Binding Safety Tips
Please review the following binding safety tips. This guide comes from individuals who have experience wearing binders. Please consult your doctor if you have further questions.
- Use only a specially-designed chest binder or compression garment. Never use duct tape or Ace bandages as binding with these materials can restrict your ability to breathe and move properly. Ace bandages are designed to constrict, so as you breathe, they get tighter and tighter and can harm you.
- Wear the correct size. Don’t wear a size too small! Wearing a size too small for a tighter fit does not equate to better binding, and it can put you at risk of physical harm.
- Don’t bind for more than 8 hours a day, OR beyond when your body tells you to stop.
- A compression garment is stressful on the body. Binding for long hours every day over time breaks down tissue and can cause breathing problems, back pain, and skin irritation. While they are incredibly important for many people, they should not be worn for extremely long periods with no breaks.
- Take days off every once and a while if you can! This will give your body time to relax.
- Never sleep in your binder! Binding for this long can be harmful to your body, even if your body feels fine. You may feel more comfortable sleeping in an athletic compression shirt if you find binding to be a comforting feeling.
- Remove your binder before exercising. Sports bras are designed to move with you as you workout, while a binder can make movement more difficult.
- Don’t wear your binder if something doesn’t feel right, you feel pain, or you struggle to breathe. Binders should not cause pain or breathing trouble!
- Stretch! Stretching is generally good but can also help relieve stress from binding.
- Depending on your style of binder (especially full-length or mid-length styles), it might be easier to put it on by stepping into it rather than pulling it on like a regular t-shirt. Stick your feet in between the shoulder straps and pull it up your body to your chest, then stick your arms through the holes.
- To make binding more comfortable, some folks wear a light shirt underneath or apply baby powder to their skin.
Binding Resources
- HUDSON’S FTM GUIDE: BINDING
- TRANSGUYS.COM CHEST BINDING GUIDE
- BUZZFEED’S “ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU HAD ABOUT CHEST BINDING, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK”
- BINDING 101: TIPS TO BIND YOUR CHEST SAFELY
- DRESSING WELL WITHOUT BINDING
- TIPS FOR BINDING IN THE SUMMER/HOT WEATHER
- BINDING SAFELY FOR YOUR BODY: TIPS FOR ALL BODY TYPES AND SIZES