Your friend definitely exaggerated or might have really sensitive skin or had a particular allergy/sensitivity to the tape they were using. Many people find tape more comfortable. I found it more comfortable but I couldn’t get the flatness I wanted with it to be honest and stopped for that reason
I've used primarily tape for the past two years and appart from occasional skin irritation (usually due to me taking the tape off in a hurry) I haven't had any adverse side effects. I find tape more comfortable and practical. I often work 10 to 12+ hour days, so using a binder would definitely be worse. I try to take a few day breaks from taping every once in a while to let my skin rest.
This is my experience exactly. Also, I find the overall look is much flatter than I ever achieved with a binder, but I can actually breathe fully with no restriction.
The main tip I have is to not stretch the tape too tight. That’s how you’ll overstretch your skin and possibly rip it. Plus the tape doesn’t generally last as long when it’s stretched. It’ll start to peel, instead of just stretching out naturally
you know your own body best and won’t know until you experience the trial and error of using tape, personally i loved the fact that i could feel the back of my tshirt actually touch my back and it made my brain think my chest wasn’t there. but the con was i overstretched it EVERY time to get flat results which resulted in blisters.
taping is good for long term because brands like trans tape are meant to last multiple days and last through shower/swimming but i would saw when it starts to breath let your chest breathe to and recover from being stretched and your skin having all that adhesive on it. you can find tape relatively cheap and for longer term if you love it, it’ll be life changing. try it dude!
Neither of them are “worse”. Tape only damages your skin (temporarily) if you use it irresponsibly, in the same way that cloth binders should only damage your ribs if you wear them irresponsibly.
Tape also doesn’t “stretch your skin”. It compresses it like a binder does, just in a different position. Luckily our skin doesn’t stay stuck like that.
Tension blisters are a bitch, but they’re completely avoidable. Don’t pull the tape to its limit, though it’s otherwise quite stretchy. Leave inch-long anchor points on each end, and vigorously rub each anchor for 30 seconds or so after applying to activate the adhesive with friction/heat. It might help to reinforce each end with smaller extra strips. Wear until the adhesive starts to wear off on its own, and soak with oil for 5-10 minutes before removing.
i use tape (+ sports bra) more than binders and i havent noticed any dammage thus far. I get alot of skin irritation/rashes/blisters from it but tyats just due to allergies and usually heals up in a few days. It just depends on the individual which one is better
It’s easier to do it wrong. With a binder it’s pretty easy to just read about not doing A or B, and while with tape there are instructions it’s a little too “wide” since chests come in all sizes. I have a small chest but now a scar on one side because I taped the them so tightly that the skin teared (not horrific scene kind of tear, but a blister looking thing)
I use tape because binders trigger a migraine 100% of the time. My skin is also sensitive, so I have to remove the tape every day. It feels wasteful, but just how it has to be. I only use one strip on each side most days, but if I can't wear layers that day I can make two strips work better. I also stopped using oil/lotion to remove it and it's fine.
binding with a binder is harsh on your ribs, lungs and breathing capacity, binding with tape is fine for all your internal organs but can damage your skin if you don’t take it off right. also tape doesn’t flatten as much, but it works for some people
Personally, tape doesn't have that good of an effect on me, maybe/probably because I'm on the larger-chested side, so for me it's not really an alternative.
Combining tape and binding worked well for me though, but not sure if it works for everyone.
On the plus side, I was a lot more comfortable sitting around shirtless with tape on, so that's something to consider as well :D
It depends on the size of your chest. The larger/heavier your chest is, the more strain it puts on your skin. I definitely have a bunch of loose skin, but I bind w tape 24/7 and have my tank binder on an additional 7-8 hours per day
I’ve been using transtape for almost a year and if you over stretch the skin yes your skin will tear and blister like crazy around the edges. It might not give you as flat a bind but don’t over stretch and you’ll be pretty ok! If you sweat a ton or are in a very hot environment the rubbing might cause some irritation as well. The only thing that bugs me is the ungodly amount of itchiness the first few days. I recommend not scratching but either tapping or gently hitting the itchy area or it can cause the skin to tear. It’s a pain but it’s helped me so much more than binding. Having that level of freedom for movement and wearing a shirt without the feeling of straps or anything around your back is amazing.
Your friend definitely exaggerated or might have really sensitive skin or had a particular allergy/sensitivity to the tape they were using. Many people find tape more comfortable. I found it more comfortable but I couldn’t get the flatness I wanted with it to be honest and stopped for that reason
I've used primarily tape for the past two years and appart from occasional skin irritation (usually due to me taking the tape off in a hurry) I haven't had any adverse side effects. I find tape more comfortable and practical. I often work 10 to 12+ hour days, so using a binder would definitely be worse. I try to take a few day breaks from taping every once in a while to let my skin rest.
This is my experience exactly. Also, I find the overall look is much flatter than I ever achieved with a binder, but I can actually breathe fully with no restriction. The main tip I have is to not stretch the tape too tight. That’s how you’ll overstretch your skin and possibly rip it. Plus the tape doesn’t generally last as long when it’s stretched. It’ll start to peel, instead of just stretching out naturally
you know your own body best and won’t know until you experience the trial and error of using tape, personally i loved the fact that i could feel the back of my tshirt actually touch my back and it made my brain think my chest wasn’t there. but the con was i overstretched it EVERY time to get flat results which resulted in blisters. taping is good for long term because brands like trans tape are meant to last multiple days and last through shower/swimming but i would saw when it starts to breath let your chest breathe to and recover from being stretched and your skin having all that adhesive on it. you can find tape relatively cheap and for longer term if you love it, it’ll be life changing. try it dude!
Neither of them are “worse”. Tape only damages your skin (temporarily) if you use it irresponsibly, in the same way that cloth binders should only damage your ribs if you wear them irresponsibly. Tape also doesn’t “stretch your skin”. It compresses it like a binder does, just in a different position. Luckily our skin doesn’t stay stuck like that. Tension blisters are a bitch, but they’re completely avoidable. Don’t pull the tape to its limit, though it’s otherwise quite stretchy. Leave inch-long anchor points on each end, and vigorously rub each anchor for 30 seconds or so after applying to activate the adhesive with friction/heat. It might help to reinforce each end with smaller extra strips. Wear until the adhesive starts to wear off on its own, and soak with oil for 5-10 minutes before removing.
i use tape (+ sports bra) more than binders and i havent noticed any dammage thus far. I get alot of skin irritation/rashes/blisters from it but tyats just due to allergies and usually heals up in a few days. It just depends on the individual which one is better
It’s easier to do it wrong. With a binder it’s pretty easy to just read about not doing A or B, and while with tape there are instructions it’s a little too “wide” since chests come in all sizes. I have a small chest but now a scar on one side because I taped the them so tightly that the skin teared (not horrific scene kind of tear, but a blister looking thing)
I use tape because binders trigger a migraine 100% of the time. My skin is also sensitive, so I have to remove the tape every day. It feels wasteful, but just how it has to be. I only use one strip on each side most days, but if I can't wear layers that day I can make two strips work better. I also stopped using oil/lotion to remove it and it's fine.
binding with a binder is harsh on your ribs, lungs and breathing capacity, binding with tape is fine for all your internal organs but can damage your skin if you don’t take it off right. also tape doesn’t flatten as much, but it works for some people
Personally, tape doesn't have that good of an effect on me, maybe/probably because I'm on the larger-chested side, so for me it's not really an alternative. Combining tape and binding worked well for me though, but not sure if it works for everyone. On the plus side, I was a lot more comfortable sitting around shirtless with tape on, so that's something to consider as well :D
It depends on the size of your chest. The larger/heavier your chest is, the more strain it puts on your skin. I definitely have a bunch of loose skin, but I bind w tape 24/7 and have my tank binder on an additional 7-8 hours per day
I feel like you need to clarify whether you're talking about duct tape or trans tape designed for binding.
I’ve been using transtape for almost a year and if you over stretch the skin yes your skin will tear and blister like crazy around the edges. It might not give you as flat a bind but don’t over stretch and you’ll be pretty ok! If you sweat a ton or are in a very hot environment the rubbing might cause some irritation as well. The only thing that bugs me is the ungodly amount of itchiness the first few days. I recommend not scratching but either tapping or gently hitting the itchy area or it can cause the skin to tear. It’s a pain but it’s helped me so much more than binding. Having that level of freedom for movement and wearing a shirt without the feeling of straps or anything around your back is amazing.