A man whose insecurities over his height left him feeling ‘suicidal’ has said he’s ‘so much happier’ after spending £25,000 on limb-lengthening surgery.
Daniel Farbod, 27, from Toronto, Canada, has been self-conscious of his 5ft 7in stature since he stopped growing aged 14, so forked out for the procedure to add an extra three inches, taking him to 5ft 10in.
The civil engineer always linked masculinity with being tall, so was ‘ashamed’ of himself as he ‘didn’t feel like a man.’
After grappling with mental health issues as a result of his low self esteem, Daniel then came across the unique surgery online, realising he was ‘willing to sacrifice time and money to get (his) life back.’
In May 2021, he had his first procedure in a specialist clinic in Turkey, which involved breaking his femurs, hollowing out the bone, and putting a rod inside the bone with external fixators – pieces of steel on the outside of his legs.
Daniel had to turn the fixators with an Allen key every day for over four months, before undergoing a second surgery to remove the fixators once his bones had successfully fused together.
When he recovered, he could not ‘put into words how happy (he) was’ and ‘felt so much more confident’.
Now, Daniel is sharing his journey on social media to inspire others who are insecure about their height.
He said: ‘I’m really proud of myself for having the surgery.
‘I was insecure all my life about my height, it impacted my mental health so badly. I was suicidal, and after admitting that I wanted to take the steps to feel better, and have the surgery, I feel so much better.
‘I think for other people, it is important to know how tough the surgery and recovery is – it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but for me, it changed my life and made me grow not only literally but also metaphorically as a person.’
Throughout his teen years, Daniel was obsessed with ways to become taller.
‘I researched everything from socks and supplements that claimed to increase your height,’ he said.
‘I was always insecure and worried about it – I used to go to orthopaedic doctors because I was so scared of not growing. But when I got to age 14, I stopped and it was so depressing.’
When it became clear to him that he was unlikely to grow any more, it took a toll on his mental health and confidence.
Daniel explained: ‘It was so tragic for me, it was like my first stab to the heart.
‘All my dreams would be about being taller and I had to somehow accept that my height had peaked.
‘I tried to keep myself busy to manage my thoughts but in 2020 I just couldn’t handle it – I had all of these negative thoughts and suicidal thoughts because I think being masculine, and being a man, means to be tall.
‘I didn’t feel like a man, I was so ashamed.’
Although he felt as though limb-lengthening surgery was the only way he was going to feel better, his parents, who are both ‘on the shorter side’, didn’t approve of his decision.
‘Everyone was really against the idea because they thought it was not natural and it was changing the way your body is meant to be,’ Daniel said.
‘I knew the surgery was going to be tough, but I thought even that pain would be better than having suicidal thoughts.’
So, he proceeded with his plans, having the first painful procedure at specialist clinic, Live Life Taller, in Turkey.
‘I was really scared when I got to the clinic, and the breaking of the bones was the part I was most nervous about in the whole process,’ Daniel added.
‘It was crazy to wake up after the surgery – the reality just hit me all at once and I was so happy.’
The four-month recovery was brutal, and Daniel said it ‘was a very tough time’ for him, both physically and emotionally.
He explained: ‘My skin was stretching, my muscles were growing, it was madness.
‘It took me even longer to recover, they usually say it will take three months, but, my I had nerve issues with my right leg and had to have it broken again.’
The external fixators were then removed in September 2021, with the then-25-year-old having to use a walker and slowly work up to using crutches.
‘I couldn’t really tell how tall I was at that point,’ said Daniel. ‘It took me at least another three months to be able to stand up.’
Yet despite the pain, Daniel ‘couldn’t believe’ the results once he was back on his feet, saying the surgery had given him ‘all [he] ever wanted’.
‘I went through all these sleepless nights, trauma and upset, and I finally achieved my goal,’ he said.
‘I can’t even put into words how happy I was, and still am – I felt so much more confident.’
Putting aside their initial reservations, his family also looked after him on his return, and were happy to see his mental state improve as the months went by.
Through sharing his journey on Instagram and YouTube in the years since, Daniel hopes to inspire others who are embarrassed about their height, alongside sharing the truth of the gruelling efforts he went to.
‘I want to show people the reality of the surgery,’ he said.
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‘It’s tough but I want to raise awareness and get men talking about their insecurities.’
Need support?
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
If you're a young person, or concerned about a young person, you can also contact PAPYRUS, the Prevention of Young Suicide UK.
Their HOPELINE247 is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. You can call 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email: [email protected].
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