Short people were struck a blow this week when British researchers announced that women with short legs were more likely to develop liver disease.

That's a grim fact that would make anyone wish they were taller. But just how far would a person actually go to gain some height?
In the case of limb lengthening surgery, the answer is: a lot.

Though the notoriously painful limb lengthening procedure has normally been reserved for patients with deformities or limb injuries, ABC News is reporting that it's now being seen as a viable cosmetic treatment for the vertically challenged.

Given the choice between being short or having one's legs broken, attached to steel rods, and held together by screws and metal pins that must be rotated on a daily basis, many patients are choosing the latter.

Robert Rozbruch, the director of the Institute for Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction in New York, says that approximately 5-10% of his patients seek the limb lengthening procedure for strictly cosmetic purposes, though he is quick to distance the surgery from cosmetic procedures like lipo.

"Orthopedic surgeons don't do cosmetic surgery," Rozbruch says. "It's not in our normal routine. We do this for a guy who is maybe [5 foot 2] or [5 foot 3] and well adjusted but being short is something that is very disturbing to them. When they walk into a room and they're [5 foot 2] they can't stand it. ... When you talk to them you can feel the pain they go through."

Rozbruch demands that patients undergo psychological testing to "weed out the nuts, the ones who just think it would be kind of cool to be taller."

The surgery isn't just painful and rigorous - it's expensive, too. Limb lengthening costs around $120,000, and isn't covered by insurance. That comes to about $40,000 per inch, as doctors can typically increase height by roughly three inches per treatment session. Costs are lower abroad, however, where the grand total might come to just $20,000, though with less guarantee of success.

There's even a website where people of short stature can share experiences about limb lengthening: MakeMeTaller.info.

"I'm also worried about family and friends finding out about my surgery and what they'll say ... will they think I'm pathetic or desperate for going through months of pain, enduring seemingly horrendous contraptions attached to my legs and spending thousands of dollars for a few inches," one anonymous member vents. "And how can I disappear for about 8 months or so without seeming suspicious? Or explain why I'm suddenly 3 inches taller?"

As unorthodox and anguishing as limb lengthening may sound, however, Rozbruch anticipates that the procedure will become more mainstream.

"As we become familiar with something, it becomes more acceptable and more routine," he says. "This is safe and effective and it can make a big difference in someone's life."