#gaffs

When you first start tucking, there’s no getting around the initial discomfort and “pain”. Pushing your testicles up into the inguinal canal and keeping them there takes some getting used to. Now the reason I put “pain” in scare quotes here is because there is some pain when start out doing it but it should be a kind of dull achey pain. Like, if it feels like someone giving your testicles a firm but moderate squeeze, that’s normal. It should never ever feel like a sharp pain! If your tuck is making you wince you need to carefully undo it immediately. If you’re experience a sharp pain there’s a slim chance it could be an anatomical issue (everyone’s bodies are different) but most likely it either has to do with one or several of the following things that can be changed: Technique, Gaff, and testical size. Also, like I said, even without HRT, eventually you do acclimate to how it feels having your testes inside the inguinal canal such that the sensation will hardly even register let alone hurt.

Now, you mentioned being on HRT. I don’t know how long you have been on HRT but with time your testicles will shrink, even if you penis stays roughly the same size. Tucking does get significantly easier the further along you are with HRT. So even if you’re testicle size is currently giving you trouble it almost certainly will not be an issue later on. Eventually the shrinkage should make tucking effortless and easy.

It’s also possible there is something off with your technique. It’s a little difficult for me to imagine how one might do it so incorrectly as to get torsion but I can walk you through my tucking technique. First, I make a peace sign with the index and middle finger, I use those two fingers to push the testes up into the inguinal canal and rest that hand on my pubis mons with the upside down V crook of the peace sign at the base of my penis. Then I gently pull the penis back along the perineum with my other hand, you want to pull it pretty far back but don’t go nuts, you don’t need to pull it all the way back to your anus. As your holding your penis back up against your perineum your testicles should be able to stay inside the canals on their own freeing your index and middle finger to pinch/grab the empty scrotal tissue and roll it up around the shaft of the penis, like nestling a hot dog inside a hot dog bun. I find it helpful to think of the scrotal tissue I’m wrapping around the penis as labia, and it should look vaguely vaginal though that isn’t the point, rather it’s to ensure all the loose fleshy bits end up inside the gusset of your panty so they don’t get pinched. Continue holding all those bits together like that either with the hand you just used to wrap the penis or with your tightly closed legs and pull up the gaff to hold it all in place, move around a bit and adjust accordingly.

And that brings us to Gaffs. Holding it all in place with tape can be painful and ultimately wasteful, so I highly recommend investing in some good gaffs. A gaff is basically like a normal panty but with a few key differences. The are generally made with stretchy but compressive fabrics like, they have a wider gusset (the underside area that would typically cover the vagina or in this case your tucked penis), and they sometimes have some extra padding in the frontal pubis area. In a pinch you can use a swimsuit bottom or double up a pair of normal panties and then wear some tight jeans. There is a way to make a down and dirty DIY gaff out of an athletic sock and panty hose but I can’t vouch for how comfortable that is and it is certainly the least sexy option. Fortunately these days there are a number of good gaff makers out there (Etsy is a great place for this) and there’s almost too many to enumerate here. I recommend trying a few different styles out and seeing what works for you.

However, there is one gaff maker I do want to highlight because I think they are great for someone like you who is still trying to get the hang of it. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeoLines?ref=l2-about-shopname Now these are def not the sexiest gaffs but they are full proof. These are the gaffs I turn to when I need an ultra secure tuck that won’t need readjusting. I recommend starting the bikini style for going out and about and practicing at home with one in the thong style. The former is easy and if something is less than perfect about your tuck it’s unlikely to be an issue and the latter, because it’s a thong, will help you get the hang of keeping it all tight, particularly with wrapping the penis in the scrotal tissue, because if you don’t do it right it’ll get pinchy pretty quick but you can easily adjust it because your still at home. The other reason I recommend LeoLines as a starter gaff is because of the extra padding in the front and the amount of compression in the fabric which allows you to achieve the tucked effect without actually tucking (a lot of gaff makers will make that claim but it’s mostly BS with the exception being LeoLines). LeoLines also offers swimsuit gaffs and is the only gaff I know of that makes them in children’s sizes (this was a big deal for my trans niece cause she used to do gymnastics and loves to swim and wanted to wear the same stuff the other girls wore).

I also highly recommend every trans girl check Origami Customs! https://origamicustoms.com/collections/all-underthings/products/mesh-gaff-hipster-underwear They have gaffs in every style and size and even to custom fits. But they also have a sizing guid that’s helpful for buying regular underwear! Like, ever wonder why a particular style of panty never seems to fit right? It may not be your size but rather the shape of your butt!

Lastly, it’s very important to exercise a bit a common sense with tucking. It’s really important to take breaks. If your tucked during the day then you need to untuck at night, especially before going to bed. Once you’re farther along with your HRT and the testicles have shrunk this becomes somewhat less of an issue, at least pain-wise. It’s also important to take breaks and give your junk opportunities to air out, especially during the hotter seasons when you’re more prone to sweating. If you do too much tucking and you genitals don’t get any airflow at all, you could contract a fungal infection, ie Jock itch or other kinds of irritation. But if you don’t tuck when you go to bed, and maybe even give your self some time at home to be naked, you’ll be fine. I’ve gone through months long periods of tucking every single day, even at the gym, and never had any issues. I do recommend wearing softer gaffs if you just shaved your bikini area, gaffs like the ones on LeoLines can exacerbate shaving irritation but if you wait till the day after you shaved you’ll be fine.

And that’s basically it for my tucking advice! I hope that helps you anon!

Love,