does binding make your chest smaller?

[Everyone]

when measuring my chest, it used to be 34" and then I started binding with ace bandages, and now its gone down to 31", is it common for your chest to shrink?

[Elijah3291]

um.. i dont understand how the measurements to shrink.. maybe you lost weight

but.. the binding could break down the breast tissue and make them easier to bind/flatter

[insanitylives]

Obvious/stupid question, but have you lost weight?

my chest hasn't gotten any smaller. freaking wish >.>

[Ryan]

Binding over a long time will break down the breast tissue and makes the breasts more saggy and loose. It won't make them shrink though. You've probably lost weight or maybe even taken incorrect measurements.

[Elijah3291]

Binding over a long time will break down the breast tissue and makes the breasts more saggy and loose. It won't make them shrink though. You've probably lost weight or maybe even taken incorrect measurements.

yea what he said... mine are more saggy and loose then they were 9 months ago lol

[Ender]

It can break down tissue.  Incorrect measurements are also a possibility.

And another possibility: binding can cause your ribcage to compress.  I don't know if it's permanent or not.  I noticed this happening (my ribcage measurement, under the moobs not over them, was 34" before putting on the binder, 32" while it was on, and 32.5" after taking it off.  I stopped using that binder because of this (also because it made it too hard to breath).  It took about a day for my ribcage to go back to its original 34" measurement; I was worried about damaging something.

Maybe want to go easy on the Ace bandages, they don't allow your ribs to expand like a binder would.  Granted, when I was having trouble it was with an Underworks binder, but that one was too small.  My other larger one was OK.

[Everyone]

um.. i dont understand how the measurements to shrink.. maybe you lost weight

but.. the binding could break down the breast tissue and make them easier to bind/flatter

maybe it made them flatter, which made them measure as smaller or something. But I know I didn't measure wrong, and I'm pretty sure I didn't lose weight.

[Ryan]

It may be a loss of perkiness? I doubt the amount of breast tissue has changed, but it may have moved around.

[Nygeel]

My chest used to not sag as much before binding. They were also smaller (damn you weight gain!) but now the widest part isn't as wide because of how the breast tissue has...well...migrated. Instead of being dense and going up/out, the same mass just goes down so...I really suck at explaining this.

It's like the difference between a fist and having your hand flat. A fist will appear bigger and as more mass (like a "perky" breast) when compared to a hand out flat (like a sagging chest).

[Silver]

When you say "chest," I can't tell if you're referring to the rib cage or breasts. Maybe clarify?