I have stretched earlobes (1/2 inch), tattoos, and a dermal anchor. I also used to have my lip pierced, but it has closed up. But today I'm going to be talking about my microdermal anchor, because I just got it re-done!
First and foremost I AM NOT AN EXPERT. I am not a professional by any means. I am just sharing what I have learned and believe to be fact. Feel free to correct (with sources) if I'm mistaken about something. Also I am not the best at explaining things. If you want more thorough explanations you can google 'dermal anchors'.
I'm going to cover some frequently asked questions as well as my personal experience with having it done twice.
What is a dermal anchor?
Also called microdermal anchors & micro-dermal implants, dermals are shallow piercings that only have one entry point. For instance, in a lip piercing it goes in one side of the lip, and out the other. A dermal anchor only makes a small pocket, and does not go 'out' the other side. Popular places to get a dermal anchor are on your chest, on your face (usually in a 'tear drop' placement), and on your lower back (where back dimples would be).
How does it work?
The piercer uses a needle to create a shallow pocket. Then they place the anchor part in. The anchor part resembles this: _i_ The bottom part usually has holes in it that allow your tissue to go through it and attach to it and hold it in place. Then they screw in the gem into the top. Once it's properly healed, you can change the gem out.
How do you take it out?
Aside from accidentally ripping it out (more on that in a minute.....) the only way to get it taken out is by going back to your piercer and getting them to remove it. Normally this is done by making a very small incision and removing the base.
Does it hurt?
The first time I got it done (in 2009) I don't remember it hurting at all. This could be because I have a high pain tolerance or just because my memory has faded. However when I got it re-done, in the same spot, it did hurt. Not unbearable or anything, but it wasn't pleasant. I would say the first part with the needle is just a quick sharp pain and is over quickly. However when they screw the head on, that is what hurt more. I also had to go through scar tissue that time and I had a different piercer, who was more rough in my opinion. So all of those are factors in the pain meter.
Below are pictures of me getting it done. They are not graphic but if you are easily queasy you might not want to look!
Here is when I was getting it done for the first time, in 2009. This is the part with the needle.
One last picture of the piercing progress.
Everything was going fine for about a year...
Until one night, after consuming one too many captain & cokes, I decided to race my friend to the car (to get something, not to drive anywhere!) I veered off the sidewalk and found myself face first in a tall bush.
I didn't think anything of it that night...and I didn't feel any pain (thank you Captain Morgan). But when I looked in the mirror the next day, my poor dermal was lopsidedly hanging out.
I actually went back to the shop, got it re-set and thought it was fine. But it rejected and before I knew it it was lopsidedly hanging out again. So I went back again and got it taken out.
3 years went by and I was a very sad girl. I had gotten used to seeing my dermal in the mirror and in pictures. I missed it! I didn't feel like myself without it.
So, this Friday the 13th (December 2013) I finally took the plunge and got it re-done!
I don't have any pictures because I went by myself. But here's some photos of the after math.
This was the next day, as you can see there was still some redness around it.
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| notice anything different? I may be in the middle of dying my hair blonde! |
So there we have it! That's the story of my dermal anchor. Any questions? Leave them in the comments below!
Follow your bliss,
Ember Darling
