Here To Help

The cosplay field medic was an idea coined by heroicboo. He proposed person who would " go around the con with a kit of needles and thread and glue and hair gel and fabric paint and bottles of water and bandages and whatever else... and just help people who’s cosplay broke down on the con floor. " And thus, the Cosplay Medic Corp was born. We can be contacted through this page or at [email protected]! Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cosplaymediccorps!

[transboysunited]

Do! 👀 NOT!! 👀 Double!! 👀 Bind!!!

[xx-sc0ut69-xx]

Double!! 👀 Bind!!👀 If!! 👀Needed!!👀For!!👀Flat!!👀Chest!!!

[transboysunited]

um or don’t because it’s unhealthy and can mess up ur body a similar way as an ace bandage?

[cloudstreamer-deactivated201710]

Guys please dont double bind!! I know it sucks to not have a flat chest, trust me im a triple D and im not a big dude..im rather small. I. Know. It. Sucks. But. Please! DONT! DOUBLE! BIND! It can heavily damage your body! Its way too risky and not worth it… believe me its not!

[emotional-jetsam-blog]

Hey fam, double binding now severely impacts your ability to have a healthy enough body for top surgery (if you want it), exercise, or even basic respiration in the future. So, even though not being flat right now sucks (I hear you. I’m with you. I’m sorry.) right now will not last forever, and right now is not worth all of the things double binding will make you not be able to enjoy or even experience. 

There are so many awesome things about you that deserve more room to breathe and flourish than double binding will allow. 

Your validity is not determined by how flat you are.

Your worth is not measured in the circumference of your chest.

You deserve to breathe. You deserve belly laughs, and the ability for your lungs to expand enough to sing really bad karaoke or blow out birthday candles or take your dog for a walk. You deserve oxygen, and unbroken ribs, and unpunctured lungs. You deserve to live like the bad ass you are, and you can’t if you can’t breathe (I know this from experience!). 

By double binding you are restricting the glory of who you are and all you can be to this idea that validity, joy, and worth are only for guys with flat chests. It’s a lie. You don’t need a flat chest to be valid. You don’t need a flat chest to own your truth and be true to it. The idea is a lie. You don’t deserve its consequences (physical and emotional). The truth of your validity and awesomeness is so much better, so please bind safely and keep breathing into the bad ass that is you.

No flat chest is worth a flatline.

Thanks, @transboysunited <3

[transboysunited]

Sorry for the spam guys, but really, I’m reblogging these because no one talks about double binding and the first reblog really shocked me. The only reason I am mentioning this is because I’VE done it, and it’s not ok.

Thankfully, I stopped double binding before breaking any ribs, despite doing it for a quite a long time, but I know that double binding has damaged me INSIDE.

I used to double bind almost daily because of dysphoria and it got to the point, I really did need to have a break. I couldn’t bind at all and thankfully, at this time I was going through mental health issues so I didn’t leave my house in need of having to wear my binder, but I was in pain; my back, my chest, my ribs, everything hurt. I remember for about 2 weeks I stayed in bed but I remember even lying down would kill me. I’ve never been to a doctor about it, but I have eventually healed.

However, even now, my back, chest and ribs can still hurt if I bind for about 1-2 hours. My body really can’t take it any more and there will also be times that even without binding, it will play up.

Just because you’re not using an ace bandage, or tape, does NOT mean that double binding with a chest binder, a small sports bra, a small binder or a mixture of both is safe and won’t harm you, because it’s far from safe.

Bind safely, one binder is enough and remember that chests are not 100% flat.

You really need to listen if you are doing this because I know that if I saw a message like this sooner, I probably would have stopped.

-Caleb

[aggressivelybicaptainamerica]

Note from a biologist and EMT

Your rib cage isn’t really a system of bones the way any other bone is. Its not anchored to other bones through joint systems. Its connected by a series of elastic cartilage segments or fused to your sternum or spine.

This elasticity is great for your lungs because it means your ribs can expand so you can take deeper breaths, but it also means your ribs are extremely vulnerable to warping under continual pressure.

Over binding, especially when you’re still growing (so from puberty typically until your mid 20s), will permanently deform your ribs and back. I assure you binding safely now will not only insure you can have top surgery, but will save you from chronic, often dehabilitating and life threatening injury.

[nbsuggestions]

For any of my binding nb peeps. Keep yourselves safe.

[aicosu]

this is uber important for cosplayers too. So many of you bind with ace bandages or double binders and your crossplay is not worth it, please take care of your bodies!

[agenderootd]

this!! is!! important!! even for just a little bit, and even for cosplay or just a pic. don’t do it!!!!!

[cispeopletexting]

PSA!! Please do NOT double bind!! It’s NOT worth it!!!

[gc2b-deactivated20260123]

Stay safe out there. Binder safety is important! 

[friendly-cosplay-advice-blog]

Let's Talk About... Con Plague

What is it? It’s the name given to that non-specific “sick” feeling many people experience during a convention, or shortly after it ends.

What causes it? Con plague can be caused by one/any combination of the things listed below:

Dehydration

Too many snack foods/not enough real food

Lack of sleep

Too much alcohol

Coming into contact with a person who is sick

Overheating

Wearing an uncomfortable costume for too long

There are more causes of Con Plague, but these are the top contributors.

What are some symptoms? Since Con Plague can be caused by many things, there is no one set of symptoms. Some common ailments include:

A headache that doesn’t go away

Feeling overly tired/exhausted

Nausea

Body aches

Cold-like symptoms (runny nose, cough, sore throat)

Red, dry eyes

Fever

How do I avoid Con Plague? Thankfully, most of the symptoms of Con Plague are easily avoidable by doing simple tasks such as washing your hands, or remembering to drink enough water. Here are some other tips:

Eat real food at least once- A side-salad at Burger King, or a yogurt parfait at McDonald’s are better than trying to survive an entire weekend on Pocky and shrimp chips.

Sleep- No, seriously, sleep. Three hours a night won’t eat up too much of your time at the con, and you’ll feel so much better if you do.

Balance alcohol with water- Not just a con tip, but a drinking tip in general. For every alcoholic beverage you have, drink a glass of water with it.

Take a break- Give yourself a 10-15 minute break every few hours. Maybe visit a panel, or watch an episode of that new anime you’ve been meaning to see. Just do something where you are mostly able to relax.

[thatdjspider]

#DragonCon #protips

12) One safety pin and one length of ribbon – zip your back zippers up all by yourself!

Best trick I ever learned was this one. It makes going to the bathroom by yourself so much easier when you don’t have to do extreme yoga to get everything back in place! You can keep the ribbon in a purse or pocket, or (if you don’t need a super long ribbon) you can pin it inside the neck of your costume until you need it.

[cosplaying-on-a-budget]

So simple, so genius. 

[cosplaymediccorps]

you should add glucose tablets to your med box :)

Hello, friend! While this sounds like a great idea and we thank you for the suggestion, glucose tablets might be something a bit too medical for our box.

We can pass out bandaids and the like but if you need something like glucose tablets we recommend heading to Medical at a con. Most convention Medical teams are made up of licensed EMTs who will know how to take care of you far better than we ever could. They have an area where you can lie down if need be, generally will have painkillers and antihistamines (for a price, usually cheap), and if you’re having an emergency, they will be the first ones on the scene.

Cosplay Medics are there to rescue cosplays; Team Medical Dragon is to rescue and treat the people inside them!

So if you aren’t feeling your best and you can’t treat it yourself, head to Medical! If you can’t find Medical, ask a staffer (like security, or anybody really) with a radio to call for them. Medical might come to you or the staffer will escort you to Medical themself.

Happy cosplaying and have a safe convention. :)

[cosplaymediccorps]

Summer cons are here. Take care of yourself and others! Drink plenty of water and juice to stay hydrated, along with eating juicy fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumbers. Stay cool!

(Thanks to the National Weather Service of Sacramento for this awesome graphic!)

[i-am-having-an-emotion]

DO NOT FORGET TO EAT! I know food can be expensive/staining/inconvenient, but eating food helps your body absorb water. Also, make sure you’re getting your electrolytes if you’re sweating a lot- Gatorade, pickles, pretzels, something salty. Salt does dehydrate, but sweating gets rid of a lot of salt and your body kind of needs that. 

[cosplaymediccorps]

This One Product Will Save Your Summer

For all the new stylistic possibilities warm weather brings, those lewks are not without their downfalls. Strapless bras that don’t fit, skirts where your panty line shows... it’s all a new struggle, isn’t it? But there is one trick, a trick you may even be aware of already, that has changed what happens to my sandal-ridden feet drastically.

Never get blisters or chafe at a con again.

Win/Win, yes cosplayers?

[cosplaymediccorps]

This One Product Will Save Your Summer

For all the new stylistic possibilities warm weather brings, those lewks are not without their downfalls. Strapless bras that don’t fit, skirts where your panty line shows... it’s all a new struggle, isn’t it? But there is one trick, a trick you may even be aware of already, that has changed what happens to my sandal-ridden feet drastically.

Never get blisters or chafe at a con again.

Win/Win, yes cosplayers?

[autistic-people-are-awesome]

@actuallyadhd

[Image Descriptions:

All slides have a light blue background, and the text is written in blue rectangles with rounded corners.

Slide 1: The title is in white text inside a dark blue circle that is centred in the slide.

Sensory Overload And how to cope

Slide 2: The header is in a dark blue rectangle and white text, and the body is in a pale blue rectangle and black text.

Sensory overload has been found to be associated with disorders such as:

Fibromyalgia (FM)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Autistic spectrum disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Synesthesia

Slide 3: The text is in three pale blue rectangles that go horizontally across the slide. All use black text. The last rectangle has four smaller dark blue rectangles with white text inside it for the four points. The text is centred in all of the rectangles.

Sensory overload occurs when one (or more) of the body’s senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment.

Basically it feels like everything is happening at once, and is happening too fast for you to keep up with.

Sensory overload can result from the overstimulation of any of the senses.

Hearing: Loud noise or sound from multiple sources, such as several people talking at once.

Sight: Bright lights, strobe lights, or environments with lots of movement such as crowds or frequent scene changes on TV.

Smell and Taste: Strong aromas or spicy foods.

Touch: Tactile sensations such as being touched by another person or the feel of cloth on skin.

Slide 4: A heading in two light blue rectangles with black text, followed by a table with a dark blue first row that has white text, and then alternating pale blue and white rows with black text. (The table is not really a table, it is just a four-column list.)

Obviously, everyone reacts in differently to sensory overload.

Some behavioural examples are:

Irritability — “Shutting down” — Covers eyes around bright lights — Difficulty concentrating Angry outbursts — Refuses to interact and participate — Covers ears to close out sounds or voices — Jumping from task to task without completing Overexcitement — Low energy levels — Difficulty speaking — Compains about noises not effecting others High energy levels — Sleepiness/fatigue — poor eye contact — Overly sensitive to sounds/lights/touch Fidgeting and restlessness — Avoids touching/being touched — Muscle tension — Difficulty with social interactions

Slide 5: The header is in a dark blue box with pointy corners and white text. The body is in a pale blue box with pointy corners and black text.

There are two different methods to prevent sensory overload: avoidance and setting limits:

Create a more quiet and orderly environment - keeping the noise to a minimum and reducing the sense of clutter.

Rest before big events.

Focus your attention and energy on one thing at a time.

Restrict time spent on various activities.

Select settings to avoid crowds and noise.

One may also limit interactions with specific people to help prevent sensory overload.

Slide 6: This looks the same as the last slide except the text in the header is black.

It is important in situations of sensory overload to calm oneself and return to a normal level.

Remove yourself from the situation.

Deep pressure against the skin combined with proprioceptive input that stimulates the receptors in the joints and ligaments often calms the nervous system.

Reducing sensory input such as eliminating distressing sounds and lowering the lights can help.

Calming, focusing music works for some.

Take an extended rest if a quick break doesn’t relieve the problem.

Slide 7: Four light blue rectangles with rounded corners, stacked one above the other, with black text.

What if someone you know is experiencing sensory overload?

Recognize the onset of overload. If they appear to have lost abilities that they usually have, such as forgetting how to speak, this is often a sign of severe overload.

Reduce the noise level. If they are in a noisy area, offer to guide them somewhere more quiet. Give time to process questions and respond, because overload tends to slow processing. If you can control the noise level, for example by turning off music, do so.

Do not touch or crowd them. Many people in SO are hypersensitive to touch - being touched or thinking they are about to be touched can worsen the overload. If they are seated or are a small child, get down to their level instead of looming above them.

Slide 8: Similar to previous slide, only with three rectangles instead of four.

Don’t talk more than necessary. Ask if you need to in order to help, but don’t try to say something reassuring or get them talking about something else. Speech is sensory input, and can worsen overload.

If they have a jacket, they may want to put it on and put the hood up. This helps to reduce stimulation, and many people find the weight of a jacket comforting. If their jacket is not within reach, ask them if they want you to bring it. A heavy blanket can also help in a similar way.

Don’t react to aggression. Don’t take it personally. It is rare for someone who is overloaded to cause serious harm, because they don’t want to hurt you, just get out of the situation. Aggression often occurs because you tried to touched/restrained/blocked their escape.

Slide 9: Similar to previous slide, only with two rectangles instead of three.

When they have calmed down, be aware that they will often be tired and more susceptible to overload for quite awhile afterwards. It can take hours or days to fully recover from an episode of sensory overload. If you can, try to reduce stress occurring later on as well.

If they start self-injuring, you should usually not try to stop them. Restraint is likely to make their overload worse. Only intervene if they are doing something that could cause serious injury, such as hard biting or banging their head. It’s a lot better to deal with self-injury indirectly by lowering overload.

Slide 10: The header is in a dark blue rectangle with white text, and the other text is in a row of five dark blue circles with white text. The text is centred in all shapes.

To summarise - Remember the 5 R’s

Recognise The symptoms of overload

Remove Yourself from the situation

Reduce the stimulus causing the overload

Relax Your body and calm yourself down

Rest Yourself as you will most likely feel fatigue.]

[humanity-shines]

Sorry for the long post. I use these a lot. I get fluctuating senses, so most of the time I have no sense of smell or taste but randomly it goes crazy. And my eyes can be burned by the slightest light and my skin too sensitive and I just cocoon and cover my head and rock 😕

[cosplaymediccorps]

Summer cons are here. Take care of yourself and others! Drink plenty of water and juice to stay hydrated, along with eating juicy fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumbers. Stay cool!

(Thanks to the National Weather Service of Sacramento for this awesome graphic!)

[i-am-having-an-emotion]

DO NOT FORGET TO EAT! I know food can be expensive/staining/inconvenient, but eating food helps your body absorb water. Also, make sure you’re getting your electrolytes if you’re sweating a lot- Gatorade, pickles, pretzels, something salty. Salt does dehydrate, but sweating gets rid of a lot of salt and your body kind of needs that. 

[cosplaymediccorps]

Cosplay Medic Corps Con Survival Guide — Hot and Cold Weath Convention Tips

Nobody like super hot or super cold cons. Cosplayers are like Goldilocks that way–we like temperatures just right. Unfortunately, Mother Nature likes weather in the extreme more than she likes comfortable weather , so cosplayers often have to make do.

Here are some tips to help keep yourself enjoying your convention no matter what the weather!

Keep reading

[cosplaymediccorps]

Summer cons are here. Take care of yourself and others! Drink plenty of water and juice to stay hydrated, along with eating juicy fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumbers. Stay cool!

(Thanks to the National Weather Service of Sacramento for this awesome graphic!)

[cosplaymediccorps]

Xyla brand wintergreen flavor mints are excellent at temporarily relieving car sickness!

[dee-the-red-witch]

We’re coming up on convention season again up here...

…and I figured it was a good time to cover one thing that I see happening sometimes in the cosplay/costuming/maker/photo scenes. 

Kids (and adults)- one big tip to remember- if you’re scheduling something outside of a convention space, whether it’s a photoshoot, commissioning custom gear of some kind from a maker, or anything else like that where you’re going to someone’s private studio, home, or anything else, please, please remember- IT IS PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT TO BRING A FRIEND, S/O, OR OTHER EXTRA BODY WITH YOU. 

In fact, if the person you’re going to objects to you mentioning you’ll be bringing your friend, ride, etc along, that’s a pretty damn big red flag right there. As it is, I try to make a point when I’m setting up commission meetings of mentioning whether or not I’ll have the family about at the same time (both because my kids can seriously get underfoot, and so they’ll know it won’t just be me and them in a private and potentially creepy setting)and if they seem nervous about coming to my apartment (which also houses my studio, I’ll try to make sure they know they can bring a friend. 

[cosplaymediccorps]

Sometimes, conventions have to be evacuated, either because of fire, gas leaks, or other emergencies. Here are some tips to keep your emergency evacuation as drama free as possible.

General Tips For Emergency Evacuations

Keep your valuables (money/wallet, room keys, car keys, cell phone, charger, medication/inhaler, etc) in ONE small/medium-sized bag that you can carry with you. All things should stay in this bag at all times unless you are actively using it. This way, nothing valuable gets left in the room/con center if you need to evacuate.

Carrying portable flats is a good idea, especially if your cosplay shoes are not comfortable as you like.

Even if you think you’ll never have to go outside, if it is a cold weather con, carry a jacket or a shawl that you can wrap around yourself in case of evacuation.

[More under the cut]

If You Are In The Convention Center When Evacuation Is Called:

Leave big/cumbersome props behind. No prop is worth your life. You can retrieve it after the all clear.

Listen to all instructions given by security/staff. Do not argue with them. Do what they say.

Walk quickly, but quietly, to the exit. DO NOT RUN. Do not look at your phone. Just walk.

Do not stay inside because it is cold/hot outside. You will get in the way of people trying to evacuate and first responders. Plus, you will be in danger.

If You Are In Your Hotel Room When Evacuation Is Called:

Keep your valuables bag by the door or in a place where you don’t have to search for it. When you are leaving you can just grab it and go.

Grab Shoes—you don’t have to put them on immediately, but you’ll have them when you get outside. Then you can put them on.

If it is cold outside, grab a jacket as you leave. If you have to search for it, leave it. Again, you don’t have to put it on right away, but you will have it in case you need it.

Once in the hallway, proceed to the nearest stairwell. Do not take elevators down. Follow marked signs and staffer instructions to leave the building.

Once Outside:

Stay clear so emergency crews can do their work. Don’t stand next to the building or in the street.

Take the opportunity to go get breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack with friends or just get away from the scene.

If you are staying at a hotel nearby that is  not directly connected with the convention center, now is an amazing time to go back to your room and take a rest. Get some water, eat some lunch, chillax.

Turn off your cellphone after you reassure everyone you are OK. Thousands of people will be using the cell towers to make calls/send texts/use 4G to check facebook and tumblr, so your cell phone will have to work harder to get signal….which, in turn, will drain your battery. So, best way to rectify this is to turn your phone off. You can turn it on after the situation has passed.

Wait until the all clear before going back inside. This can take minutes or hours if the situation is more serious.

Be patient. You are safe, and that is what is most important.

If Trapped:

Stay calm. Calm people live.

Call 911. Let them know where you are.

If you can’t call 911, make it clear that someone is in the room you are trapped. Mark an X on the door where you are trapped, scrawl “help” on the window. Create n anomaly that responders will notice when they sweep the building.

If dealing with smoke or gas, cover your mouth with a (hopefully wet) piece of fabric. It won’t do a lot, but it will help you filter toxins out of the air.

Stuff cracks around doors with whatever you can find to stop gas or smoke from leaking in. Open windows (if they exist) for ventilation. In case of smoke, stay low to the ground. Do not do this for a gas leak--some gas is lighter than air and being low to the ground can make it worse.

[cosplaymediccorps]

We had a great time at Katsucon 2016! Thank you to everyone who stopped us to say thank you. To all the people we helped, we hope you had a good con regardless of your cosplay malfunction.

See everyone next con!

[cosplaymediccorps]

CMC at Katsucon 2016

Cosplay Medic Corps will active on the Katsucon floor between 4pm and 10pm on both Friday and Saturday of the con.

If you see us on patrol and need our help, or just want to say hi, give us a shout! We’ll be dressed in all blue, wearing a fuzzy blue hat, and carrying the blue tackle box! :)

[cosplaymediccorps]

A small update -- our medic will not be on the floor until 8p on Friday because of personal matters.

[cosplaymediccorps]

Hey followers! The weather during Katsucon is going to be very cold, so please be sure you are dressed for the weather (or at least have a blanket or something to wrap around yourself as you walk to/from your hotel and the Gaylord.)

Remember 5-2-1, and drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

Be safe and have fun. See you at the con!