I think that my dysphoria has me thinking no matter how flat my chest is it isn't flat enough or that there is still bumps that look boob like. I have noticed that my chest has started to get bruise lines, and some sort of break out. I some how have a disconnect with my body when it comes to pain or discomfort, where I can almost completely block it out while it is happening. But later, when I am not binding, I will feel like there is pain in my shoulder joints and in my sternum. I want to pass, as much as I can, but I don't want to damage my body permanently.
Bruises especially are a very clear sign that you're binding too tightly, along with anything more than slight discomfort, and feeling dizzy or lightheaded. If passing is a problem, try wearing baggier clothing so you don't have to bind as tightly. Please be careful! (*hug*)
What are you using to bind and where did you get it from? It might not just be binding too tight, what you're using might be dangerous in general to bind with. Something that might help with your thoughts about not looking flat enough: http://www.artminds.com/ImageFolio4_files/1/Casual_Portraits/9445_15.jpg https://d2v9y0dukr6mq2.cloudfront.n...hirtless-man-in-shorts-3_zyfxu5dxs__S0000.jpg https://jasondoesstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Before-After-800-side.jpg Most guys naturally have a bit of a bump on their chest as well, they aren't completely flat unless the guy has a ridiculously low amount of body fat or is jacked like hell. No one is going to question you if there is a slight bump going on if the rest of your appearance is relatively masculine-looking. Hell, there are guys at my uni who could easily fill a B-cup bra. Looking down at your chest is also a really bad indicator of how you look - if you want to check the appearance of your chest while in your binder, stand sideways in a mirror (wearing the clothes you want to wear) or ask a friend you trust to check for you. Ways to tell if you're binding too tight - Space Cat basically covered it. Bruises are not great especially if they appeared in a very short amount of time. By break-out, I'm assuming you mean rash? That can happen just from binding in general, not necessarily only if binding too tightly, since you have fabric pressed tight to your chest for a long time and it rubs. Rashes can be avoided by wearing a light t-shirt underneath the binder or going crazy with talcum powder (the same stuff used to prevent babies from getting diaper rash). Prevailing pain is also not a great sign, it could show you're doing damage to your ribs or chest muscles. It's good practice to avoid wearing a binder for more than eight hours and have at least one day a week (the more the better, though) where you don't bind at all; this gives your body time to recover and relax and prevent repeated-strain injuries. One thing I would do is measure your chest with a tape measure - once above the top of your breasts and around the back, and once across the fullest part of your chest which is generally over the nipples. Add them together and divide by two. Compare this with the size charts on whatever site you bought your binder from. If you have a binder smaller than that, or you're at the highest end of the bracket for that size (ie, if you measure 42 inches and have a medium binder, and the medium size is for 36-42 inches), then it's likely you are binding too tightly and should get a bigger size.
Thank you both for the suggestions! I did find a YouTuber who was talking about binding and I guess your not supposed to use ace at all. I do have a regular binder now, which just finally got here after a month apparently sitting in China somewhere. I like it, but I think I am going to get one from Underworks too.
Yes, ace bandages/tape are the worst ways to bind and are incredibly dangerous. If that's what you were using, then it doesn't matter how tightly you were binding, you were binding in a very risky way and could have done serious harm. :icon_sad: Did you get your binder from ebay? Many of the ones on there (and sites like it) aren't safe either - though some are safer than bandages - it'd be a good idea to check it just to be safe.
Bruising is definitely a sign that you're binding too tight. I strongly recommend getting a binder from Underworks (or gc2b). The cheap ones you get on Amazon are not safe.
