This story is from July 26, 2016
Despite risks, youths seek longer limbs in race for better life prospects
PUNE: Cosmetic enhancements for a better look is passé. People who want to look taller for a better career are now going for limb-lengthening surgeries.
A budding actress underwent the surgery in Mumbai last year after she had given up all hopes of making it to Bollywood. "The casting directors wouldn't consider me since I wasn't tall enough. I heard of this technique and read about it thoroughly. Then I consulted friends and family and finally got the surgery done," said the actress, on condition of anonymity .
Parag Sancheti, hip and knee specialist at the Sancheti Institute for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, said these surgeries are less common in Pune. It is done to fix limb length discrepancies present since birth. However, its use for cosmetic purpose is a fairly new idea. "More women go for cosmetically altering their height and usually it is the woman's parents who push her. The ratio of genuinely needed surgeries to cosmetic procedure is 10:1 in Pune," he said.
As if India's obsession with fair skin was not enough, limb lengthening procedures are picking up pace in several parts of the country.
The process is done primarily on accident victims, polio patients and cases where one leg is shorter than the other. The same technique is now being recognized by surgeons and patients alike to cosmetically enhance their appearance.
The process, with the help of which patients can increase their height from 3.5 inches to 7 inches, is still in its nacent stages in India.
"The process is painful and costs somewhere between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. More than that, it requires commitment from the patient's side, which we confirm. It takes some 7-8 months to show results," says Suhas Shah, an orthopedic surgeon who is based out of Mumbai.
This process seems to have captured the interest of the young generation, though it is risky as it involves cutting the bones and fixing braces. "Most of the time, we are tiptoeing around dangerous territory . One small mistake and we might be looking at crippling side-effects in the long run," adds Shah.
The surgery was first developed by Gavriil Ilizarov, a Russian physician, to treat or cure existing conditions like limb deformities or injuries. "Ilizarov created the procedure to help people who had experienced limb injuries or were born with defects. Whereas now these procedures are done in a cosmetic and not a reconstructive light," says Sancheti.
Mangal Parihar, an orthopedic surgeon from Mumbai, has a different story to tell. "In my experience, boys outnumber girls in 8:2 ratio. For every one cosmetic surgery , there are 100 patients who need lengthening for reasons such as trauma or a length discrepancy ," says Parihar.
Most patients have second thoughts after they understand that the surgery will not have immediate results. "Only after they know and understand the complications do we sign these people for the surgery . Most often it's more boys than girls and the main reason why I turn patients down is that they think their height will increase in one session," says Akola-based surgeon Milind Chaudhary .
Chetan Purram, consulting orthopedic surgeon at Sancheti Hospital, said, the surgery is opted for myriad reasons. "Boys usually come in to meet the basic height requirements when they are applying for NDA and such other exams," he said. Purram also warns against the side-effects of the surgery that could be multiple, differing from case to case.
"To increase height surgically, the bone needs to be cut.We gradually create a gap between the bone ends to facilitate growth to increase height. In both these cases, differing from case to case, several problems can emerge. Pin-tract infection, slow and often poor bone healing are a few of them," he adds.
Agreement of parents of these patients opting for the surgery is also one of the top requisites. "Usually , patients will come by themselves. We ask them to have a close family member along for the next consultation," says Parihar.
Chaudhary concurs, "When the patients come with parents they are more welcome because its better for us to know that they have their parents' consent and support.The patient also needs to be psychologically stable."
Parag Sancheti, hip and knee specialist at the Sancheti Institute for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, said these surgeries are less common in Pune. It is done to fix limb length discrepancies present since birth. However, its use for cosmetic purpose is a fairly new idea. "More women go for cosmetically altering their height and usually it is the woman's parents who push her. The ratio of genuinely needed surgeries to cosmetic procedure is 10:1 in Pune," he said.
As if India's obsession with fair skin was not enough, limb lengthening procedures are picking up pace in several parts of the country.
The process, with the help of which patients can increase their height from 3.5 inches to 7 inches, is still in its nacent stages in India.
"The process is painful and costs somewhere between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. More than that, it requires commitment from the patient's side, which we confirm. It takes some 7-8 months to show results," says Suhas Shah, an orthopedic surgeon who is based out of Mumbai.
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The surgery was first developed by Gavriil Ilizarov, a Russian physician, to treat or cure existing conditions like limb deformities or injuries. "Ilizarov created the procedure to help people who had experienced limb injuries or were born with defects. Whereas now these procedures are done in a cosmetic and not a reconstructive light," says Sancheti.
Mangal Parihar, an orthopedic surgeon from Mumbai, has a different story to tell. "In my experience, boys outnumber girls in 8:2 ratio. For every one cosmetic surgery , there are 100 patients who need lengthening for reasons such as trauma or a length discrepancy ," says Parihar.
Most patients have second thoughts after they understand that the surgery will not have immediate results. "Only after they know and understand the complications do we sign these people for the surgery . Most often it's more boys than girls and the main reason why I turn patients down is that they think their height will increase in one session," says Akola-based surgeon Milind Chaudhary .
Chetan Purram, consulting orthopedic surgeon at Sancheti Hospital, said, the surgery is opted for myriad reasons. "Boys usually come in to meet the basic height requirements when they are applying for NDA and such other exams," he said. Purram also warns against the side-effects of the surgery that could be multiple, differing from case to case.
"To increase height surgically, the bone needs to be cut.We gradually create a gap between the bone ends to facilitate growth to increase height. In both these cases, differing from case to case, several problems can emerge. Pin-tract infection, slow and often poor bone healing are a few of them," he adds.
Agreement of parents of these patients opting for the surgery is also one of the top requisites. "Usually , patients will come by themselves. We ask them to have a close family member along for the next consultation," says Parihar.
Chaudhary concurs, "When the patients come with parents they are more welcome because its better for us to know that they have their parents' consent and support.The patient also needs to be psychologically stable."
Top Comment
Iyer Krishna
2802 days ago
there is no deartth of people who can make ooney on such hopes.....the fact remains such artifical patch up will lead to much more complications at later stages of life......what is natural is best for every one and one must learn to satisfy ones ego with what they have ....Read allPost comment
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