hi i saw your response on the transtape thing!!! do you have any complaints or problems about transtape that people should know about before they buy? i really wanna weigh the pros and cons of it before i buy it, but it really sounds like a lifesaver for me right now!!!
pros: - flattens chest- no binder - shoulders free- tank tops??? heck yeah- beach w no shirt (he’s working on skin tones besides Pasty White Kid™)- wear for a long time (the longer you wear it the safer it gets actually bc the adhesive chills out)- can totally breathe all of the time- no dysphoria in bed bc you can keep it on- also no dysphoria in the shower bc you can keep it on- no worrying abt sweating under a binder - total free range of motion (working out is great)- not that expensive ($20 if there’s no sale and there’s like $6 two day shipping i think but it’s optional) - the strips aren’t pre-cut so you can mess with the length on your own - made by a trans man for transmasculine people (support the community woo!) and he’s amazing about communicating with customers- the width is two times as big as kt tape or others, meaning you don’t have to layer as many pieces. also there’s two options for width so you can choose which you’d rather have for your chest- discreet packaging with a handwritten note!!
cons: - the adhesive is dangerous (meaning you can get blisters and pull off skin) if you take it off incorrectly or too soon. it’s meant to be worn through activity, sweating, swimming, etc., so really you should wear it for at least 2-3 days- and it’s advertised for up to 5. when you take it off you should apply oil (olive, coconut, baby, etc.) to the tape and let it sit for a while (5-10 minutes) to break down the adhesive, and apply oil to wear the tape is peeling off while you’re taking it off. i’ve found the oil plus taking it off in a hot shower works the best. - in a similar vein, the adhesive can be irritating to skin so PLEASE test it before wearing it for a long time. a friend of mine didn’t know he was allergic to the adhesive until he tried it, and if you have sensitive skin it can bother you. applying lotion before and after use can help with this and i highly recommended it. - when applying it the width makes it somewhat difficult to lay down flat without crinkles, especially under your arms. the crinkles can cause blisters and irritation. with practice, though, you can learn what works for you to lay it flat. it was designed for larger chests; large enough for the chest to “fall” out of the way and be held back by the tape. i have a small chest and i have to pull the chest to the side, stretching the tape and causing more room for stress and wrinkling. - you can only use the tape once. the adhesive wears out after one use and if you’re using it every day it can get expensive to keep replacing it, but if you can wear it for 3-5 days, work out making the length a bit smaller to conserve, and it alleviates dysphoria better than a binder, i say it’s worth it. - it doesn’t make your chest 100% flat. neither does a binder, if we’re being honest, and cis men don’t have flat chests, but the tape works best with shirts that aren’t so tight fitting, like tank tops, loose tee-shirts, and button-downs. it might just be a confidence thing for me, but i’m not as comfortable in a form fitting shirt as i would be with my binder. i’ve been told it makes me look like i have pecs, but i have a mental block. gotta work up that confidence!
i think that’s it! i might add a couple more things if they come to mind, but there’s my synopsis. it’s more good than bad, but the couple bad things do have solutions if you work on it a little bit. let me know what you think!
EDIT: no binding technique is 100% safe, and adhesive presents added possibilities for injury. please know yourself and make responsible decisions when binding. you are binding at the risk of your health and safety, so please exercise the utmost caution!
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