FAQ

A surface piercing is a piercing which has both its entrance and exit points on a flat plain with 90-degree subcutaneous bends. Microdermal anchors are similar to this, but with only one exit point. Punch and Taper is the most practical method for the installation of these types of piercings. The Punch & Taper procedure creates a fistula perpendicular to the surface of the skin; then uses a taper to separate the dermis from the connective tissue below, making the path for the jewelry exactly the same shape as the jewelry itself. The Punch & Taper procedure is the most practical, generally hurts less and reduces healing times.

A Microdermal is a form of pocketing which gives the look of a small transdermal implant with the simplicity and safety of a simple piercing. There is a flat plate which acts as a base beneath the skin with a single exit for a barbell post. This gives the effect that the jewellery is screwed right into the body. Click here to see microdermal anchors done by Russ Foxx.

Pocketing can be kind of the opposite of a conventional piercing. With a piercing, the ends of the jewelry are exposed and the middle is underneath the skin. With pocketing, the ends of the jewelry are planted under the skin and the center is exposed. This is more specifically called a flesh staple, where small pockets hold the jewelry in place. This type of jewelry must be custom made to fit the client and perfectly fitted to the skin with smooth rounded ends. Pocketings tend to have a low success rate similar to surface piercings. The placement of surface piercings and pocketings is very important in their chance for survival. Pocketings can also have other variances of styles like a single-hole pocketing (a microdermal anchor or transdermal implant), which have a much higher success rate in the long run than flesh staples.

Subdermal “subcutaneous” implants are three-dimensional objects placed under the skin usually for aesthetic reasons. Silicon-coated magnets can be implanted to create a sense of “magnetic vision”. Coated RFID chips can also be implanted for use with security devices or for the purpose of data storage. 3-D Subdermal Implants can also be stretched just like piercings. After an implant has healed, it can be removed and replaced with a slightly larger implant. This can be done repeatedly until the desired size is reached. Materials safe for subdermal implants are implant grade silicone, teflon, titanium & stainless steel. For BME‘s full implant FAQ, click here

Transdermal implants are “percutaneous” implants that are a combination of a single-hole pocketing and an implant. This gives the visual effect that the jewelry is screwed right into the body. The implant jewelry has a base which resembles a figure eight or a clover, with a short bar coming straight out from the base at ninety degrees. The holes in the base are designed to allow scar tissue to form through the jewelry, helping to anchor the implant in place and close the pocket created during the insertion. Transdermal implant jewelry is hand-made with implant-grade titanium. Transdermal implants are mimicked by microdermal anchors, which are a much smaller piece of jewelry and have a more simple insertion procedure.

“Adult piercing” is a term used for genital and nipple piercings. They usually serve sexual function, but some are done simply for aesthetic purposes. Trans-urethral piercings generally heal quickly and serve sexual function. Functional adult piercings that are meant to take some abuse should be pierced at larger gauges. 12g is generally a minimum for these types of piercings, depending on anatomy. Functional subdermal genital implants can vary from beads to domes to ribs. These are most commonly done to give the shaft of the penis a “ribbed” appearance and feel. Some examples of adult piercings for males:

• Ampallangs
• Anal
• Apadravyas
• Deep PAs
• Dolphins
• Dydoes
• Foreskin Piercings
• Frenums
• Guiches
• Hafadas/Scrotals
• Nipples
• PAs (Prince Alberts)
• Pubics
• Prince’s Wands
• Reverse PAs
• Scrotal Ladders

Some examples of adult piercings for females:

• Anal
• Christina
• Clitoris
• Fourchette
• Horizontal hood
• Hymen
• Inner labia
• Isabella
• Nipples
• Outer labia
• Princess albertina
• Triangle
• Vertical hood

The act of suspension is hanging the human body from (or partially from) hooks pierced through the flesh in various places around the body. Body suspensions are often practiced for ritual reasons to gain a higher level of spiritual fulfillment or awareness. They can also be practiced simply for the pure adrenaline rush or to conquering fears. They can be practiced for the experience and/or self exploration, or used as a symbolic tool and represents an important event in life – such as representing one’s passing from childhood to adulthood or the bond two people may share. Overall, people generally suspend to attain some sort of experience. Suspensions and pulls can even be brought to the stage for performance art and sideshow acts. Some people are seeking the opportunity to discover a deeper sense of themself and to challenge pre-determined belief systems which may not be true. Some are seeking a right of passage or a spiritual encounter to let go of the fear of not being whole or complete inside their body. Others are looking for control over their body, or seek to prove to themselves that they are more than their bodies, or are not their bodies at all. Others simply seek to explore the unknown. Many people believe that learning how one lives inside ones body and seeing how that body adapts to stress — and passes through it — allows one to surrender to life and explore new realms of possibility. While some people are seeking something spiritual, others are just looking to “do it” and the sense of accomplishment is enough for them. Participants are pierced with hypodermic needles followed by sterile single-use hooks, which are temporary and removed immediately following the suspension. Various types, sizes and amounts of hooks are required for different types of suspensions. Varying levels and types of rigging are also required for different levels and types of suspensions. Pulling is another form of hook play in which the participant(s) use their own strength and weight to put pressure on their hook(s); rather than actually hanging from them. This offers a very different sensation in comparison to standard suspension. Pulling can involve more tension on the hooks than an average suspension, depending on how much force is being utilized. For BME‘s full body suspension FAQ, please click here

Dermal Punching allows for the insertion of large-gauged jewelry into an initial cartilage piercing. This procedure is commonly used as an alternative to stretching. Dermal punches are often used as an alternative to needles for smaller cartilage piercings as well; as they can reduce the pressure that a piercing puts on the injured tissue. This in turn reduces scarring risks. Another application for dermal punches is a procedure called “Punch & Taper”, which is the most practical method for installing surface piercings and microdermal anchors.

Ear Pointing is the re-sculpting of the ear to create an “elf-like” or “Vulcan” look.

Flesh Stapling is a cross between pocketing and surface piercing where the middle of the jewelry, rather than the ends, is exposed. This gives the jewellery a “Staple” look.

Freehand piercing is a technique which negates the need for clamps. Freehand piercing involves massaging the tissue by hand, tenting and then holding and piercing the tissue without the aid of tools. This method is often favoured over clamping because it negates the re-sterilization and use of tools. The marking of the piercing and the jewelry insertion are basically the same as any standard piercing procedure. Piercing for a suspension is done freehand, but the piercing procedure is slightly varied and quicker than standard piercings. This is commonly called “hook throwing”.

Neodymium (Rare-Earth) Magnets implanted subdermally for the purpose of “magnetic vision“. This creates a new sense within the body; the ability to sense magnetic fields. I use two types of neodymium magnet implants: one is injection-coated with ASTM compliant implant-grade silicone and the other is coated with a harder and thinner coating generally used to coat pacemakers.

Information on Neodymium Magnets

• Neodymium magnets (Nd2Fe14B) are the strongest and most affordable type of rare-earth magnet.
• Neodymium magnets are made of neodymium, iron & boron.
• Rare Earth magnets have a high resistance to demagnetization, unlike most other types of magnets.
• Neodymium magnets are over 10x stronger than the strongest ceramic magnets.
• Although neodymium belongs to “rare earth metals,” neodymium is not rare at all. It constitutes 38 ppm of the Earth’s crust.

Neodymium Magnetic Characteristics

• Material Type: N45 (45 MGOe)
• Residual Flux Density: 13.3-13.7 KGs (Br)
• Coercive Force: >11.0 KOe (Hc)
• Intrinsic Coercive Force: >12 KOe (Hci)
• Max.Energy Product: 43-45 MGOe (BH)max

Play Piercing can be done for many reasons; Enlightenment, aesthetics, fetish & sexuality, photos, performances/demonstrations, etc. In all of these cases they are temporary and removed a short time after being put in. Play piercings can be done by inserting multiple hypodermic needles or jewelry can be used in some cases as well. Corset piercings generally fall under this category, but they can also be done with permanent intentions by using carefully placed surface bars with slave ring attachments to lace through.

Scarification is the creation an artistic scar for aesthetic or ritualistic reasons. This is most commonly achieved by two methods; cutting and branding. There are many other methods that can be used, but these two are generally the safest and most easily controlled. Simple cutting involves scalpelling a design into the skin, then healing the wound into a permanent scar. Designs that require larger, solid areas of scarring may require some tissue to be removed to achieve the desired effect. Great detail and even shading can be achieved with cutting; much moreso than branding. Branding is another form of scarification that is more toxic and requires a more quarantined facility to be practiced in. Proper air filtration, ventilation and personal breathing filters are recommended for safe branding practices. Branding can have great results, but is limited in the amount of detail that can be achieved. Branding is often described as much more painful than cutting, but can be much faster. Most compare the sensation of having a cutting done as “quicker and less painful than a tattoo”. Many consider branding to be the most painful of all types of scarification, but the pain is mainly psychological. Most compare the sensation of having a cutting done as “quicker and less painful than a tattoo”. For scarification I charge $150 minimum for the first hour, then $100 per hour following that. Contact me for price quotes.

Once upon a time, surface piercings were installed the same way as basic body piercings were; with a straight or curved barbell. Over the years this has been proven to be pretty much the worst way to do a surface piercing. There’s always an exception to the rule, and in relation to this subject some people have healed surface piercings done this way. Having this style of jewelry in a surface piercing puts pressure on the healing tissue above and its lack of flexibility adds to the amount of stress as tissue moves. Later, an idea came into play that was meant to eliminate the jewelry issues with surface piercing. That idea was flexible jewelry. This helped decrease the pressure on healing surface piercings, but is still considerably less reliable than proper surface bars. Proper surface bars are made of implant grade stainless steel or titanium and have a perpendicular design in order to optimize the body’s healing process. They are optimally made with internal threading and installed via the punch & taper method; similar to microdermal anchors.

Tongue Splitting is the central bifurcation of the lingual frenulum. This gives the visual effect of a “forked tongue” and instills more broad ranges of movement and the ability to control each side of the tongue independently. Some people are naturally able to do many things with their split tongue, others have to work at it. View BME‘s tongue splitting FAQ here

About the Church

The Church of Body Modification represents a collection of members practicing ancient and modern body modification rites. We believe these rites are essential to our spirituality. Practicing body modification and engaging in body manipulation rituals strengthen the bond between mind, body, and soul. By doing so, we ensure that we live as spiritually complete and healthy individuals.

Statement of Faith

As followers of this faith, it is our purpose to educate and inspire, to share ideas, and to help each other achieve our dreams. We strive to unify and strengthen our mind, body, and soul so we can overcome any challenges we may encounter. We assert and protect our rights to modify our bodies and to practice our rituals. We believe our bodies belong only to ourselves and are a whole and integrated entity: mind, body, and soul. We maintain we have the right to alter them for spiritual and other reasons. Affirmation of our living, breathing, physical beings is paramount to our self-identities and helps us define who we are. The Church of Body Modification promotes affirmation and growth of a more expansive perspective of our physical and spiritual being.

Mission Statement

We, the congregation of the Church of Body Modification, will always respect our bodies. We promise to always grow as individuals through body modification and what it can teach us about who we are and what we can do. We vow to share our experiences openly and honestly in order to promote growth in mind, body, and soul. We honor all forms of body modification and those who choose to practice body modification for any reason. We also promise to respect those who do not choose body modification. We support all that join us in our mission and help those seeking us in need of spiritual guidance. We strive to share a positive message with everyone we encounter, in order to act as positive role models for future generations in the body modification community. We always uphold basic codes of ethics and encourage others to do the same. We are a dynamic community, always growing and changing, continually promoting safety, education, and experience in body modification. Visit the Church of Body Modification