11 December 2023 , 14:00
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It’s reasonable to say that everyone has a hang-up about their body - whether it’s being too short, or too tall, having big feet, or a wonky nose. And while lots of us use things like clever make-up techniques, diets, exercise, or even clothing to counter these ‘flaws’, some try out much more permanent and expensive alternatives.
A Colombian man, Yeferson Cossio, 29, has revealed how he spent £140,000 ($175,000) to add six inches to his height, undergoing an operation that has been called the “most painful surgery ever”.
The social media influencer, who has more than 28 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, previously stood at 5ft 8in but was unhappy with his height. In a video posted about wanting to have the surgery, he said: “I’m not a dwarf, nor am I the talles. Yes, my legs are pretty but I hate them … I am self-conscious like almost all human beings with some parts of my body and I have a couple hundred million pesos to use here to change it.”
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Yeferson Cossio underwent months of painful physical therapy after the op (yefersoncossio/Instagram)He revealed that he spent between 200 million and 700 million Colombian pesos for the complex and painful treatment, which works out roughly to £40,000 ($50,000) to £140,000 ($175,000). Limb lengthening surgery involves breaking a patient's bones, inserting a metal rod, and using an external device to slowly lengthen the gap multiple times a day.
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“The separation stimulates the body’s natural bone renewal process so the two segments grow and slowly fuse together. If you have an external device, adjust it by turning a knob or other mechanism,” according to the Cleveland Clinic. This type of surgery is usually suggested by specialists for people with medical bone conditions such as cerebral palsy, congenital femoral deficiency, skeletal dysplasia, and osteomyelitis.
Yeferson now stands at over 6ft tall (yefersoncossio/Instagram)Admitting his desire to undergo this operation was purely for “aesthetic” purposes, Cossio told his followers: “Two years ago, I had an issue with my legs that I don’t really want to talk about because it’s very personal … But one of the things that had the most impact on me was to do with leg stretching.”
In a video before the operation, Cossio’s surgeon assured him that he would be able to return to his normal life once fully recovered from the surgery, including walking, exercising, and jumping. Now standing at 6ft 2in, Cossio has told his fans that he’s happy with his new height and doesn’t plan on going under the knife again to grow even taller.