A model and reality TV star who paid thousands of dollars to have her legs lengthened has been left with a chronic bone condition as a result of the procedure.
Theresia Fischer, from Germany, initially stood at 5'6" tall - about two inches taller than the average US woman.
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However, when she was 24 years old she decided to undergo surgery which increased her height to more than six-foot.
The procedure involves inserting adjustable telescopic rods into the shins which are then gradually extended over time to increase the length of the legs.
She spent more than $160,000 to get an extra five and a half inches of height - but it came at a cost of more than just money.
Fischer has revealed that the procedure left her with periosteum inflammation - a condition which UConn Health says is caused when a layer of connective tissue that surrounds bone becomes inflamed.
The condition, which is generally chronic, has symptoms including bone tenderness, stiffness, fever and chills and swelling of tissue around the bone.
Fischer has said she's 'longing for that day when these rods finally come out', having previously admitted the operation 'shouldn't have happened' in the first place.
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In an interview with the radio network MDR Jump, Fischer claimed she had been persuaded by an ex-boyfriend to undergo the surgery as he told her he would 'really like' her to be taller.
Fischer recalled: "I am ashamed because I consented to an operation that shouldn't have happened.
"I've never dealt with that before because I've always been happy with my body."
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Recently, Fischer has been using her Instagram page to promote her appearance on the reality TV show Battle of the Reality Stars, following her involvement in Germany's Next Top Model and Celebrity Big Brother.
She also shares insights to her personal life, with one post featuring a snap of her partner Stefan and her parents.
"My long-awaited dream of finally being complete as a family has come true," she wrote in the post, adding that she and her parents have 'been through some rough times' in the last few years.
"I am consciously and wholeheartedly grateful to have such a wonderful family that we managed to get through hard times and reach the light on the horizon together," she continued.
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"Stefan is my absolute heart man - empathetic, benevolent, respectful, intelligent, warm-hearted and exciting all at once. We enrich and complement each other, day by day."
Topics: Social Media, Health, Life
Emily Brown