Height can be a contentious issue for some men. While women on the shorter side are sometimes referred to as pocket rockets, the same can't be said for most short men.
The problem is so great that many men have taken to including their height on their dating profiles so that potential matches aren't put off by anything less than 6ft (that's the magic number, apparently).
But don't worry if you're on the shorter side, as one doctor is now claiming to have the answer and says that he can add up to six inches to people's height with a stretching procedure.
Surgeon and orthopedic specialist Dr. Debiparshad, whose company LimbplastX is based in Las Vegas, has developed a procedure that involves cutting the leg bones and then inserting an electronic device that "slowly stretches them out" with the help of a remote control.
Check out Ryan's story about increasing his height in the video below:[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvkQzUN4PN4]]
It sounds like torture, but if you're willing to do almost anything to add a few coveted inches onto your height, then the procedure will set you back an equally torturous amount - $75,000 (£59,700).
This is how the procedure is billed on Dr. Debiparshad's LimbplastX website:
"The LimbplastX procedure is a minimally invasive surgery developed specifically to safely lengthen the femur (thigh bone) or tibia (lower leg bone). During surgery, Nuvasive PRECICE STRYDE implant nails that expand and lengthen bones, are placed into the hollow intramedullary canals of the leg bones. On average, patients can get back to normal activities in a couple of weeks."
The doctor claims that people can gain up to six inches in height over two lengthening procedures.
However, like every surgery, it's not without its risks, and adverse side effects include muscle tightening and the loss of high-end athletic ability.
But, despite odd-sounding procedure, the reviews are surprisingly positive and one happy customer said it's given him "a huge boost in confidence".
Irving Rodríguez, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, was 5ft 4in tall when he first decided to go under Dr. Debiparshad's knife, and now he's a comparatively taller 5ft 6.7in.
Rodríguez said that he's been unhappy with his height since high school, and finally decided to go to extreme lengths (pardon the pun) to change it in December 2019. He added that he had used the remote control to increase the length of his limbs by 1mm a day until he reached his ideal height.
So, do you know somebody who'd be happier after this procedure?