How to Bind a Female to Male Transgender's Breasts

I've had many female to male friends tell me that the hardest part of transitioning is binding. It can be uncomfortable, itchy, sweaty, even dangerous if you don't do it right: and it's different for every transgender.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. If you can afford it, the easiest solution is an Underworks binder. (If you can't, skip to step five for alternatives.) Some people swear by T-Kingdom, but they're more expensive, designed for smaller Asian body types, take forever to ship, and don't come in many designs. Underworks offers a wide selection of compression shirts and vests.
2. If buying an Underworks binder, follow their measuring recommendations specifically. Binders constrict your chest and can restrict your breathing, so you need to find just the right size for you.
3. When wearing Underworks binders, step into them from above, putting your feet through the neck as you would with a swimsuit. Don't pull them on over your head. They're made of double layers of reinforced lycra and won't just compress your chest; they'll tighten around your arms and shoulders and refuse to budge. I've had to cut a friend out of one before when he got his arms stuck over his head with the binder wedged in place, and neither of us could pull it loose. That was a waste of $35.
4. If you're heavily-endowed, you may want to try two binders. Don't get one binder in a size too small for you; you'll have trouble breathing all day and may even do damage to yourself. Get one binder in a size too large, and one binder in the correct size. Layer the smaller one on top of the larger one.
5. If you can't afford an Underworks binder, there are still alternatives. If you have a small chest, sometimes just a tight sports bra will work well enough--or two layered. To smooth things out, you can also get compression shirts from the men's section in sporting goods stores.
6. Another method is to wrap with a neoprene band. You can find neoprene bands in the aerobics accessories section of most major retail chains or sporting goods stores; they're the bands that people wrap around their midsections or other areas they want to make sweat more when working out in the hopes of trimming more. They can be bound as tightly or as loosely as you need to.
7. Be careful with the neoprene bands. They can chafe, so wear an A-shirt underneath and bind the band over that. If you can get someone to help you, get them to fasten it in the back so you don't have any odd lumps in the front. Don't bind it too high up or it'll cut your underarms. Don't bind it too tightly or you won't be able to breathe, and you'll bruise yourself. Be careful when you start to sweat, too, as some find that the fumes from sweaty neoprene make them dizzy.
8. Remember the aim isn't to turn your chest into a board; it's to create the illusion of pectorals. You still want to have some definition there or it will look unnatural. Try asking a friend how it looks, rather than judging for yourself. Mirrors can be deceiving.
9. No matter how you choose to bind, always give yourself some breathing time. Don't sleep in your binder; if you're home alone or with people you're comfortable with, take it off. Passing in public may be important. Passing in private isn't worth passing out from overheating and constricted breathing. Think of yourself before your self-image, and always bind safely. If you start feeling dizzy or constricted then forget passing, find the nearest bathroom, and take the thing off no matter where you are.