Gatekeepers for FFS

[didactic-cudgel.livejournal.com]

I am bigendered and interested in getting FFS to reduce my more male facial features (specifically: eyebrow ridge, nose, trachea). However, I am not interested in surgery below the neck. I would still be presenting as male, most of the time, but I would like to reduce the tells when I present female.

Also, I live in Chicago, and as I hear it, there is a Dr. Z who specializes in it. I would have to pay out of pocket for all of it, so the timeline, for various reasons, is somewhat long.

My question, though, is if anyone knows if the WPATH( formerly HBIGDA) SOC procedures apply, or what other gatekeeper steps are in place, or if I could treat this as elective plastic surgery?

Chest binding - need help

[twoxmale.livejournal.com]

I need some advice, if anyone can give it.  I'm FTM (pre-hormones, pre-surgery), and I am trying to figure out the best way to bind my chest.  Nothing works well.  I tried several different binders from ftm.underworks.com because the site was recommended to me by a friend...and the only one that sort of worked, I kept getting stuck in.  My hips are too wide to step into it, and my chest is too big to pull it on over my head...and none of them actually flatten my chest, just smoosh it out the top.  I'm a D cup when not binding which is making this really difficult.  

Has anyone else had this problem, and/or able to recommend a safe and effective way to flatten this size chest, if there even is one?  It will probably be a long time yet before I can get breast removal, and I really don't think getting on hormones are going to help me much in the chest area either from what I've read about them.  I have only tried that one site, and the Mango stuff is REALLY expensive so I don't want to risk getting one of those if they won't work either.

I'm feeling really discouraged and depressed about all of this and hate even being outside the house without bindings...usually I use two sports bras layered on top of each other, but it's really not even close to enough, just makes my chest a tiny bit smaller, and I feel uncomfortable in my own body even at home by myself.  I also keep hearing things about binding damaging your chest in such a way that you cannot get a reduction/removal later, and I don't know how true it all is.  I'm not sure what to do.

Please help if you can.

Edit: Solved!  I tried this place and like it a lot: http://www.t-kingdom.com/