Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPurposeMethodsSide EffectsWhen to See a Doctor
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Purpose
Methods
Side Effects
When to See a Doctor
Chest binding is the practice of using tight clothing or other items to flatten the breasts. The goal is to create a more masculine chest. Transmasculine people—those assigned female at birth who identify on the masculine spectrum—use chest binding to feel more comfortable in their body as do others who prefer to appear more masculine.
This article explains why chest binding is important for transmasculine people, as well as the various ways it’s done, the potential health problems it can cause, and how they can be prevented.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Purpose of Chest Binding
Chest binding is an important part ofgender expressionfor some transmasculine people—individuals who were assigned to the female gender at birth but who have a masculinegender identity, such astransgendermen.
Because they developed breasts and other feminine physical traits during puberty, transmasculine people have bodies that don’t match their gender identity. This can be emotionally difficult.
Non-binarypeople, whose gender is neither male nor female, also often turn to chest binding in order to feel more comfortable in their bodies, as do cisgender women who identify as female but prefer to look more masculine.
What Is Gender Dysphoria?
There are a variety of chest binding methods. The most common include:
The most common symptoms reported in the study were:
Some people had numbing or stomach and digestive problems. A very few even had scarring on their skin and fractured ribs.
Prevention
According to Pride in Practice, a non-profit that educates doctors and other medical professionals about how to best treat people in the LGBTQ community, chest binding does not have to be hazardous to your health.
If you’re considering chest binding or have had side effects from binding, keep these tips in mind:
Never use duct tape or plastic wrap to bind your chest. These items are especially likely to cause side effects.
A healthcare provider will be able to treat whatever symptoms you’re experiencing, such as skin damage. They also can figure out what’s causing your side effects and help you come up with ways to prevent them.
If you and your provider aren’t able to make chest binding work for you, you may want to considergender-affirming top surgery. There are various procedures for altering the breasts in order to create a smoother, flatter, masculine chest. If you have insurance, your plan may even cover top surgery. Many companies regard it as medically necessary gender care.
Purpose of Top Surgery
Summary
For transmasculine people and others with breasts who identify as masculine or non-binary (neither masculine nor feminine), chest binding is an important way to feel more comfortable in their bodies. There are a number of ways to practice chest binding and it’s safe when done properly.
When chest binding doesn’t work, there are many types of gender affirming top surgery that may be a better option.
A Word From Verywell
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jarrett BA, Corbet AL, Gardner IH, Weinand JD, Peitzmeier SM.Chest binding and care seeking among transmasculine adults: A cross-sectional study.Transgend Health. 2018;3(1):170-178. doi:10.1089/trgh.2018.0017Peitzmeier S, Gardner I, Weinand J, Corbet A, Acevedo K.Health impact of chest binding among transgender adults: A community-engaged, cross-sectional study.Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2017:19(1), 64–75. doi:10.1080/13691058.2016.1191675Almazan AN, Benson TA, Boskey ER, Ganor O.Associations between transgender exclusion prohibitions and insurance coverage of gender-affirming surgery.LGBT Health. 2020;7(5):254-263. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2019.0212
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jarrett BA, Corbet AL, Gardner IH, Weinand JD, Peitzmeier SM.Chest binding and care seeking among transmasculine adults: A cross-sectional study.Transgend Health. 2018;3(1):170-178. doi:10.1089/trgh.2018.0017Peitzmeier S, Gardner I, Weinand J, Corbet A, Acevedo K.Health impact of chest binding among transgender adults: A community-engaged, cross-sectional study.Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2017:19(1), 64–75. doi:10.1080/13691058.2016.1191675Almazan AN, Benson TA, Boskey ER, Ganor O.Associations between transgender exclusion prohibitions and insurance coverage of gender-affirming surgery.LGBT Health. 2020;7(5):254-263. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2019.0212
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jarrett BA, Corbet AL, Gardner IH, Weinand JD, Peitzmeier SM.Chest binding and care seeking among transmasculine adults: A cross-sectional study.Transgend Health. 2018;3(1):170-178. doi:10.1089/trgh.2018.0017Peitzmeier S, Gardner I, Weinand J, Corbet A, Acevedo K.Health impact of chest binding among transgender adults: A community-engaged, cross-sectional study.Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2017:19(1), 64–75. doi:10.1080/13691058.2016.1191675Almazan AN, Benson TA, Boskey ER, Ganor O.Associations between transgender exclusion prohibitions and insurance coverage of gender-affirming surgery.LGBT Health. 2020;7(5):254-263. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2019.0212
Jarrett BA, Corbet AL, Gardner IH, Weinand JD, Peitzmeier SM.Chest binding and care seeking among transmasculine adults: A cross-sectional study.Transgend Health. 2018;3(1):170-178. doi:10.1089/trgh.2018.0017
Peitzmeier S, Gardner I, Weinand J, Corbet A, Acevedo K.Health impact of chest binding among transgender adults: A community-engaged, cross-sectional study.Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2017:19(1), 64–75. doi:10.1080/13691058.2016.1191675
Almazan AN, Benson TA, Boskey ER, Ganor O.Associations between transgender exclusion prohibitions and insurance coverage of gender-affirming surgery.LGBT Health. 2020;7(5):254-263. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2019.0212
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