Truman Customer Story Column
What he most wants to do after surgery
For those about to have gynecomastia surgery, the worries usually fall into two categories. One is the surgery itself — the fear of complications. The other is the outcome — how the chest will look afterward. The patient I want to tell you about today walked into my office carrying both.
The Wish to Buy Lots of Nice Clothes and Wear Them
He Came Carrying Two Worries
Before surgery, what this patient feared most were complications, and whether his chest might end up looking strange afterward. Once he had recovered, he left these words: "I had been worried about side effects and about my chest shape changing after surgery, but it turned out so well that those worries felt almost pointless." Of course, this was this patient's own course, and recovery patterns and results can vary from person to person. Still, I imagine that the greater the worry had been, the greater the relief was once it lifted.
The Things You Sense in the Atmosphere
He told me that during his time at the clinic the staff were very kind, and that the atmosphere of the place gave him the impression of somewhere that had handled this surgery for a long time, and deeply. The trust a patient feels is built one explanation and one interaction at a time. That is why we try not to let any single step of care slip by carelessly.
An Honest Word: The Compression Garment Was Uncomfortable
But it was not all praise. This patient wrote honestly that the compression garment worn after surgery was uncomfortable. He is right. A compression garment is not comfortable clothing. The reason we still ask patients to wear it is that it presses evenly on the surgical area to bring down swelling and helps the skin settle onto its new contour — an important partner in the recovery process. I cannot make it free of discomfort, but I do try to explain fully what that discomfort is for.
May the Time in Front of the Closet Change
When I asked what he most wanted to do after surgery, the answer was short and clear: "I want to buy and wear lots of the nice clothes I could never wear before." When I think of all the times he must have picked up a piece of clothing and set it back down, the weight of that single line is not light. He also left a message for others facing the same struggle: now, go ahead and try on the clothes you want.
In Reply to His Closing Words
At the end of his review, this patient wrote: "Please keep taking good care of people like me in the future. Thank you." Those words are both an encouragement and a responsibility for us. If you are standing at the clinic door, hesitating over the same worry, know this: it is never too late to decide about surgery after you have confirmed your own condition through a consultation.
- Dr. Yoo Jae-hyun, TRUEMAN Gangnam -
