Influencer spends $284,000 on leg lengthening surgery to become 6ft tall

Yeferson Cossio, a Colombian influencer, spent thousands on a complex surgery to lengthen his legs. Photo / @yefersoncossio

A Colombian influencer has spent up to 700 million Colombian pesos ($284,000) on “the most painful surgery ever” in order to become 6ft tall.

Yeferson Cossio, 29, who posts on Instagram, underwent lower-leg lengthening surgery to add 6 inches to his 5ft-8 height, reports the New York Post.

Speaking in Spanish, he said in an Instagram video: “I am not a dwarf, nor am I the tallest.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yef (@yefersoncossio)

“Yes, my legs are pretty but I hate them … I am self-conscious like almost all human beings with some parts of my body and I have a couple hundred million pesos to use here to change it.”

Cossio, who is followed by more than 28 million people on TikTok and Instagram, says he spent between 200 million and 700 million pesos for the surgery - between $81,000 and $284,000.

The procedure involves breaking bones, inserting a metal rod, and using an external device to gradually widen the gap several times a day.

According to the Hospital for Special Surgery: “As the space between the ends of the bone opens up, the body continues to produce new tissue in the gap until the desired length of bone has been generated.”

Surgeons will separate the bones by one millimetre per day. Cossio would have lengthened his legs for 152 days (six months) to reach 6ft.

Cossio admitted the leg lengthening surgery was purely for 'aesthetic' reasons. Photo / @yefersoncossio

For months following the procedure, patients undergo physical therapy to learn to walk with their new legs.

Cossio said the surgery was completely for “aesthetic” reasons.

“Two years ago, I had an issue with my legs that I don’t really want to talk about because it’s very personal … But one of the things that had the most impact on me was to do with leg stretching,” he shared.

He spoke of a few “conspiracies” that had circulated, including that he had his legs broken by a drug dealer who found out Cossio had been with his girlfriend, but he did not give the real reason.

His surgeon assured him that he would be able to walk, exercise and jump as normal after the procedure. Cossio seemed happy with his new frame, telling his followers he wouldn’t go for a second surgery to become even taller.

He’s one of many men who have paid thousands to add a few inches to their height.

Mortgage broker Brian Sanchez, a 33-year-old from Georgia in the US, spent over NZ$163,000 to add seven inches to his already 6ft height.

And Moses Gibson, from Minnesota, paid NZ$122,000 to add three inches to his 5ft-5 frame in 2016. In March this year, he spent another NZ$247,000 to add two more inches.