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.

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Nothing unites a group of friends more than a love of poop.

These scat-astic tattoos were done at  Alleycat Tattoo in Washington, MO. The first, third, and fouth were done by Francine Adams, the second was done by Amelia Mccormack.

PS: Seeing all of this poop on people’s fingers really makes me want to get a major touch up on my Dirty Sanchez finger tattoo.

I want to thank EVERYONE who submitted images. I am going to do my best to do one big post Wednesday with all the one’s that I did not feature.

While we are still in March, may as well put up one other submission. This one comes to use from xvern.

I first talked to James several years ago. At the time he was a minor seeking answers to questions about heavy mods. In all honesty, I didn’t take him too seriously. I foolishly lumped him in with several other young modders that seemed to be more into the fantasy of obtaining heavy mods than the reality of doing so. In fact, I distinctly remember some photo editing of mods onto a picture of his face at one point which made it truly seem as if it was all just fantasy for him.

However, as years passed, it became obvious he was totally serious with his desires and he began to get all the mods he had previously spoken with me about.

Several years ago, he interviewed me for the now defunct youngmodders.com. Now it is time for me to turn the tables and interview him. So without further ado, I give you a conversation with the now 26-year-old James Keen.

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This photo comes from the vaults of BME and included no submission details but I thought it made a nice lead in to the following news story: Nano Ink “Tattoo” Could Monitor Diabetes. It’s a really cool idea and I know diabetes touches the lives of many people, myself included as my father is an insulin dependent diabetic. It’s almost like those old hyper colour shirts (anyone remember those?) only it detects glucose levels and it’s a tattoo!

Guess What????????????????

For the answers you seek, keep on keeping on.

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Lot’s of our readers know Allen Falkner as THE major innovator in modern suspension. This is an accurate way to think of him, but around Dallas he is known for more than just hanging from hooks. In Dallas, as well as beyond, Allen is also infamous for his ability to throw one hell of a party.

The Freaks and Fetish event is the preparty for The 2010 Dallas Suspension Practitioners Convention and will take place on Friday April 2nd. This year’s event will showcase performers and guests from around the world:

-World champion pole dancer Pantera Blacksmith

-Finland’s Snake Oil Sideshow

-The Return of Pain Solution from Norway

-Of course, returning to the role of MC is everyone’s favorite green darlin’, The Lizardman!

With all of the freakish thrills and sexy frills, this is a party you won’t want to miss.
For more information and ticket prices please visit The Church.

When I first got into this whole body mod thing, I was always fascinated by Fakir. He was the modification world’s renaissance man. He was involved in almost every facet of body modification and body play and he travelled the world doing so.

If I had to pick one man likely to be remembered as the 21st centuries modification renaissance man it would, without a doubt, be Ron Garza. So when I saw this email submission from Ron, I knew damn well it would be something awesome.

I will let him tell the story on these:

I found these pics recently from a client  from a few years back who  had done alot of heavy nipple training/torture through out  the years  and  just had alot of damage done to the tissue. Since he no longer did the nipple training, he wanted to do something to emphasize his nipples  since he felt the tattoos over powered them. So  we came up with these ideas that show through the tattoo work (he didn’t want the same  on both nipples). He was always  shy about this and didnt want to much attention drawn to them  since he was a suit on his work  time back then. I just  always thought this was  really  fucking cool.

I have to agree, and I hope you guys find these pictures to be really fucking cool as well.

For closeups of these interesting nipple projects, keep on keeping on.

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So far only one BME Boys Calendar entry has been posted. It seems the boys are a good bit shyer than the girls when it comes to submitting pictures. Hopefully, this post reminds him and some other BME Boys to submit pics to Lexci, either via her IAM page or the email address connected to her bio below her post. You can also email me (Sean@Bmezine.com), and just make the submission BME Boys Calendar, and I will get it forwarded to her.

While perusing the galleries I came across this Brazillian BME Boy, Raldy, who I thought some of you might be into. Since he didn’t submit this picture for the calendar, it is not here to vote on.

A lot of people are under the impression you can only get mass produced crap at the mall. I see where they are coming from, most the independent stores with different, interesting stuff have pretty much vanished, and in their place are chain stores selling out the subcultures.

However, in  Edmonton, Alberta Canada there is a mall called  West Edmonton Mall…

and in that mall is a tattoo and piercing studio called Dragon FX…

and in  that studio is a man by the name of Wayde….

and Wayde creates some of the best scarification in the world, such as this piece he recently did.

And all of the sudden the mall doesn’t seem like such a lame place.