9 Reasons To Make Sure You Bind Appropriately And Not Over years and years

[Guest Shane_82]

Eek... I have costochondritis... had it well before binding... lemme tell ya... IT'S NOT FUN!

... but then again... neither is binding...

~ Shane

[Guest Charly]

Well, I am really glad I looked at this thread. I've only done binding a handful of times...but I've been doing basically everything you’re not supposed to do apparently, and the other forums I've looked at never said these were wrong. Like using ACE bandages....I'm throwing mine out now. I already swore off using medical tape because while it made me really flat-chested it hurt so bad coming off (about two hours and a lot of tears in the bathroom...). I'm also guilty of binding WAY too tight and have nearly passed out on more than one occasion. I'm lucky I have such good friends that attempt to take care of me when I do these kinds of things to myself.

I'm still going to look into other binding methods, but I'm done with the masochism. I've also lost some weight since the last time I tried binding, which is a plus.

[Guest MrAwesome]

well, I'm not too worried about it. I hope to get chest surgery within a year. I'm considering getting a job when I'm 16 to help pay for it if I have to.

[Guest Cal]

I need top surgery bad. It's giving me a lot of hell having breasts when I feel hormonally male because of the T. The problem is, I have no money. My credit card is maxed and I'm scraping bottom for enough money to pay rent/power/gas. My credit is okay but not enough to get a loan of the size I'd need.

[Guest Evan_J]

I ended up having to extricate myself with scissors.

ROFL -I'm sorry I couldn't help it bro

[Guest Quinn]

Dang, this is some scary stuff...I mean, I always knew serious stuff could happen, but still.

I've been binding for over a year now...and not with the recommended materials, either. ACE bandages. I figured because I wasn't compressing as much (I don't even know my chest size...small, though. Maybe a B? No idea...) it wouldn't be that bad.

I wish there was a proper way to judge if you were binding harmfully or not. Like...I can take full, complete breaths. My breathing is not restricted, and the bandages don't cut into my skin. So I'm I still at as much of a risk?

Another thing I really hate is how the attitude (especially from my parents, dunno 'bout anyone else) is "Well, binding is unhealthy. You'll have to compromise and stop it." I shouldn't have to compromise. It should be either binding or surgery, that should be my option. It shouldn't be binding or stop. I still have the right to feel comfortable with myself, darn it... >.<

Gah, and I'm only almost 18, too. Not so sure when there's top surgery in my future...

[Guest praisedbeherhooves]

It has been common when the topic of binding is first introduced to a transgendered male (or sometimes to an androgynous person should they be interested in the process) to ask or be asked "what possible dangers are there in doing this. "

By and large the main problems that many of us have cited or cautioned against have been not to bind too tightly or for more than roughly 9 hours consecutively because of the risk of pain, constricted breathing , and the posibility of developing pneumonia because of the constriction.

Until now.

Very recently, (two nights ago) I had the opportunity to hear (and most of these were first hand from fellas who unfortunately developed these problems) a much more detailed and extensive list of possible dangers . I'm sorry , but when I know about it you know about it. Esp if I think it may help any of you not have these problems. Some of these were rather serious. And I would feel wrong to hear it and not share it.

These primarily result from improper binding (ace bandages, neophrene back braces, other items not intended to compress the ribs and lungs) and long term binding (not just number of consecutive hours, but binding over the course of years).

These perhaps should ESPECIALLY be taken into consideration by teen transmen who's bones are not finished developing and are not completely hardened. If your mother took a pair of scissors to your binder, she might have had a reason.....

• bruising and fracturing of ribs
  
• pulmonary (lung ) problems
  
• small vessel damge and tissue injury
  
• back issues
  
• low blood flow to the heart resulting in a mild heart attack
  
• decreased lung compacity (lungs only functioning to 30 and 40 %)
  
• binding, according to one doctor tends to throw clots out and in turn can be yet another (in addition to that low blood flow) cause of heart attacks
  
• Costochondritis -an Inflamation of the ribs. The person who developed this condition also stated that after 6 years of binding his chest is completly deformed (the ribs are compressed into his lungs) and his doctor has great fear from the pockets of muscles that have shifted. (he only used underworks binders)
  
• cut of the blood flow through the lymph-nodes in the breast area. This could cause clots, damage to your circulation and lead to lymphatic cancer due to the bacteria build up and clogging of the lymph-nodes. There have been reports about clots, blood clots and lack or circulation causing numbness and permanent loss of sensation in the breast/chest area
  

Oh God. I'm so glad I'm really flat chested and don't need to bind.

[Guest Captain Troy]

Just wanted to let my brothers know that I tried a form of binding today that worked fairly well, and seems to me like a much safer alternative.

Take two sports bras, smaller size than you actually are. This works better the wider the fabric on the back.

Turn one backwards, and use it to compress those lumps. Use the other one in the typical manner to hold the other into place. It still may slip a tad, but not enough to be a problem.

It took my B or C down to an A, which with a loose shirt worked just fine.

The only complaint I have is that the bra I was using backwards had a bit too low a back, so by the end of the day I had those nasty red marks from tight elastic like you get from underpants, only in a really sensitive, and uncomfortable spot on my moobs... Y'all know where I'm talking about...

So yeah. I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether this was actually safer or just seemed so, and also reccomend giving it a try.

[Guest Keane]

Thank god I got my binder a size bigger. I could have wrestled into a small but decided against it.... I don't feel any sort of constriction or pain at all.

ACE bandages are evil for binding.... :/ thanks for putting this up.

[Guest absolutelyfab1]

Yep....that's why as soon as i get home from Uni the binder's off and baggy clothes are on...

[Guest Cal]

Care credit denied me because I have such loving bad credit.

I'm NEVER going to get top surgery. I live paycheck to paycheck 100% of the time. It's to the point where I don't eat on the last Thursday before my checks because I have literally no money.

I bind every single time I'm in the presence of another person. Effectively, this means I have my binder off when I'm sleeping and for about 25 minutes out of the day. Lately, I've been sleeping with a girl (no, not sleeping WITH, I can't do that, thanks vagina...just bunking with) who thinks I'm a biomale, so I've been binding when I sleep.

I can't take full breaths. My ribs always ache. I know I'm killing myself probably. But I can't NOT bind.

[Guest HaidyBearxx]

Now im worried about underworks. u-u ill prolly end up giving it a try anyways.

Big = Bad.

38c, l. U-U

Im glad you posted this! o-o ill make sure to let my body breath as much as possible.

...wow. Its sad Bout the underworks. D:

[Guest sphere]

Oh. Well. That's scary.

I'm just a teen so I'll still be binding for more years to come (such a trial of patience!), but I can breathe just fine. I use a sports bra and safety pins, it's not tight or uncomfortable at all, and works since I'm small anyway, so hopefully I'll avoid the ribs/lung merging problem.

Ehh what the heck, I live in Canada so I'll be covered anyway!

[Guest Donna Jean]

Oh. Well. That's scary.

I'm just a teen so I'll still be binding for more years to come (such a trial of patience!), but I can breathe just fine. I use a sports bra and safety pins, it's not tight or uncomfortable at all, and works since I'm small anyway, so hopefully I'll avoid the ribs/lung merging problem.

Ehh what the heck, I live in Canada so I'll be covered anyway!

*sigh*

We care.....

I care....

Please be careful...

You're loved...

Donna Jean

[Guest jackg]

I heard a story indirectly. Would like to hear from anyone who knows if it's medically possible OR safe. A woman doing FTM started testosterone, and also wore an UnderWorks binder. At the beginning, she-to-he was about a DD-cup. As the testosterone progressed and he continued to wear the same binder, his breasts shrank almost completely away and he never did need top surgery.

I am a full D-cup, also maybe 30 lbs overweight, seems to go straight to my chest!! I am just beginning counseling, have not begun to transition or take testosterone shots. Any comments? Has this happened to others? Is it safe if it does?

[Guest rrecroc]

Nice to be aware of the risks I guess, but even if there was a 50% chance I could have a heart attack tomorrow from binding, I'd still do it just as much and just as tight as I do it now. This just gives me more motivation to save up for surgery even faster.

On a side note, the main issue I noticed with binding (and this is perhaps one that is especially prelavent in the muggy south) is that I get bad bad rashes in the creases underneath my moobs - like rashes to the point where the skin is coming off and it burns. I had to treat it with a steroid cream, and since then I've been using goldbond medicated baby powder (the kind that is mostly cornstarch) and haven't had a problem since then. So if anyone else suffers from that problem, try the powder to see if it works.

Moisture develops between the skin folds ..... this is problem a fungal growth ..... the powder (any powder would work probably - even baby powder) works by keeping the area dry ..... it you already have an infection going, try an antifungal such as lamisil (at night when you are not binding) and a powder during the day to keep you dry ...... Rick, RPh

[Guest Otto]

Wow all this sounds very scary =O I knew theres was risks , but not so much

[Guest Hoslers_wife]

I tend to overreact when it comes to my husbands safety so forgive me if I'm asking something that has already been answered. Should I stop him from binding. Nick is relatively small chested and as observant as I am I don't notice his chest at all with a plain sports bra. That doesn't seem to be enough for him and he insists on binding. I never realized there were any health risks. :-(

[Guest Pól]

I tend to overreact when it comes to my husbands safety so forgive me if I'm asking something that has already been answered. Should I stop him from binding. Nick is relatively small chested and as observant as I am I don't notice his chest at all with a plain sports bra. That doesn't seem to be enough for him and he insists on binding. I never realized there were any health risks. :-(

What is he using to bind?

[Guest Hoslers_wife]

ace bandage...

[Guest Evan_J]

ace bandage...

NOOOO!

An ace bandage is by far "the worst " when it comes to repercussions. If he's gonna do it (and its kinda hard to tell a tguy who's determined not to just cuz of how it hurts him to imagine ANYbody can see ANYthing lots of times) then ideally he should go the route of least damage first if he can- the sports bra. Title 9 and Frogg (did I spell it right guys?) have a gooood reputation for flattening guys who sound like your husband (dang near flat to begin with?) I recently even heard the technique of wearing 2 of em- the first one backwards since the "straight" back band will flatten even more. And this is the thing you're gonna maybe have to absorb as an S/O , it could very well be that the "sports bra" thing is problematic actually because of the word "bra". Dysphoria is very much a phychological/emotional thing in that we tend to feel "hyper" aware and scathed by any and everything "for girls" . However much the tguy feels like "being a regular guy " is distant to his grasp, the more it gets amped up. In the event that he just really feels like he needs "strong binding" not "girl bras" (cuz a tguy easily could say that) then have him look on underworks, or tkingdom or one of the companies that actually sells "binders" . These formal binders came from natal males needing gynecomastia (you know, were guys look like they have boobies) who were horrified and bent out of shape about it. A tguy tends to have little problem addressing something in the same way "any other guy would". Anyway, the binders run about 30 dollars each and you can ask around as to which was better in what way blah blah. In the event that 30 is a stretch to go spendin on binders (cuz sometimes it is) theres a program run by a transitioned tguy called "big brothers binder program). Google it. It'll come up. The guy who runs it helps guys that can't swing brand new ones get used ones. Some are even brand new donates from underworks themself At a certain point underworks realized where a lot of there gynecomastia binders were going , so a relationship began between and the ftm community as it were ( they even have a page where they explain the sizing for a tmale)

[Guest Hoslers_wife]

wow. Thank you. I'm googling as we speak. I swear Nick is the most stubborn person alive! I'm going to have him read that and then ban him from our bed until he agrees to switch. I wont let him compromise his health. (for all of you that think im the mean wife, don't worry we have a spare bedroom with a comfy bed, he just wont get any :-P) As far as what you said about being hyper sensitive, I couldn't agree more. I invited him to go bra and panties shopping with me cuz I thought he would have fun picking out outfits for me but he refuses to go near that department. I think he is terrified that someone will think he is a girl if he is near anything feminine. Were still working on that.

Thank you :-)

I'm also attatching a picture of him when he was still using just sports bras. I think he passes extremely well.

[Guest Evan_J]

He does pass very well. Also I forgot to point out, even though companies like underworks do the whole ftm binding thing, in the original "warning" post, one of the health problems was developed by a person actually using a "formal" binder. (you noticed that if you read it all) Tell him not to bah humbug the advisings to take a break from wearing it after periods of not longer than 9(12 at most) hours to allow the body( ribs , lungs , all that ) to rest and expand.

[Guest insanitylives]

Ok serious question.

DIY binding for those of us who can't order stuff from on line? I know the bandages aren't good for you but right now that's all I got and it's FRUSTRATING as heck to have to look at myself with them.

Gym class probably isn't helping either. Yes i do this in gym too.

[Guest Evan_J]

Ok serious question.

DIY binding for those of us who can't order stuff from on line? I know the bandages aren't good for you but right now that's all I got and it's FRUSTRATING as heck to have to look at myself with them.

Gym class probably isn't helping either. Yes i do this in gym too.

Other things guys have used to create DIY binders:

• A swim shirt (the kind they sell at target) bought one size too small
  
• A snug pair of support pantyhose with the legs cut off for armholes and a neck cut into the crotch (the body part you would be useing is made of a stretch resisting kind of material)
  
• Biking shorts used the same way as the control tops
  

No, these things may not be "ideal" but they are less constricting in terms of damage