My Story

Six years of something that never really went away.

My name's Milo. I'm 21, and I work as a stock trader.

I've been insecure about my height since I was around 15.

It wasn't one moment. Nobody said anything specific to set it off. It just built up slowly over the years, until it became something I think about more than I'd like to.

I want to say this clearly before anything else. There is nothing wrong with being 166cm. Millions of men are that height and are completely fine with it. I'm not writing any of this to convince someone else they should feel insecure too, or that surgery is the right call for them.

This is just about how I feel about my own body.

In the meantime, I've built a life I'm genuinely happy with. I've dated. I've done well for myself financially. I've worked on how I look and how I carry myself. I went to therapy, and it actually helped with a lot of things.

Just not this one.

I tried shoe lifts for a while too. They helped more than I expected, but they started messing with my back, so I stopped wearing them.

If I'm honest, I still feel some shame about all of this, even though I know I probably shouldn't.

Last year I decided to stop just living with it and actually look into fixing it. I spent months reading studies, watching other people's recovery journeys, researching surgeons, and learning about the real risks, the recovery, and the technology behind it.

I looked at what else was out there before landing on surgery. More therapy, which had already helped with a lot but not this. Lifts, which I'd already tried and had to stop. Just waiting to see if the feeling faded on its own, which is what I did for six years before I started this research in the first place.

None of those were actually addressing the thing. Surgery was the only option that did.

I'm still not certain about everything. I don't know exactly how recovery will feel, and I know it varies a lot person to person. If something in my consultations or research changes my read on the risk, I'll say so here, not quietly go ahead anyway.

I'm not doing this because I hate myself. I'm doing it because after six years, I've accepted this isn't going away on its own.

166cm to 174cm. In feet, that's 5'5.5" to 5'9". That's the plan.

The Science

How this actually works.

Not magic. Just biology, on a schedule.

AI-generated Illustration of an intact femur Illustration of a femur after the osteotomy cut Illustration of a femur with the PRECICE nail inserted Illustration of a femur mid-distraction, new bone forming in the gap Illustration of a femur in consolidation, new bone hardening Illustration of a fully healed, elongated femur

01 · Intact Femur

Illustration of an intact femur
01

The femur

This is the bone I've decided on. Longest bone in the body, and the one that actually gets lengthened.

It can be extended several centimeters. Done well, function is retained — recovery varies person to person, but for most people it doesn't change much long term.

Illustration of a femur after the osteotomy cut
02

The cut

A surgeon makes one precise, controlled cut through the bone. That's it.

I'm not going to pretend it's minor, it's real surgery. But that controlled break is exactly what tells my body to start growing new bone.

Illustration of a femur with the PRECICE nail inserted
03

The nail

A small motorized titanium rod goes inside the bone canal. It's called a PRECICE nail, and it's the actual piece of tech doing the work.

Screws lock it in place above and below the cut. From here on, the nail does the lengthening, not the surgeon.

Illustration of a femur mid-distraction, new bone forming in the gap
04

Distraction

Every day, I hold a remote against my leg and it tells the nail to turn slightly, pulling the bone apart bit by bit.

About 1mm a day. My body fills that gap with new bone as it goes, this is the part that actually takes the longest.

Illustration of a femur in consolidation, new bone hardening
05

Consolidation

Once I hit my target length, the lengthening stops. No more turning the nail.

The new bone still needs time to harden, usually a few months. Physical therapy through this stretch keeps everything else moving the way it should.

Illustration of a fully healed, elongated femur
06

Healed

Eventually the nail comes out, and the bone is just bone again. No different from the rest of my leg.

Most people get back to running, lifting, whatever they were doing before. Timelines and results vary a lot person to person, but that's the goal.

Prefer to watch it play out? Official PRECICE surgical animation.

Sources: HSS patient guide · FDA letter to health care providers

Real Questions

Things people actually ask me.

From comments and DMs. My actual answers, not scripted ones.

Instagram · DM

So wait, you'll never walk normal again after this?

Recovery varies, but most people get back to full activity once everything heals, physical therapy included. It's a real recovery, not an easy one, but "never walk again" isn't accurate for the vast majority of cases.

Instagram · Comment

Isn't this how people end up with that weird disproportionate look?

Possible if you push too far, but most of the time, no. Proportions vary naturally person to person, what looks balanced for me isn't the same as for someone else. That's exactly what I'm working out with my surgeon.

Instagram · DM

You're really spending that much money to still be short?

3 inches moves me from below average to average, not some dramatic transformation. The cost is real. So is what it's worth to me after trying everything else first.

Instagram · Comment

Have you tried just accepting yourself? Therapy helps with this stuff.

Did the therapy. Helped with a lot, honestly, just not this. Choosing a medical option that actually works isn't a sign of weakness.

Instagram · DM

Doesn't recovery take like years?

Used to. Modern nail tech has cut that down a lot, most people are back to work in months, full sports within a year. The lengthening and healing phases still take real time and real physical therapy, though.

Instagram · Comment

Isn't this experimental and kind of dangerous?

It's been done for decades, evolved out of orthopedic surgery for bone defects, and the implant I'm using is FDA cleared. Like any surgery it carries real risk: infection, nerve issues, delayed healing. That's exactly why picking the right surgeon matters so much.

Sources: HSS patient guide · FDA letter to health care providers. General information, not a substitute for your own surgeon's advice.

The Plan

166cm to 174cm.
The projected difference.

A simulation of the target. Surgery hasn't happened yet, this isn't a real result.

Simulated, not a real result A simulated projection comparing current height (5'5.5") to the planned post-surgery height (5'9"). Not an actual postoperative photo.

📁 Add images/before-after.jpg
to show your comparison photo here.

This shows the planned 8cm target, not a confirmed outcome. My actual result after surgery and recovery may differ.

Curious how you'd look?

Upload your own photo and try the same simulation. Nothing is ever uploaded anywhere, it all happens on your device.

Try It On Your Own Photo
The Journey

Where I am. Where I'm going.

Latest Update

Jul 4, 2026

Building this page and documenting the research phase before surgery. First real progress update is coming soon, so follow along on Instagram if you don't want to miss it.

In progress

Now, pre surgery

Research, documentation, building community. Sharing what I've learned so others don't have to start from zero.

Planned

January 2027, surgery

Osteotomy + PRECICE nail insertion. I'll document the lead-up, the prep, and the day itself.

Estimated

Distraction Phase (~80 days)

1mm per day. Daily updates. What it feels like, what's actually happening inside the bone.

Estimated

Consolidation (3–6 months)

The new bone hardens. PT begins in earnest. I'll show the real recovery, not just the highlight reel.

Estimated

Nail Removal + Full Recovery

Back to full activity. The final reveal. 166cm → 174cm, documented start to finish.

Dates and durations are estimates based on typical cases. Mine may end up different, and I'll update this if the plan changes.

Don't Miss It

Get a heads up
the day of surgery.

Instagram won't always show you the update. Email will.

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