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[Regrets]

Hey guys. I realize in some ways this post might seem absurd with my current height, but this isn't a troll post, and I just ask that you hear me out and not dismiss me from the start. I've thought about posting here for a long time, and I genuinely want some thoughts and input on my situation in regards to leg lengthening.

I'm 21 years old, male, and 6'0. Throughout roughly the first half (13 to almost 17) of my teen years and the majority of puberty, I struggled severely with Anorexia. It's not relevant so I don't want to get too into it, but towards the end I was in really bad shape and virtually emaciated, so I was hospitalized and put into treatment. I recovered, but as a result of all of the malnutrition, I stunted my growth. I've talked to various doctors, and it's as confirmed as it can be at this point. Especially when compared to my extremely tall family. Dad is 6'3.5, Mom is 5'11. I'm the eldest child of four, and my younger brothers (19, and 18) are 6'5 and 6'4-ish. They literally look down on me and I don't even feel like we're related sometimes. My younger sister (16) is 6'0 and my height.  I grew very little height-wise during puberty compared to most. Before I started restricting and the issues began I was around 5'7.5, grew to 5'9 during the malnutrition years, then 3 more inches after I began getting healthier. I can't really describe how much this gets to me, and I have so much regret and shame from this. This isn't how things should've been, and it sucks knowing there's pretty much nothing I can do. Besides possibly LL.

If I ever get to the point it's no problem financially, would LL be viable? And would a good number of doctors still realistically accept me despite my height? I know some suspect mental issues and "height neurosis" if people are tall, but would that hypothetically make things difficult in my case? I've read the lengthening process is somewhat safer/less risky for taller people, but is that true? Is there anyone who was 5'11-6'0+ who lengthened, and if so, how did it go for them? Sounds silly maybe, but I also wouldn't mind hearing what others think all of this specifically. If you were me, in my situation, what would you do?

[Johnson1111]

Absolutely beyond insane that you've struggled with mental health and anorexia in the past and are now considering LL at 6 feet tall. You're taller than over 80% of the world AND you have your athletic abilities intact. Please get off here and go seek mental help. Nobody would be here if we were all 6 feet.

[myloginacc]

The formula a PhD in genetics uses suggests you can only stunt very little of your potential height if you're from a first-world country, white, and male. This generally amounts to 0.5-2 centimeters.

If anything, you are a testament to how much height is genetic inheritability. You were severely malnutritioned for a long period of time, and still grew to be taller than your (tall) mother.

I've also read the entirety of your post, and I do sympathize with your situation. I know how frustrating it must be inside your family. However, since you asked, I think this surgery is not worth it at all at your height. I think the best thing to do would be moving out, so you don't have to keep being reminded how tall everyone in your family is. Your worst case scenario is being average height in the tallest country in the world, so you'll see that reflected in the streets, with all the people around you. It's just inside your family that you are the shortest male.

I've read the lengthening process is somewhat safer/less risky for taller people, but is that true?

It's not really safer. The lengthening may be relatively safer; you lengthen relatively lower amounts of your initial bone length (percentage-wise) for the same absolute number as people with shorter bones. The other risks involved remain the same. Recovery is probably better for tall guys who lengthened low amounts, and that's all.

[myloginacc]

Absolutely beyond insane that you've struggled with mental health and anorexia in the past and are now considering LL at 6 feet tall. You're taller than over 80% of the world AND you have your athletic abilities intact. Please get off here and go seek mental help. Nobody would be here if we were all 6 feet.

80% may be underestimating it, even.

[ivan]

I can somewhat understand your frustation considering your family is quite tall but you height alone is quite decent and the is not worth the risk. Guess what - children can end both quite taller and quite shorter than their parent regardless of their conditions. Anorexic children stil can grow quite tall. My brother is two inches taller than my father and he was constantly underweight while growing - he is two inches taller than me too.
As already stated you are still taller than more than 80% of the world population. Risking your health at this height is madness. Investing time and money in improving your skills is a better idea in your case.

[IwannaBeTaller]

I agree with all the responses, and OP's case is another indication of how much of our height is genetic. Even though he was anorexic for 4 entire years during puberty, he still grew what is probably close to his "intended genetic height", because the body has remarkable catch-up abilities once the living conditions are improved. And it even managed to grow about 1.5 inches even though not having a lot of energy for growing while being malnutritioned.