(The Guardian) – It looks like medieval torture, from the metal rods inserted into sawn bones to the months of agonising recovery. But to some, travelling to Turkey to gain a few inches is a (very high) price worth paying

If having your leg bones cut in half sounds painful enough, the true agony comes afterwards. Ensconced on the periphery of Istanbul, in a hotel built from what looks like plasterboard and fake gold leaf, about 20 leg lengthening patients spend their days obsessing over their muscles and tendons, making sure they stretch to accommodate their new bones. This means daily physiotherapy to learn how to walk again, blood thinners, massages and a lot of painkillers. While there are few global statistics on the number of people opting to have this done each year, one Indian market research firm estimated the global limb lengthening industry will balloon by 2030 to be worth $8.6bn (£6.4bn). (Read More)