Truman Customer Story Column
Now he doesn't even have to think about the color of his shirt
When I listen to men who have lived with gynecomastia for a long time, one habit comes up again and again: standing in front of the closet for far too long. This shirt shows the chest line, so no. That color makes it stand out, so no. A set of rules no one else knows about, quietly making every morning a little heavier.
A patient who had surgery with us recently described exactly that. In the review he left after his recovery, he wrote plainly about what had worried him before surgery and what changed afterward. Here is his story, told from my perspective as his surgeon.
His worry was pain, and following our instructions changed that
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His worry about pain changed once he followed the instructions
Before surgery, what he worried about most was pain. In his review, though, he wrote:
"I was a bit worried about the pain, but when I followed the aftercare the clinic told me to do, I could clearly feel it easing."
Of course, the degree of pain and the pace of recovery differ from person to person. Still, I often see recovery go much more smoothly for patients who, like him, follow the post-surgical guidance we give — wound care, wearing the compression garment, and the precautions we explain. That is why I always say that aftercare matters as much as the surgery itself.
What stayed with him from the clinic
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What stayed with him in the consulting room
Asked about his impression of the clinic, he pointed to the clean atmosphere and the detailed explanations. I believe what a patient facing surgery needs is not impressive talk, but an accurate understanding of his own condition and of the process ahead. That is exactly why our consultations tend to run long.
What I found interesting was his memory of the surgery itself. Rather than pain in the chest, what stayed with him was the dry, scratchy feeling in his throat right after the procedure. A dry or scratchy throat after sedation anesthesia is a relatively common experience. It usually settles with time, but knowing about even these small discomforts in advance means fewer surprises.
Why medication and taping did not solve it
At the end of his review, he noted that the medications and taping methods he had researched online seemed to have their limits.
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Why medication and taping did not solve it
Medically speaking, the glandular tissue that causes gynecomastia is not tissue that disappears by applying a cream or pressing it down with tape. Because the approach differs depending on whether the case is fat-predominant or glandular, and on how extensive it is, which method suits you is something to decide after confirming your condition through an examination.
What it means to be free in front of your closet
In the section about changes after surgery, he left a sentence that has stayed with me.
"Before the surgery I paid a lot of attention to my clothes and even to their color so my chest wouldn't stand out, but now I think I'll just wear whatever I want."
The fact that he had to consider not only the cut of a shirt but its color suggests how deeply this concern had worked its way into daily life. This was this patient's outcome; results and recovery vary from person to person, and whether surgery is needed is something to decide after confirming your own condition through an examination. But if you find yourself repeating the same deliberation in front of your closet every day, I would encourage you to start by understanding exactly what is behind it.
- Dr. Shim Young-jin, TRUEMAN Myeongdong -
The fact that he had to consider not only the cut of a shirt but its color suggests how deeply this concern had worked its way into daily life. This was this patient's outcome; results and recovery vary from person to person, and whether surgery is needed is something to decide after confirming your own condition through an examination. But if you find yourself repeating the same deliberation in front of your closet every day, I would encourage you to start by understanding exactly what is behind it.
- Dr. Shim Young-jin, TRUEMAN Myeongdong -
