Transdermal implants, or dermal piercings, are a form of

body modification Body modification (or body alteration) is the deliberate altering of the human anatomy or human physical appearance. In its broadest definition it includes skin tattooing, socially acceptable decoration (''e.g.'', common earring, ear piercing in ...

used both in a

medical Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and

aesthetic Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...

context that, in contrast to

subdermal implant A subdermal implant is a body modification placed under the skin, allowing the body to heal over the implant and creating a raised design. Such implants fall under the broad category of body modification. Many subdermal implants are made out of si ...

s, consist of an object placed partially below and partially above the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

, thus implanted ''trans''dermal. Two techniques are prevalent using

post Post, POST, or posting may refer to: Postal services * Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal s ...

-like and microdermal implants respectively. Although the skin around such implants generally heals as if it were a piercing, in the body piercing community, these types of modification are commonly called fairly "heavy" due to the complexity of the procedure, but the potential social implications either.

Procedure

When the procedure is done using a

-like implant, an incision is made a small distance from the site. The skin is then lifted and the implant is passed through. Then, a hole is opened at the site for it to pass through, and it is moved so that the top part fills the hole. The implants used for this are generally small and not textured in any way except rounding. If a more graphic implant is desired, it is generally done in two parts. First, the base is inserted the same way a single-part would be, except that the base implant is threaded. It may either stick out like a bolt, or be inward like a nut. When this is done, the top half is screwed on. This type is usually done for spikes and/or horns. In any case, the part of the implant which passes under the skin generally is somewhat large and has holes. The skin will grow into them, making it more permanent.

Microdermal implants

Microdermal implants are a form of

which gives the aesthetic appearance of a transdermal implant, without the complications of the much more complicated surgery associated with transdermal implants. Microdermals are single point piercings which are a sort of surface piercing. Microdermal implants can be placed practically anywhere on the surface of the

on the body, but are different from conventional piercings in that they are composed of two components: an anchor, which is implanted underneath the skin, with a step protruding from (or flush with) the surface of the surrounding skin, and the changeable

jewellery Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

, which is screwed into the threaded hole in the step of the anchor. They should not be implanted in hands, feet, wrists, collarbones or any area where it is not flat or that is near a joint.

Procedure

The procedure is usually performed using a dermal punch or needle. When a dermal piercing is done with a punch, the pouch is made in a different way. When using a needle, the pouch is made by separating the skin. When using a dermal punch, the pouch is made by removing a bit of tissue. A microdermal punch is less painful and therefore commonly used. The process starts by identifying the point of piercing on the sterilized area that will be marked with a surgical marker. The microdermal punch is then used to remove skin tissues. The anchor is then placed under the skin and a piece of jewelry is placed using surgical forceps.Piercing Models
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transdermal Implant Body piercing jewellery Implants (medicine) Drug delivery devices Dosage forms

Procedure

Microdermal implants

Procedure

See also

References