Some people calculate their work schedule before deciding on surgery. The first thing this reviewer wrote was "the time the recovery period would take, the problem of getting to work."
Gynecomastia surgery involves same-day discharge, and for desk work many people return within a few days. But when you return depends on what you do. If your work involves lifting heavy objects or using your arms extensively, you have to wait longer. So when we set the surgery date, we ask about your occupation and that week's schedule as well. Avoiding a week packed with travel or events, and attaching days off before and after, reduces the sense of being rushed by the calendar rather than by recovery itself.
For a period after surgery you wear a compression garment. Because it reduces swelling and presses so the area does not lift, it is hard to take out of recovery — and when we first explain it, many people ask how they are supposed to go to work in it. This person wrote that at work the garment was neither uncomfortable nor visible, so it was fine. How it feels can differ with body type and the clothes you usually wear.
They also had a fear of pain, and afterward said, "The pain was less than a bad cold." That was their case; pain is felt differently depending on the amount of tissue removed and individual variation. Some people report heaviness for several days after the same operation. If you have work coming up, we prescribe medication so you do not have to endure those days.
They also wrote that my chatting with them before surgery helped ease the tension. That was a conversation in the consulting room. Repeating only explanations right before surgery makes some people tense up, so I tend to ask about how they are feeling that day, or about work.
For what they wanted to do after surgery, they wrote, "I'll have to buy new T-shirts first." Often what is left in the closet is only clothing bought to conceal. You will have to measure again before buying.
To others with the same concern, they left the advice to think about your own satisfaction before the cost. Standards differ from person to person, but it is true that for someone who has put it off a long time, the decision often turns on that point. I hope you enjoy the new T-shirts.
