This is something that pokes at the back of my mind every time I read a story based on encasement that claims it's trying to be realistic. While in a fantasy story it's perfectly fine to suspend inconvenient realities for the purpose of the story, if the goal is realism, the effect is lost by just sweeping them aside (unless you're hoping that your audience can be Dan Browned).

The biggest problem with encasement (particularly long-term) is that the human body generates a LOT of heat. Under normal circumstances, it has to do that in order to continue functioning properly - it has a lot of surface area through which the heat is dissipated. When the body is encased, preventing proper ventilation between the covering material and the skin, that heat has nowhere to go and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels relatively quickly - from personal experience: maintaining a neck-to-toe thin layer of latex for about 2 hours was enough to raise my body temp by 4 degrees Fahrenheit (equivalent to a dangerously high fever temp).

Aside from the direct harmful effects of temperature elevation, there are also several related effects. When the body is immobilized (and even moreso when it is under compression), blood circulation is slowed and restricted, thus reducing even the effect of local ventilation on an encasement: you may cool one area, but the reduced movement of heat through the body will only result in hot and cold spots, rather than equalizing the temperature at a safe level.

Further, encasement also defeats the body's natural cooling mechanism: sweating. Sweating works because water has a relatively high specific heat value, so more heat is moved out of the body in moisture than in air. However, it relies on that moisture then being allowed to evapourate into the air, rather than simply collecting the heated water (and water vapour) against the body. This results in a number of additional complications:

Sweat leeches moisture out of the body. This can lead to dehydration fairly quickly if not addressed appropriately.

Sweat trapped between the body and the encasing material fails to dissipate the heat, thus negating its cooling function.

Sweat trapped between the body and the encasing material also has a tendency to breed fungal and other infections which will cause massive tissue damage to the flesh - and eventually to the vital organs of the body.

The heat dissipation issue becomes significant LONG before questions of nutrition, elimination of other bodily waste, muscle atrophy, madness, or any of the other problems that are addressed in careful detail in encasement stories that claim to be aiming for realism - and yet this one is so rarely even taken into consideration. It frustrates me.

No, I'm not a creative writer, nor do I even have a workable solution to the heat problem, so I can't write any better. However, every time I read a story that addresses the minor or later problems with long-term encasement, but completely ignores the immediate life-threatening consideration, I feel like I've been misled by the claim of a 'realistic' encasement story.

This very issue has occurred to me as well and I think I've a solution: internal cooling system.

Under the casing the person is wearing something like a wetsuit laced with coolant-filled tubes. Water would do I guess but more exotic fluids are certainly possible. A small pump suffices to move the liquid through the suit, out to a radiator apparatus to dump its heat and then back through the suit. You can have sensors to monitor the person's body temp. and make adjustments as needed.

If you look at The Art Museum RP you'll see I used this system for the caryatids, although as their heads and chests are not covered they could probably get by without. I am working on a long short story involving total long-term encasement that also addresses this issue and uses the same device.

I didn't think of the sweat issues you mention though. Have to consider that at some point.

BTW any interest in the Art Museum RP? Be nice to have more folks in there

Not at all. Like most of the RPs on this site, it very quickly turned into nothing but masturbation-fantasy racing past any story to get to the next orgasm. I lost interest by page 2-3 because of that.

But yeah, i was mostly thinking of the stories that spend pages detailing a feeding system, and even longer on waste removal - but completely neglect the heat dissipation issue.

So, are there any other fantasies you want to 'spoil' with realism? ~_^

I could offer a few suggestions, if you'd like. ^_^

you have completely missed my point here. I honestly PREFER the ones where "it's MAGIC" is the only explanation given. However, If I'm going to read a dozen paragraphs about the elaborate feeding and waste removal system in one *where the author is claiming to be addressing the realistic concerns*, I'd expect the more urgent and significant issue of heat removal to at least be addressed.

Actually, when I was reading your post, I starting thinking about my own fetishes - some of them involve mental and/or physical changes that can limit (at least one of) my imaginary (female) victim's abilities.

Despite my flippant application of sarcasm, I enjoyed reading your article - it was a fascinating look at how fantasies can go awry in real life and felt it was a topic worth exploring further.

If you'd prefer to close this 'case', I'll gladly move on but I think that observing the consequences of some wishes/transformations would prove itself enlightening, if not (entirely) educational.

Either way, thank you for posting that article. It inspired me to explore other (im)possibilities.

Most of my fantasies are completely impossible in real life, and would end up with (at least) one person dead and a lot of explaining to the authorities if they were to be attempted. I suppose one of the reasons why this one moved me to make this post is because some of the stories are written in such a way that they might lead a naive reader to believe that it can actually be done like that in real life (encasement bondage is a fairly common fetish within the BDSM communities, but it's only safe for relatively short sessions, and even then there are a LOT of safety precautions that need to be taken). There's no such concern about someone really trying to turn their partner into a chimeric animal hybrid and having things go awry, nor even for a true petrification; encasement is one of those things that can be just realistic enough to get people into trouble by trying it.

As are many of mine (thank goodness) - even allowing for alternate methods of feeding and communication, I have to wonder how a mouthless girl would spend the rest of her time. ^_^!

Still, that can be part of the fun, I suppose. ^_^


Well, I wouldn't (entirely) underestimate the intelligence of our species - while there are some foolish people in this twisted cruller of a world, there are many more who know/consider the dangers of making their fetishistic dreams a reality.

It's why a lot of us have settled for hang gliders instead of wings - no (high maintenance?) feathers clogging the drain. ~_^


All the more reason I haven't ordered (or *made*) a live-action 'mouth sealing' flick - even if the actress (among others) was comfortable with the idea, there are some who would (understandably) question the project's artistic merit.

Still, if some Hollywood films can exist for their own sake...


Yet... ~_^


Until someone reminds them of the risks/consequences involved? ^_^

Anyway, thanks again for posting your article.

I can only hope that this will entice others to explore their own (inner/fantasy) worlds' 'workings'.

*imagines a newly-freed genie trying to make it in our modern world...and shudders*

*giggles nervously and squirms a bit at that thought*

I have this tendency to envision myself in the position of the one being transformed in these types of fantasies... makes roleplaying through them more interesting to immerse oneself into the character whose existence is made awkward by them... anyway... *whistles innocently*



You've never had the fascinating experience of working in a hospital's ER/A&E department, or with a rescue squad, I see. Over the years, I've learned that there is nothing so foolish and dangerous as to prevent people from trying it anyway.