BAM! I am here, I am amazing, I am in control.

It's what I have to tell myself, being short, but I think it can work for the other side of the fence--it's alllll about confidence and poise. It makes finding clothes difficult, though :c But it sure beats being crippled with pain! Phew.