Truman Customer Story Column
"The Surgery Was Over the Moment I Closed My Eyes"
The answer most often written in the box asking about a memorable moment during surgery is that there is no memory. It means there was nothing to remember, so I feel relieved whenever I receive this answer. The person I am introducing today wrote that answer like this.
"Under sedation, the surgery was over the moment I closed my eyes"
Having No Memory Is NormalOur gynecomastia surgery is performed under sedation. The surgery begins after you fall asleep, and I enter the operating room after the anesthesia has taken effect. The surgery itself is over in about thirty minutes, and I explain the results in the recovery room after the surgery is finished.
So what patients remember is roughly the moment just before falling asleep and the moment of hearing the explanation in the recovery room. There is no need to worry about the blank in between.
Afraid the Shape Might Look StrangeWhat this person wrote as their biggest worry before surgery was a single line: "That the shape might look strange"
It is the most common worry in gynecomastia consultations. The surgery is a treatment that removes glandular tissue, but removing every last bit does not lead to a good result. If too much of the tissue beneath the areola is removed, that area can look sunken, so we decide how much to leave according to the amount of tissue, the condition of the skin, and the body type.
The Time It Takes for the Shape to SettleRight after surgery, swelling remains. The shape gradually settles while the space left where tissue was removed adheres under compression. What you see the day after surgery is not the final appearance.
The 12 to 48 hours right after surgery are a period with a risk of bleeding, so you spend that time with additional compression over the compression garment, and the next day, after we check at the clinic for any bleeding, we remove that additional compression.
The Box Where They Wrote It Felt ComfortableAs their impression when they first came to the clinic, they wrote that it felt comfortable and good.
Gynecomastia care always involves undressing and showing a part you have kept hidden for a long time. If that setting is uncomfortable, people end up putting off care itself. That is why our Daegu branch is run mainly with male medical staff. So the line saying it felt comfortable is not only an assessment of the interior.
The words they left for others with the same concern were these: "Get the surgery even one day sooner"
These are words spoken from the experience of someone who put it off for a long time. Whether surgery is needed differs from person to person, and it is something to judge after confirming your condition through an examination. For what they wanted to do after surgery, they wrote a single word, exercise; we decide that timing together while watching your progress.
