Truman Customer Story Column Surgery Date 2026-03-31
The Weight of Calling It
a Once-in-a-Lifetime Surgery
One of the phrases we hear most often in the consultation room is “this is a once-in-a-lifetime surgery.”
Packed into those few words is more fear than expectation. How much will it hurt? What if there are side effects? It is a one-time surgery — what if something goes wrong? Today, borrowing the story of one patient who came to us carrying that weight, we would like to speak to those still hesitating in the same place.
What Worried Him Most
The heaviest burdens were the ‘pain’ and the pressure of ‘only one chance’
For this patient, too, pain and side effects were the biggest worries at first.
He said the pressure of it being “a once-in-a-lifetime surgery” weighed on him the most. Yet once it was behind him, he told us recovery came faster than expected and much of that worry melted away.
With gynecomastia surgery, vague fears are often inflated far beyond the actual experience. When you understand it accurately and prepare well, that weight is easier to set down than you might think.
First Impressions
Being able to ask anything, freely and comfortably
On his first visit, what he remembered was nothing grand.
“The staff were kind and welcoming, and they explained everything I was curious about.”
The chest is not something anyone finds easy to talk about. That is why the first thing we try to create is an atmosphere where you can comfortably ask the questions that are hard to ask. Listening fully and explaining fully — we believe that is where trust begins.
Recovery After Surgery
The scar was small, and there was almost no pain
His memories after surgery were calm and understated.
The scar turned out smaller than he had expected, and there was hardly any pain. Scarring and pain are the two things patients ask about most before surgery. Of course, everyone is different. But with a precise, meticulous approach, the size of the worry and the size of the actual experience can turn out to be very different things.
After Surgery
“I want to stand tall and start taking care of myself again”
When we ask what patients want to do first after surgery, the answers are usually modest.
He said he wanted to get his everyday life back, manage his weight and his body again, and carry himself with confidence. When we asked him for a word for others facing the same concern,
“If you can find the time, the sooner you do it, the better.”
For every day spent hesitating, life after the decision feels that much lighter. Trueman Incheon will walk that first step with you.
— Dr. Sang-gyu Kim, Trueman Men's Clinic Incheon —