We’ve written about men getting leg-lengthening surgery before. They’re spending thousands of dollars and months of recovery to inch closer to six feet. But now, women are heading in the opposite direction. Not to correct deformities or injury. Just to be…shorter. In the hope that it will help them in the love department.
Clinics in Istanbul are offering a new kind of cosmetic service: limb-shortening surgery for women who believe their height is working against them romantically. And while it might sound like the setup to a dystopian rom-com, it’s very real and very painful.
Surgeons cut the femur or tibia, remove bone, then secure what’s left with a metal rod. The upper leg can be reduced by up to 5.5 centimeters (2.2 inches), the lower leg by 3 centimeters (1.2 inches). One woman reportedly went from 172 to 167.9 centimeters (5’7¾” to 5’6″).
Most clinics promote the surgery as part of a complete “package,” including hospitalization, city tours, restaurant dinners, and even boat rides. But the post-op reality isn’t glamorous. Patients spend months recovering, often in wheelchairs, with intensive physical therapy four to five times a week.
Risks include nerve damage, bone infections, muscle weakness, and nonunion fractures that may never heal properly. Metal rods have weight limits, too, so you need to be under 75 kg (165 lbs) to even qualify.
Women Are Undergoing Limb-Shortening Surgery Just for Love
According to the Daily Mail, one Istanbul clinic has done at least 10 cosmetic limb-shortening surgeries since 2023. And while no global registry tracks these procedures yet, forums and Reddit threads have started filling up with stories from tall women who say they’ve struggled to date.
One reason? Height politics. Studies show that most men prefer women shorter than themselves, and women tend to prefer taller partners. That leaves some taller women caught in between, and apparently willing to sacrifice inches to close the gap.
Despite the absurdity of breaking your legs to be shorter, height has been directly connected to health. Researchers have linked tall stature in women to conditions like endometriosis and increased cancer risk. But that’s not what’s driving this particular trend. For many, it circles back to dating and the belief that being smaller may make them more “approachable.”
It’s a complicated equation. Shrinking yourself to feel seen by someone else seems a bit over the top.
The post Women Are Now Getting Limb-Shortening Surgery in the Name of Love appeared first on VICE.
