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It can perhaps best be described as a rumor on steroids!

“That story and the popularity and the way that it sort of spread virally is the ultimate example in this era of reality entertainment that sometimes the line between those gets blurred.”

The rumor started when a reporter at the North Denver News wrote a “satirical” piece about a large man who had his thumbs surgically whittled down so he could better use his I-phone. That may sound certifiably loony to you and me, but believe it not, the legend grew as internet rumors took off about plastic surgery reaching new “functional” levels. Just to make sure the rumor stops here---we went to board certified plastic Surgeon Dr. Scott Miller in La Jolla, California for the definitive word on why this type of “digit” delirium” won’t take the world by storm.

“What would be involved in that procedure would be techniques that would involve potential for infection, for muscle injury, for nerve injury such that you would not perform them on a normal extremity or a normal digit unless you could do it in a much lower risk manner that would be available with current techniques.”

Ok, doc - but what if someone is really itching to have their thumbs whittled down for better I-phone fidgeting? Would ya do it?

“If somebody asked me to perform a thumb shortening, I wouldn’t suggest they have it and I would strongly urge them to find other ways to adapt to their new high tech environment.”

“I think that we’re going to have to let Darwinism and natural selection gradually decrease the length of our thumbs if it proves that it’s a survival advantage.”

There you have it – the rumor patrol gives a big ole’ thumbs down to “thumb whittling.”