Cosmetic Limb Lengthening in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is cosmetic limb lengthening?
Cosmetic limb lengthening is height increase surgery: a planned operation in which a leg bone is divided and then lengthened gradually, so that new bone grows in the widening gap. The bone, muscles, nerves and skin all lengthen together over several months.
The process has three stages. After the bone is divided, a short rest period lets healing begin. In the distraction stage, the two bone ends are drawn apart in very small steps spread through the day, and soft new bone, called regenerate, fills the space. In consolidation, the new bone hardens until it carries your full weight.
Two kinds of device do the lengthening. An internal lengthening nail sits inside the thigh or shin bone and is extended with a handheld controller from outside the body. An external frame holds the bone through pins or wires and is adjusted by hand. Some plans combine the two: a frame does the lengthening and a nail then supports the new bone, so the frame comes off sooner.
Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah performs cosmetic limb lengthening in-house. Limb lengthening and deformity correction are led by Dr. Mohamed Kamal, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, who holds the European Board of Orthopaedics and Traumatology fellowship through the Royal College of Ireland, Dublin, and worked as acting consultant in limb lengthening and deformity correction at Khoula Hospital under Oman's Ministry of Health.
Who needs it
Cosmetic limb lengthening is for healthy adults who want to increase their height and who meet strict candidacy criteria. The assessment checks:
- Fully grown bones: standing X-rays confirm the growth plates have closed, so the operation is for adults only.
- Good general and bone health, including vitamin D and a healthy weight.
- Psychological readiness: a psychological assessment explores your reasons and how you cope with a long recovery.
- Realistic expectations about the gain your soft tissues can safely allow and the months of rehabilitation.
- Time and support: a place to stay near the hospital and someone to help you.
- Commitment to stop smoking, because nicotine slows new bone formation.
After a full discussion, some people choose shoe lifts or posture work instead of surgery. The thigh bone (femur), the shin bone (tibia), or both in separate stages can be lengthened, depending on your proportions and goals. Where one leg is shorter than the other after injury or a childhood condition, the treatment is reconstructive and is described on the limb reconstruction with external fixators page.
What happens
Treatment at Dar Al Kamal Hospital follows a clear sequence:
- Consultation and planning. Dr. Kamal examines you and reviews full-length standing X-rays, and together you agree the bone, the device and a target gain.
- The operation. Under general anaesthesia or a spinal anaesthetic, the bone is divided through small incisions and the nail or frame is fitted. A short hospital stay follows while the team settles your pain and gets you moving.
- Distraction. After the short rest period, lengthening begins in tiny increments several times a day. You learn to make these adjustments yourself, and regular X-rays check that new bone is forming at the right pace.
- Daily rehabilitation. Physiotherapy starts straight after surgery and continues throughout lengthening, because the muscles and tendons have to stretch as the bone grows. Our physical therapists work closely with our orthopedic surgeons, adjusting your exercises to each stage of the plan.
- Consolidation. Once the target is reached, lengthening stops and the new bone matures. Weight-bearing increases step by step as X-rays show the bone strengthening.
Preparing for it
Many patients travel to Sharjah from abroad for limb lengthening, and preparation starts before the flight. Send your X-rays and medical history ahead for review, so your first consultation moves straight to planning.
Plan to stay in Sharjah for the whole distraction stage and the early part of consolidation, which together last several months, when reviews, X-rays and daily physiotherapy are frequent. Choose accommodation with lift access, a walk-in shower and room for crutches, within easy reach of the hospital in Al Fisht. A companion who stays with you makes daily life much easier.
Before surgery you have blood tests, a vitamin D check and an anaesthetic review. Stop smoking and all nicotine products well ahead of the operation. If your treatment overlaps Ramadan, raise it early so fasting, medicines and physiotherapy can be planned together. Arrange time away from work; desk work may resume remotely during consolidation, while physical and driving jobs wait longer.
Afterwards
As the bone consolidates, you walk with less support and physiotherapy moves on to strength and balance. Before you fly home, Dr. Kamal reviews your X-rays and gives you a follow-up schedule. Follow-up continues after you return home, through planned return visits to Sharjah and X-rays taken nearer home and shared for review. An internal nail is often removed in a later, smaller operation once the bone is fully mature.
Keep incisions and pin sites clean and dry. In the Sharjah heat, stay in air-conditioned spaces and change damp dressings promptly.
Contact the hospital urgently if you notice new numbness, tingling or weakness in the foot, pain that keeps rising during lengthening, redness or discharge around a pin or wound, or a fever. **Go to the emergency department straight away if your calf becomes swollen and painful, or if you develop sudden breathlessness or chest pain.**
Cost and insurance
Cosmetic limb lengthening is usually self-funded, because health insurers in the UAE and abroad treat height increase as an elective cosmetic procedure. The cost of your programme, covering the operation, stay, physiotherapy, X-rays and any later nail removal, is discussed at consultation. Where lengthening corrects a medical difference in leg length, some insurers consider cover with pre-approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can answer questions about cost and payment on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of cosmetic limb lengthening?
Cosmetic limb lengthening carries the risks of any major bone operation, including infection, bleeding, blood clots in the leg or lungs and a reaction to the anaesthetic. Lengthening itself can stretch nerves and muscles, cause stiffness or a fixed bend at the knee or ankle, and the new bone can form too slowly or harden too early. Devices can occasionally fail, and further surgery is sometimes needed. Your surgeon explains how these risks apply to you before you decide.
How much height can limb lengthening add?
The height a limb lengthening operation can add depends on the bone lengthened, your body proportions and how well your muscles, nerves and joints tolerate stretching. Dr. Mohamed Kamal sets a safe target for your case at consultation, and the plan can be slowed or stopped early if the soft tissues need it. Nobody can promise a particular result in advance.
Is an internal lengthening nail better than an external frame?
An internal lengthening nail and an external frame each suit different people, so neither is right for everyone. A nail avoids pins through the skin and is more comfortable to live with, while a frame can correct a bend at the same time and suits bones too narrow for a nail. Your surgeon recommends a device after reviewing your X-rays.
Can I fly home during limb lengthening?
Flying home is usually planned for after the distraction stage, because lengthening needs frequent X-rays, adjustments and daily supervised physiotherapy in Sharjah. Long flights also raise the risk of blood clots after leg surgery. Dr. Kamal tells you when travel is safe and what follow-up you need once home.
Is cosmetic limb lengthening painful?
Cosmetic limb lengthening causes pain after the operation and a stretching discomfort during the lengthening stage, especially around physiotherapy sessions. Pain relief is planned with you before surgery and adjusted at each review. Pain that keeps rising is a reason to contact the hospital, since the lengthening pace may need changing.
Who performs limb lengthening at Dar Al Kamal Hospital?
Limb lengthening at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah is led by Dr. Mohamed Kamal, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon. He holds the Fellowship of the European Board of Orthopaedics and Traumatology through the Royal College of Ireland in Dublin, and worked as acting consultant in limb lengthening and deformity correction at Khoula Hospital in Oman.
Can teenagers have cosmetic limb lengthening?
Teenagers cannot have cosmetic limb lengthening, because it is performed only once the growth plates have closed and the bones are fully grown. A child or teenager with a real difference in leg length or a bone deformity is assessed through [pediatric orthopedics](/services/pediatric-orthopedics/) instead.
Is cosmetic limb lengthening covered by insurance?
Cosmetic limb lengthening is usually self-funded, because insurers treat height increase as an elective cosmetic procedure. Lengthening to correct a medical leg-length difference may be considered with pre-approval. Call Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777 to discuss cost and payment.
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