Five-foot-five man undergoes ‘excruciating’ $165K leg surgery to add five inches to his height

A 5ft5in man underwent ‘excruciatingly painful’ $165,000 leg surgery to add five inches to his height after spending years struggling to talk to women due to self-doubt over his stature. 

Moses Gibson, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said he had been insecure about his height since just 15 years old after he saw other boys his age go through growth spurts which he didn’t experience.

The 41-year-old spent years dealing with unkind comments about his smaller size, which he admitted ate away at his ‘self-confidence’ and left him plagued with insecurities that severely effected his dating life.

In a desperate attempt to get taller, he tried taking medications, and even reached out to ‘spiritual healer’ online who insisted they could help him grow.

A 5ft5in man underwent 'excruciatingly painful' $165,000 leg surgery to add five inches to his height. He is seen after the first procedure

A 5ft5in man underwent ‘excruciatingly painful’ $165,000 leg surgery to add five inches to his height. He is seen before (left) and after (right) the first procedure

Moses Gibson (seen before the surgeries), from Minnesota, said he had been insecure about his height since just 15 years old after he saw other boys his age go through growth spurts which he didn't experience

Moses Gibson (seen before the surgeries), from Minnesota, said he had been insecure about his height since just 15 years old after he saw other boys his age go through growth spurts which he didn’t experience

Moses spent years dealing with unkind comments about his size, whichadmitted ate away at his 'self-confidence' and left him plagued with insecurities that severely effected his dating life. He is seen before the surgeries

Moses spent years dealing with unkind comments about his size, whichadmitted ate away at his ‘self-confidence’ and left him plagued with insecurities that severely effected his dating life. He is seen before the surgeries

He eventually decided to go under the knife to increase his size. He has now received two cosmetic procedures - which cost him a whopping $165,000. He is seen during the first

He eventually decided to go under the knife to increase his size. He has now received two cosmetic procedures – which cost him a whopping $165,000. He is seen during the first

The leg-lengthening procedure that Moses underwent to add five inches to his height 

During surgery, the leg bone is broken and fixed to a special frame. With the support of the frame, the leg is stretched, allowing new bone to form in between the two broken ends of bone.

Over time, this bone gets stronger until it’s able to support your weight.

Distraction can sometimes result in a significant increase in height, but it’s a lengthy treatment and has a risk of complications, so isn’t always recommended.

Some people have pain during or after the limb-lengthening procedure.

Other possible complications include: poor bone formation, fracture, infection, bone lengthening at an inappropriate rate, blood clots.

Source: NHS 

But after other options failed, Moses eventually decided to go under the knife to increase his size. 

He has now received two cosmetic procedures – which cost him a whopping $165,000 – and he is ecstatic with the results.

‘I’ve struggled with my height. Even when I was in high school, I was always unhappy with my height,’ he said to SWNS recently.

‘When I was like 15, I realized most of my peers were taller than me. It started getting to me gradually.

‘I used to put things in my shoes to gain a little bit of height, but it wasn’t very much.

‘People made comments. Sometimes it wasn’t in a mean way or intending to hurt, but they’d say, “s**t dude, you’re a short man,” or make a joke of it.’

While Moses said he is ‘strong’ and a ‘tough guy,’ he admitted that it all eventually started to get to him – so he began ‘searching’ for ways to make himself taller.

‘I just didn’t feel good about myself, I was unhappy about it most of the time. 

‘It was my self-confidence in general, and with the ladies – it affected my dating life,’ he continued. 

‘I used to like clothes and shoes, but I started not feeling happy when I put them on and I wanted to look better.

‘I bought medication online that promised to make you the height you’re looking for. I took them for a while before realizing it was nonsense and stopped. 

‘I was talking to some spiritual healer online by e-mail who promised they could heal any problem.’

During college, he came across a procedure that could expand the length of his legs, and he began working overtime so he could save up enough money for the surgery.

After spending three years working as a software engineer during the day and as an Uber driver at night, he went under the knife for the first time in 2016.

The first procedure added three inches to his height during the initial procedure, but still unsatisfied, he did it once more last month. He is seen after the second surgery

The first procedure added three inches to his height during the initial procedure, but still unsatisfied, he did it once more last month. He is seen after the second surgery

When his recovery done he will be at five-foot-10-inches. His legs are seen before his second surgery

When his recovery done he will be at five-foot-10-inches. His legs are seen before his second surgery

The surgery involved doctors breaking Moses' tibia and fibula bones and screwing magnetic, limb lengthening nails into them. He is seen after the second surgery

The surgery involved doctors breaking Moses’ tibia and fibula bones and screwing magnetic, limb lengthening nails into them. He is seen after the second surgery

He added three inches to his height during the initial procedure, but still unsatisfied, he went under the knife again last month.

Once he has finished with recovery, Moses will stand at five-foot-10-inches.

He now has to use a height lengthening device three times a day

He now has to use a height lengthening device three times a day

The surgery involved doctors breaking Moses’ tibia and fibula bones and screwing magnetic, limb lengthening nails into them. 

He now has to use a height lengthening device three times a day – which pulls the cut bones apart one millimeter at a time. 

This encourages his body to create new bone tissue, which will fill the gap until his desired height is achieved. 

‘After the first procedure, I was happy with it to some extent, but it was always in my mind that I wanted to do the second one to complete it,’ he explained. 

‘I’m a high achiever, I’m a go-getter, so after the first one I thought, I’ve got the money and I can finish the journey. I’ll be happy at 5’10.’

Moses admitted that there are times when the recovery has ‘been really painful’ but said he ‘has to work through it.’

'After the first procedure, I was happy with it to some extent, but it was always in my mind that I wanted to do the second one to complete it,' he explained. He is seen after the first surgery

'After the first procedure, I was happy with it to some extent, but it was always in my mind that I wanted to do the second one to complete it,' he explained. He is seen after the first surgery

‘After the first procedure, I was happy with it to some extent, but it was always in my mind that I wanted to do the second one to complete it,’ he explained. He is seen after the first surgery

Moses admitted that there are times when the recovery has 'been really painful' but said he 'has to work through it.' His legs are seen after the second procedure

Moses admitted that there are times when the recovery has ‘been really painful’ but said he ‘has to work through it.’ His legs are seen after the second procedure

The 41-year-old (seen after the second surgery) added that the surgery cured his insecurities - and it also gave him the confidence he needed to talk to women, and he now has a girlfriend

The 41-year-old (seen after the second surgery) added that the surgery cured his insecurities – and it also gave him the confidence he needed to talk to women, and he now has a girlfriend

The 41-year-old added that the surgery cured his insecurities – and left him feeling much more ‘free.’

It also gave him the confidence he needed to talk to women, and he now has a girlfriend. 

Moses explained: ‘[After the first surgery] I became less hesitant and less worried about the result when talking to women. I now have a girlfriend.

‘I started wearing shorts and taking full body pictures which I never used to do. It’s a crazy thing, nobody should feel that way.’

In the end, he hopes that sharing his story will inspire others who feel the same way he did. 

‘I’d advise anybody who wants this to go for it, it’s definitely worth it,’ he concluded. ‘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.’

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