Just like some other big name guy who shed blood for his followers, I shed blood for the readers of Modblog. People are complaining that Modblog isn’t updating and I wanted to help, but without new submissions to BME there is little for me to choose from. So instead of complaining or making excuses, I took action and used this lull in post as the encouragement I needed to get those godforsaken transdermals removed from my noggin.
First and foremost, I want to be clear I knew the risk going into the initial procedure and I realized the super low success rate of transdermals. Hell, I think the BME Encyclopedia entry on transdermal removal summed it up best.
All in all, because of the low success rate and complications, transdermal implants are one of the few procedures that BME recommends against — although we fully support people’s right to get them, if and only if they fully understand and accept the risks.It should also be noted that a variety of professionals are trying to solve the problems with transdermal implants.
I got my implants done by a highly reputable practitioner, whom I also consider a friend. As far as procedures go, it was as spot on as one could hope for. In fact, long time modbloggers may even remember this post Shannon made of them when they were brand new.
As is the case with most transdermals, they never actually healed. The wounds around the transdermal post oozed, well, pretty much constantly. The channels the implants were inserted in stayed seperated from the underlying tissue and bubbled up. Hair growth was nullified in a large circle around each of the implants……….and this is just what I dealt with in the first year.
I tried lots of remedies, some holistic, some horrific. I used everything from chamomile tea bag soaks to injecting alcohol around the transdermal stems to dry out the excess lymph. Nothing had any lasting affects. As the years went on the implants just got worse, most started migrating and the first one (as you can see in the before picture) rejected to the point of one foot coming completely through the skin.
While there has been no definitive study on the long term success rates of transdermal implants, 20% or less seems to be pretty accurate. I’d even go so far to assume that most of those will not last indefinitely and that a lot of the “successful” ones aren’t actually fully and properly healed.
I (speaking purely as myself, and not for BMEzine.com) feel that the transdermal implants, as we know them, have no place in modern body modification. The original design by Steve Haworth, was ground breaking and without that original design we may not have the microdermal anchor design that we have now. However, with the gray area legality of the implantation procedure and the unlikeliness of them properly healing, I just don’t see why they are still being commonly offered. Don’t get me wrong, if a practitioner wants to do some on a highly modded well informed client, I am not opposed, I just don’t see the point. However, the fact some practitioners will do these on any walk in client is an atrocity and a total F-You to our entire community.
One thing that I feel will certainly make transdermal implants obsolete is large gauge microdermals, such as those offered by Anatometal. With them offering micros up to an 8 gauge, that can be inserted with piercing techniques (no invasive surgery) and also removed far easier that transdermals, I just can’t see the need for an invasive and potentially illegal surgical procedure with a low success rate.
Anyhow, that’s my take on the subject, feel free to chime in your opinions on this topic in the comments. For a whole lot of photos from my transdermal removal procedure, keep on keeping on.
All photos, thanks to Robin Scott.
Have your own transdermal failure stories/pictures that you want to share? Email them to [email protected]
Comments
420 responses to “Why transdermals suck, by yours truly”
Valentine, feel free to email me, no one else seems to be having problems as there are tons of submissions waiting to be moderated right now.
[email protected]
There definitely is not a decline in submissions and updates should resume properly very soon. I’m excited for the new changes.
Valentine, feel free to email me, no one else seems to be having problems as there are tons of submissions waiting to be moderated right now.
[email protected]
There definitely is not a decline in submissions and updates should resume properly very soon. I’m excited for the new changes.
Valentine, feel free to email me, no one else seems to be having problems as there are tons of submissions waiting to be moderated right now.
[email protected]
There definitely is not a decline in submissions and updates should resume properly very soon. I’m excited for the new changes.
Valentine, feel free to email me, no one else seems to be having problems as there are tons of submissions waiting to be moderated right now.
[email protected]
There definitely is not a decline in submissions and updates should resume properly very soon. I’m excited for the new changes.
To the person that said they considered sub vs trans for a while, I had both in the same spot (at different times), and each comes with it;s own set of issues. I can’t say that one is better than the other. I spent more than a couple years with both. I enjoyed both sets too.
To the person that said they considered sub vs trans for a while, I had both in the same spot (at different times), and each comes with it;s own set of issues. I can’t say that one is better than the other. I spent more than a couple years with both. I enjoyed both sets too.
To the person that said they considered sub vs trans for a while, I had both in the same spot (at different times), and each comes with it;s own set of issues. I can’t say that one is better than the other. I spent more than a couple years with both. I enjoyed both sets too.
To the person that said they considered sub vs trans for a while, I had both in the same spot (at different times), and each comes with it;s own set of issues. I can’t say that one is better than the other. I spent more than a couple years with both. I enjoyed both sets too.
i got some verry positive story’s about transdermals i got six of them myself for four years now
if the bme team wants i can give an interview about my experieces with them.
take care chris
i got some verry positive story’s about transdermals i got six of them myself for four years now
if the bme team wants i can give an interview about my experieces with them.
take care chris
i got some verry positive story’s about transdermals i got six of them myself for four years now
if the bme team wants i can give an interview about my experieces with them.
take care chris
i got some verry positive story’s about transdermals i got six of them myself for four years now
if the bme team wants i can give an interview about my experieces with them.
take care chris
I’ve had my microdermals for about two years now. They’ve been great.
About once every three months they’ll get irritated for about 24 hours, but then they settle down.
They were put in by someone I respect immensely, and only after talking with him about them after a few appointments for stretching my ears.
He did a fantastic job, and would only place them in specific areas that the skin didn’t move too much around in. My original idea was denied by him, so we worked together to find a suitable solution, and it ended up so much better than the original ever would have been.
Scott was the best piercer I’ve ever met – and probably will ever meet. It’s sad that I’m no longer in the same city as him, otherwise he’d still be getting frequent visits by me. He’s the best.
I’ve had my microdermals for about two years now. They’ve been great.
About once every three months they’ll get irritated for about 24 hours, but then they settle down.
They were put in by someone I respect immensely, and only after talking with him about them after a few appointments for stretching my ears.
He did a fantastic job, and would only place them in specific areas that the skin didn’t move too much around in. My original idea was denied by him, so we worked together to find a suitable solution, and it ended up so much better than the original ever would have been.
Scott was the best piercer I’ve ever met – and probably will ever meet. It’s sad that I’m no longer in the same city as him, otherwise he’d still be getting frequent visits by me. He’s the best.
I’ve had my microdermals for about two years now. They’ve been great.
About once every three months they’ll get irritated for about 24 hours, but then they settle down.
They were put in by someone I respect immensely, and only after talking with him about them after a few appointments for stretching my ears.
He did a fantastic job, and would only place them in specific areas that the skin didn’t move too much around in. My original idea was denied by him, so we worked together to find a suitable solution, and it ended up so much better than the original ever would have been.
Scott was the best piercer I’ve ever met – and probably will ever meet. It’s sad that I’m no longer in the same city as him, otherwise he’d still be getting frequent visits by me. He’s the best.
I’ve had my microdermals for about two years now. They’ve been great.
About once every three months they’ll get irritated for about 24 hours, but then they settle down.
They were put in by someone I respect immensely, and only after talking with him about them after a few appointments for stretching my ears.
He did a fantastic job, and would only place them in specific areas that the skin didn’t move too much around in. My original idea was denied by him, so we worked together to find a suitable solution, and it ended up so much better than the original ever would have been.
Scott was the best piercer I’ve ever met – and probably will ever meet. It’s sad that I’m no longer in the same city as him, otherwise he’d still be getting frequent visits by me. He’s the best.
I have had poor luck with Micro-dermals. I had one placed between my eyes in tough tissue. It healed great and had no problems with it for 4 months. It got lightly snagged 1 time on a shirt and started pushing itself out. Scarred a little heavy as well. I have it my Transdermals with long jewelry hard several times. I have been elbowed at high speed directly in the plate with no jewelry in it. They are hanging in there after all these years. If they did come out for some reason though. I would get them removed and have them put back in after full healing. I do not think they are for someone new to modding though.
I have had poor luck with Micro-dermals. I had one placed between my eyes in tough tissue. It healed great and had no problems with it for 4 months. It got lightly snagged 1 time on a shirt and started pushing itself out. Scarred a little heavy as well. I have it my Transdermals with long jewelry hard several times. I have been elbowed at high speed directly in the plate with no jewelry in it. They are hanging in there after all these years. If they did come out for some reason though. I would get them removed and have them put back in after full healing. I do not think they are for someone new to modding though.
I have had poor luck with Micro-dermals. I had one placed between my eyes in tough tissue. It healed great and had no problems with it for 4 months. It got lightly snagged 1 time on a shirt and started pushing itself out. Scarred a little heavy as well. I have it my Transdermals with long jewelry hard several times. I have been elbowed at high speed directly in the plate with no jewelry in it. They are hanging in there after all these years. If they did come out for some reason though. I would get them removed and have them put back in after full healing. I do not think they are for someone new to modding though.
I have had poor luck with Micro-dermals. I had one placed between my eyes in tough tissue. It healed great and had no problems with it for 4 months. It got lightly snagged 1 time on a shirt and started pushing itself out. Scarred a little heavy as well. I have it my Transdermals with long jewelry hard several times. I have been elbowed at high speed directly in the plate with no jewelry in it. They are hanging in there after all these years. If they did come out for some reason though. I would get them removed and have them put back in after full healing. I do not think they are for someone new to modding though.