I Was Afraid of Side Effects — Then One Explanation Made the Fear Disappear

Author : Dr. Sang-gyu KimJune 24, 2026 at 12:30 PM 8
Truman Customer Story Column   Surgery date: 2026-03-31

“I Was Afraid of Side Effects —
Then One Explanation Made the Fear Disappear”

The single word that makes people hesitate most about surgery is ‘side effects.’

Dr. Kim Sang-gyu, Part 6

The more you search online, the more the anxiety grows — and yet there's rarely anyone you can properly ask. Today we share the story of one patient who arrived carrying that vague fear, and left it behind after a single thorough explanation.

 

His biggest worry

Cost and side effects worried him most

This patient's biggest concerns were cost and side effects.

He told us the vague anxiety about side effects, in particular, weighed heavily on him. But after hearing a thorough explanation in the consultation room,

his mind settled: “the side effects I feared aren't going to happen.”

Much of fear comes from not knowing the facts. Once you truly understand, that vague anxiety shrinks accordingly.

First impression

It felt unfamiliar at first — then reassuring

When we asked about his first impression of the clinic, he answered honestly: “It felt unfamiliar.”

Anyone walking through the door for the first time feels that way. But then he added this.

“The medical team consulted me with kindness and real expertise, so I felt comfortable and at ease.”

Turning unfamiliarity into reassurance — that is what we care about most in the very first consultation.

Hopes after surgery

Looking better in a T-shirt, shoulders back

When we asked what changes he was most looking forward to after surgery, he named two.

“Looking better in a T-shirt, and walking with my shoulders back.”

Layering up every summer, quietly hunching his shoulders in group photos — for him, the biggest change is that those moments will be gone.

To anyone facing the same worry

“Stop deliberating — start with a consultation”

When we asked what he would say to others facing the same worry, this was his answer.

“Don't agonize over it — at this clinic, I'd recommend starting with an examination.”

He isn't telling you to commit to surgery. He's suggesting you simply start by getting accurate answers. If fear of side effects has kept you stuck in an endless loop of online searches, that one step is the fastest way forward. Trueman Incheon will be here waiting.

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Dr. Sang-gyu Kim
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Incheon Branch · Ph.D. in Medicine · 3,000 Gynecomastia Cases · 25 Years of Surgical Practice
# Former Gangnam Plastic Surgery Director# A Doctor Who Had the Surgery# 3,000 Gynecomastia Cases · 25 Years
Key Background
  • · Ph.D. in Medicine
  • · Board Certified, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea
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"25 years of surgical practice and 3,000 gynecomastia cases. I am committed to safe results, backed by proven experience."
"Most patients at Trueman Incheon come to us through a referral or word of mouth from someone we have operated on. As a meticulous, perfectionist specialist, I sculpt the male chest safely and carefully, with confidence in the surgery, to meet what our patients expect."
  • · Former Director, Beauty Line Plastic Surgery, Cheongdam-dong, Seoul
  • · Advanced Program in Health Policy, Seoul National University Graduate School (2013)
  • · Adjunct Professor, Korea University Anam Hospital
  • · Deputy Director, International Medical Center, Yanda International Hospital (Yanjiao, near Beijing, China)
  • · Member, Korean Society of Breast Aesthetic Surgery
  • · Member, Korean Society for the Study of Liposuction (KSSL)
  • · Member, International Society of Obesity and Body Contouring