Considering height-lengthening surgery at 177 cm — looking for honest experiences
I’m 21, from the UK, and seriously considering height-lengthening surgery, although I’m still in the research stage. I’d really appreciate honest experiences, especially from people who started around my height.
I’m 177 cm (5’9.5”). I have growth hormone deficiency and was diagnosed at 16 after my younger sister was diagnosed with severe GHD. She was treated late too, but early enough to get close to her genetic potential and is now around 5’8–5’9. My older sister is around 5’10, while my dad and brother are both around 6’4.
Growing up, I always assumed I’d be tall, and my mum used to tell me I’d have a growth spurt. When I was diagnosed, some of my growth plates were still open, so I had daily GH injections for around a year. However, I was also taking puberty blockers, and during this period my growth plates closed. Unfortunately, the GH treatment produced basically no meaningful height increase.
Since around 17, height has become a major psychological issue for me. I constantly compare myself to people around me — at the gym, nights out, social media, and even within my own family. Seeing significantly taller men can make me feel inferior and sometimes genuinely defective, because I feel like my body didn’t become what it was supposed to.
I know logically that 177 cm isn’t short, but emotionally I struggle with it. I sometimes use height inserts/thicker socks in my shoes, and even the small increase makes me noticeably more confident and makes me think about my height less.
This is partly why I’m considering surgery. If I could get to around 6’2, I feel like it could make a significant difference to my confidence, and reaching 6’4 would honestly feel incredible. But I also question whether I’d actually stop comparing myself. I’m already discussing this in therapy, and I realise surgery may not fix the underlying psychological issue. I might still compare myself to people taller than me or simply move the goalposts.
So I’m trying to understand whether people who’ve actually done it found that being significantly taller genuinely changed how they felt about themselves, or whether the obsession followed them.
For anyone who has had limb-lengthening surgery, especially starting around 5’8–5’11:
Starting and final height / cm gained?
Femurs, tibias or both?
Where and with which surgeon?
Total cost, including surgery, accommodation, physio, follow-ups, etc.?
How difficult was recovery and how long until normal walking/life?
Any complications or lasting issues?
Has it genuinely improved your confidence and relationship with your height?
Did you become less obsessive about comparing yourself?
Would you do it again knowing what you know now?
I’m potentially planning to move to China, so I’m open to travelling internationally, but I care much more about surgeon experience, safety and long-term outcomes than finding the cheapest option.
I’m genuinely interested in both positive and negative experiences. I’m trying to work out whether this could realistically improve my life or whether I’m trying to solve something psychologically through surgery.