Short little finger (brachydactyly): can you even out the length without surgery?
Brachydactyly is a condition in which part of a finger bone grows short, so the finger looks shorter than the others. Surgery to lengthen it exists, but the tendons and ligaments of the hand are delicate, so it should be discussed carefully with a hand specialist. If you want to even out the length and shape without surgery, a custom silicone finger prosthesis worn over the short finger is another option.
What is brachydactyly?
In brachydactyly, all the bones and joints of a finger or toe are present, but one of the bones has not grown to full length, so that finger or toe is noticeably short. It is usually present from birth and is often described as hereditary.
Even without pain, your hands are on show every day. Some people spend years feeling self-conscious about how a short finger looks, and that, rather than function, is what leads them to look for a solution. If there is pain or restricted movement, that should be checked with a doctor first.
Surgery or a silicone finger prosthesis: what is the difference?
| Lengthening surgery | Silicone finger prosthesis | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Surgery to lengthen the bone | Worn over the short finger |
| Process | Anaesthesia, surgery, recovery and rehabilitation | Casting, a check-socket fitting and delivery (three standard visits) |
| Things to consider | How tendons, ligaments, muscles and movement may change afterwards should be discussed with your surgeon | It is taken on and off, and any wear from daily use is handled through after-sales support |
Each finger joint has a wide range of movement, and the tendons and ligaments work together precisely. How movement changes after lengthening differs from person to person, so always ask a hand specialist about the possibilities and risks. Some people look into a silicone prosthesis while they weigh up surgery, or when they would rather address appearance first.
Case: a customer with two short little fingers
Both of our customer’s little fingers were about two joints shorter than the others. The hardest moments, they told us, were when they had to raise a hand in front of other people.
At the check-socket stage, when a temporary prosthesis made from the first casts is tried on, we checked length, thickness and how it felt together. After talking it through, we agreed that a prosthesis covering the whole finger would look more natural than one extending only the tip, and finished it that way.
Skin tone was measured digitally, and the nails were shaped and toned from a mould of the customer’s own nails. The after photos were taken under the same conditions as the before photos, with a standard colour chart and no retouching.
How is a silicone finger prosthesis made?
- Casting — we take moulds of the short finger and of your other hand, so that length and thickness match the neighbouring fingers.
- Skin tone — an E-SKIN scanner (SPECTROMATCH, UK) measures your skin tone, and we mix custom pigments from that reading.
- Nails — made with our patented nail-making method, using your own nails as the reference.
- Fine details — creases and veins are reproduced with your other hand as the guide.
The standard process is three visits. Fabrication of a finger takes 7–10 days, and the whole process from consultation to delivery takes about 4–6 weeks, or 1–2 weeks with express production. We aim for a result that is difficult to tell apart from a real finger, but results vary from person to person.
Frequently asked questions
Does brachydactyly need surgery?
Whether to have surgery depends on your hand and the result you want, and is a decision to make with a hand specialist. If appearance is your main concern, a silicone finger prosthesis worn without surgery is another option.
Can I wear a prosthesis if my finger is short rather than missing?
Yes. It is worn over the short finger and made so the length matches the neighbouring fingers. How much of the finger it covers is decided together at the check-socket stage.
Why is there a check-socket stage?
A temporary prosthesis is tried on before the final one is made, so length, thickness and comfort can be checked and adjusted. In this case, the final design was decided at this stage.
How long does it take?
Fabrication of a finger takes 7–10 days. From consultation to delivery it takes about 4–6 weeks over three standard visits, or 1–2 weeks with express production.
