Tech workers paying at least $75,000 for surgical procedure to make them few inches taller
According to health experts, healing is slow and it could take months to lengthen the bones.
By Kimberly RodriguesSep 18, 2022
Stigmas around plastic surgery for men have begun to decrease in recent years and it has become a way for men to reach their physical goals. In 2020 men were reportedly turning to techniques like Botox, fillers, and laser treatments in an effort to get ahead in their careers.
Currently, self-conscious tech workers are taking extreme measures to increase their height by undergoing a radical and expensive cosmetic surgical procedure to grow three to six inches.
A Las Vegas cosmetic surgeon Kevin Debiparshad, the head of the Nevada-based LimbplastX Institute informs that many of his patients belong to the tech industry, such as software developers from Google Microsoft, Amazon, and Met.
Dr Kevin, who specialises in limb lengthening procedures said his customers are willing to pay $70,000 to $150,000, depending on how many inches they want to “grow,” as well as thousands of dollars more in follow-up costs, GQ reported.
Dr Kevin is quoted as saying, “I joke that I could open a tech company.”
He adds, “I got, like, 20 software engineers doing this procedure right now who are here in Vegas. There was a girl yesterday from PayPal. I’ve got patients from Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft. I’ve had multiple patients from Microsoft.”
According to GQ, here’s how it works - The doctor breaks the femurs, or thigh bones of patients, and inserts metal nails into them that can be adjusted.
The nails are then extended a tiny bit every day for three months with a magnetic remote control. The nails are gradually extended over the next three months by one millimeter a day – eventually making the patient taller.
According to GQ’s report the, surgery involves a lengthy recovery process that includes “relentless” pain that stretches the nerves, muscle and, tissue of the legs to an “almost excruciating degree.”
Healing is slow and it could take months to slowly lengthen the bones. One software engineer reportedly spent the first three months after his surgery alone in his apartment and ordered food home during that time to go from 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9.
This surgery is done under general anaesthesia, allowing patients to sleep and have pain-free surgery, informs the integrated health care system, Mount Sinai.
However, given that it is an invasive procedure Healthline reportedly said that there could be risks and side effects of this procedure.
The side effects could include allergic reactions to the anesthesia, bleeding, and infections in the pin sites. The cosmetic procedure is also not recommended for athletes since it could decrease their ability, Dr Kevin explains.
On the other hand, speaking about the popularity of this surgical procedure, the Harvard-educated surgeon said patient counts have effectively doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Kevin claims up to 50 patients per month visit his offices.
However, the patients are just not limited to the tech sector. Dr Kevin has performed the procedure on CEOs, actors, physicians, a nurse, a YouTube star, and even a news anchor, GQ informs. And though his clientele comprises mostly of men – women too have reportedly come to him for the procedure.
“A lot of patients see it as an investment in themselves, and not necessarily romantically,” Dr Kevin said. “Stature is such an important part, I think, of who you are and how you perceive the world and how the world perceives you. Being able to alter that is so impactful,” he concludes.
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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