Cosmetic Limb Lengthening: The Complete Guide
Short answer
Cosmetic limb lengthening is surgery that makes you taller by cutting the femur or tibia in a controlled way and slowly separating the two ends, about 1 mm a day, while new bone forms in the gap. The femur can usually gain up to 8 cm and the tibia up to 6 cm; together (quadrilateral) 12–14 cm. At our clinic in Istanbul it is done by orthopedic surgeon Op. Dr. Fatih Arslanoğlu with LON, PRECICE or FITBONE, with an average stay of about 3 months.
How limb lengthening works
Limb lengthening uses the body’s own ability to grow new bone, a process called distraction osteogenesis. During surgery, the surgeon makes a controlled cut (osteotomy) in the bone and fixes it with a lengthening device. After a latency phase of 5 to 10 days, the device separates the two bone ends by about 1 mm a day. New bone forms in the gap, and muscles, nerves and skin adapt gradually. When the target length is reached, the new bone hardens during the consolidation phase.
Read more in How does limb lengthening work? and Internal vs external limb lengthening.
The three methods we use
• LON (Lengthening Over Nail): an internal nail combined with a temporary external frame during lengthening. It is our most affordable option. See LON surgery.
• PRECICE: a fully internal magnetic nail, lengthened with an external remote controller, so there is no frame. See PRECICE surgery.
• FITBONE: a fully internal motorized nail, also without a frame. See FITBONE surgery.
The Ilizarov frame is used only for medical cases. STRYDE is not offered because it was withdrawn from production in 2020 (see What happened to STRYDE?). To compare the methods, read LON vs PRECICE, PRECICE vs FITBONE and Which method should you choose?.
How much taller can you get?
• Tibia (shin) only: up to 6 cm (2.4 in).
• Femur (thigh) only: up to 8 cm (3.1 in).
• Femur + tibia (quadrilateral): 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) in total, as separate surgeries or, if you are suitable, at the same time.
Your safe maximum depends on your bones, muscles, nerves and general health, and the surgeon sets it after examining you. Try our height calculator and read How much taller can limb lengthening make you? and Femur vs tibia lengthening.
Who is a candidate?
You need closed growth plates (usually from about 18), good general health and realistic expectations. There is no hard upper age limit; physical condition and bone density (DEXA scan) decide, but we do not recommend cosmetic lengthening over 60. Smoking, diabetes and other health factors affect bone healing. See Am I a candidate?, Limb lengthening age limit and Limb lengthening for women.
Recovery: what the 3 months in Istanbul look like
After 4 nights / 5 days in hospital, you stay in Istanbul (at the Four Points by Sheraton in the hotel packages), with transfers and a wheelchair included. Physiotherapy is 6 days a week, 1 hour a day, onsite. Most patients fly home after about 3 months, and remote physiotherapy follow-up is free and unlimited. Walking without crutches usually comes after about 4 to 6 months, and sports after about 9 to 12 months, once X-rays allow it.
Read the recovery timeline, physiotherapy after limb lengthening, work, driving and flying, staying in Istanbul, remote follow-up and nail removal.
Risks and safety
Every surgery has risks. Known risks of lengthening include infection, joint stiffness, nerve irritation, slow bone healing (non-union) and implant problems. Our complication rate is about 1%, and we explain every known risk before surgery. We are a licensed health tourism provider (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health certificate ST-091), and surgeries are performed at BHT Clinic İstanbul Tema Hastanesi. See Complications, Can limb lengthening fail?, Complication cover and Is Turkey safe for limb lengthening?.
Cost
Prices are fixed packages per method, with or without hotel, and the price is the same whether you gain 1 cm or 8 cm. Use the cost calculator and read How much does limb lengthening cost in Turkey? and Turkey vs your home country. Package details: LON, PRECICE, FITBONE, Quadrilateral.
The surgeon and the clinic
Lengthening Turkey Height Solutions is a surgeon-led clinic in Istanbul, serving patients since 2014, with 1,000+ limb lengthening surgeries performed. Lead surgeon Op. Dr. Fatih Arslanoğlu is an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics and Traumatology. See Op. Dr. Fatih Arslanoğlu, research and publications, our team and key facts.
Planning your treatment
Before you book, read questions to ask your surgeon, Is limb lengthening worth it?, what to pack and the Turkey medical travel guide. Patient experiences: patient stories and before and after.
Step by step: from first message to going home
• Free assessment: you send your height, target and health history on WhatsApp, and the surgeon tells you which plan fits.
• Planning: you choose the method and package, and we arrange your dates, transfers and hotel.
• Consultation in Istanbul: examination, X-rays, blood tests and a final discussion of the target.
• Surgery and hospital: 4 nights / 5 days in hospital.
• Latency and lengthening: 5 to 10 days of rest, then about 1 mm a day, with physiotherapy 6 days a week and X-rays every 1 to 2 weeks.
• Going home: most patients fly home after about 3 months, from at least 15 days after surgery with an anticoagulant injection before the flight.
• Consolidation at home: free, unlimited remote physiotherapy follow-up while the new bone hardens.
• Nail removal: 8 to 18 months after surgery (on average 12), once at least 3 cortices have healed; it can be done in your home country.
Cosmetic vs medical limb lengthening
Cosmetic limb lengthening is done to increase height in people with healthy, normally shaped legs. Medical limb lengthening treats a problem, such as legs of different lengths or a deformity after a fracture. The surgical principles are the same, but medical cases may need axis correction and sometimes the Ilizarov frame. See leg length discrepancy surgery and bow legs correction.
What the result looks like
The goal is a taller body that still looks natural. That is why the surgeon considers your body proportions when setting the target, and why the femur and tibia each have their own limit. Once the new bone has consolidated, the gained length is permanent, and most patients return to sports after about 9 to 12 months, once X-rays allow it. See before and after and running after limb lengthening.
How to choose a clinic
Choose a clinic where you know who operates, in which hospital, with which implant, and what happens if there is a complication. Ask for a written, itemized quote. Our answers to each of these questions are in questions to ask your surgeon, and our editorial standards are in our medical review policy.
Life during the lengthening phase
A typical day during lengthening includes a physiotherapy session, exercises in your room, rest and, every 1 to 2 weeks, a check-up with X-rays. You move with a walker or crutches and use the wheelchair for longer distances. Many patients work at a desk from the hotel, study or follow online courses. The first weeks are the most tiring; it gets easier as you get used to the routine. A companion can be a big help, especially at the start.
After you go home
At home, you continue your exercises with free, unlimited remote physiotherapy follow-up, send your X-rays, and increase weight bearing step by step as the new bone hardens. You can drive with all methods except LON in the femur once you feel well and can control the pedals safely. Women who plan a pregnancy should wait at least 1 year after surgery.
Myths and other questions
Many claims about growing taller are not true after the growth plates close. See Can you grow taller after 18?, limb lengthening myths, height dysphoria, glossary and the Health Guide for every article. Related medical treatments: leg length discrepancy and bow legs correction.
Contact
For a free assessment, send your height, target and health history to us on WhatsApp (+90 533 016 45 62).
FAQ
Is cosmetic limb lengthening permanent?
Yes. Once the new bone has consolidated, the gained length is permanent.
How much does limb lengthening cost in Turkey?
It depends on the method and package, not on the centimetres. The package price is fixed whether you gain 1 cm or 8 cm. See the cost calculator and the package pages for current prices.
How long do I stay in Istanbul?
About 3 months on average, covering surgery, the lengthening phase and the first X-ray checks.
Which method is best?
There is no single best method for everyone. LON is the most affordable; PRECICE and FITBONE are fully internal. The surgeon recommends the method after examining you.
Is limb lengthening painful?
There is pain, especially in the first days and during lengthening, and it is controlled with medication and physiotherapy. See Is limb lengthening painful?
Can I walk after limb lengthening?
You stand with the physiotherapist in the first days and walk with a walker or crutches during lengthening. Most patients walk without crutches after about 4 to 6 months.
What is the complication rate?
About 1% at our clinic. We explain every known risk before surgery.
Can I have limb lengthening if I am over 40?
Often yes. There is no hard upper age limit; physical condition and bone density decide, although we do not recommend cosmetic lengthening over 60.
Related pages
How Does Limb Lengthening Work?
Internal vs External Limb Lengthening
See also: How to Spot an Unsafe Clinic