We have made this Instruction manual to help you use Chest Binding Tape in the safest and most effective way! Please read through it before applying your Chest Binding Tape.
We always recommend applying a test strip of Chest Binding Tape before committing to it. This ensures that you experience no adverse reactions to using our tape.
Test strip instructions:
1. Cut a 5cm x 5cm strip of Chest Binding Tape from your roll. This is roughly equivalent to 2" x 2".
2. Apply your test strip to the chest area. Don't use any tension or force when applying this. Just lay this strip on very gently.
3. Monitor this area for 24 - 36 hours
4. Refer to our removal instructions below for how to remove the test strip after the monitoring period or if you need to remove it beforehand.
What symptoms should I look for after applying my test strip?
It is normal to experience slight itching as your hair and skin adjust to being covered.
However, if you are experiencing extreme discomfort, itching or pain, we recommend removing the tape as soon as you can. Over-stretching and improper removal are the most common causes of skin irritation and/or bruising. Please read our removal instructions below so that you can remove your tape in the safest way possible.
Never pull, tear or rip Chest Binding Tape from the skin. ALWAYS remove Chest Binding Tape with the assistance of oil. The longer you wear Chest Binding Tape, the stronger the bond will be.
How to safely prepare for putting it on:
Always start with fresh, clean skin, free of lotions or oils. Wash your skin using a non-moisturising soap and rinse off, and allow your skin to dry completely. Chest Binding Tape shouldn’t be applied to broken skin. We recommend trimming any hair in the region that you intend on applying Chest Binding Tape. A quarter inch/0.5cm trim is okay.
Never apply the tape directly over your nipples. ALWAYS wear a bandage or nipple cover. You can make a DIY nipple cover at home using our Chest Binding Tape and a toilet paper “square”.
Side note: we will soon be including all nipple covers in our Chest Binding Tape packages.
Applying the tape to your chest:
Cut your Chest Binding Tape strips off and round the corners using scissors. You should only need 2-3 strips for each side of your chest.
You want to be able to hold your Chest Binding Tape so that you can apply it without it sticking to your hand. To do this, we recommend only pulling the protective paper down half way so it is still attached to your tape (the protective paper is the piece of paper that is covering the sticky adhesive). We want to make sure we don’t touch the sticky part of the tape once we expose it, because this can lessen the stickiness of the tape, making it less effective and harder to apply.
We want to avoid putting tape in the centre/middle section of our chest. By avoiding this area, it will allow us to wear open shirts and also helps to create the appearance of a flatter chest.
Gently lay the first 1 - 2 inches of Chest Binding Tape on your skin and lightly rub with a gentle pressure to activate the sticky adhesive. Line up your chest tissue so that it can all get tucked into the tape. Take your time. Now it’s time to gently guide the tissue to the side. Push your chest tissue flat, guiding the tape into place. Once you have found a comfy place for your chest tissue to sit, it’s time to remove the protective paper and lay the tape with no tension. Rub your tape. This will help to activate the stickiness and hold it in place. You can also add an additional strip of tape going vertically to cover the end of the strips. This can help create more security.
How to remove Chest Binding Tape safely:
It’s important that we are careful when we remove our Chest Binding Tape. Our sticky adhesive is made to width-stand multiple days of use while you exercise, shower, and sweat. It’s important that you are patient when removing your tape to ensure you do not damage your skin. Follow these instructions to remove your Chest Binding Tape safely.
Pour oil over your Chest Binding Tape and the surrounding area until the tape is saturated. Massage the tape and skin to allow the oil to soak through. We recommend doing this for 2 - 4 minutes before continuing to the next step.Soak your hand in oil and peel back the corner of your Chest Binding Tape and loosen the adhesive as you go using your fingers.Start at the top layer first and apply more oil when necessary. Ensure you take your time throughout this process.You can follow these steps while in a warm/hot shower to aid in a more gentle removal. After your Chest Binding Tape has been removed, we recommend applying a little bit more oil and massaging the skin and tissue. This will help replenish any lost moisture, strengthen the tissue and increase blood circulation.
