One woman who spent $161,000 to have her legs extended 5.5 inches is full of regret.
Former German Celebrity Big Brother contestant Theresia Fischer, 24, was five foot six when she went through the unusual procedure.
She was initially thrilled about the life changing operation, it seems now she has changed her mind.
Leg lengthening surgery is a complex process of incrementally lengthening bone in the leg over time.
The Cleveland Clinic says it’s often used to treat differences in the length of the legs and can also be used to treat conditions that cause bone growth irregularities or shorter bone length.
The procedure is complex and not without risks — and health experts say some people have long-term problems.
“The techniques and technology have improved substantially over the past couple of decades so it’s a safer procedure,” Professor Hamish Simpson of the British Orthopaedic Association said to BBC.
“However, as well as growing more bone – more muscle, nerve, blood vessels, and skin have to be grown and the procedure remains an extremely complex process, with a high complication rate.”
Fischer was just 24 when he endured the brutal procedure. Then it was a matter of inserting adjustable telescopic rods into her shins and slowly, slowly, her legs extended.
Influencer before the operation was 5ft 6 and after she underwent the knife she now stands at over 6ft.
Fischer, 31, told radio network MDR Jump in an interview in August 2023 that her ex-boyfriend ‘urged’ her to have the procedure.
She claimed (per Daily Star): “‘Theresia, you know I like big ladies. So I would really like this. You could get up to 14 centimeters more.’”
“[He would say] ‘You can’t do anything without me. You need me.’ And if you are told that 20, 30, 60, 70 times – then you believe that you are nothing without him.”
The influencer added that although she’s ‘always’ been ‘happy’ with her body, she’s now ‘shame’ for having changed the way she looks so drastically.
“I am ashamed because I consented to an operation that shouldn’t have had,” Fischer continued.
“I’ve never dealt with that before because I’ve always been happy with my body.”
But the emotional effects of the leg lengthening procedure haven’t just affected Fischer — she also has periosteum inflammation, a condition that comes when the connective tissue around the bones becomes inflamed.
The condition forced the influencer to quit a German version of the Battle of the Reality Stars show.
Filming reality TV shows was always hard, she said, especially when she had to run or move around a set.
“When I had to run a little or be faster – it’s just strange to run with metal in your legs,” Fischer said.
According to the Mirror, the influencer has also been informed that one of her fibula bones in a leg hadn’t grown as planned.
‘I’m longing for the day when I can have my metal support rods taken out,’ Fischer said.
