I had a surface bar piercing procedure done about a month ago on my left wrist. I had originally intended to go in for a tattoo on my left ankle - a rotting, dead corpse hand with yellowing fingers grasping my leg and pulling me down with blood dripping from the fingernail rake marks, all in full color. It's going to be a masterpiece!
Unfortunately, it would take about four hours to ink and an hour to draw so I decided to go for an unconventional piercing instead. My policy regarding piercings is simple - it has to be concealed (or at least concealable) due to my line of work. I have pierced most of my face since I was 15 and I only have my tongue and nipple piercings left.
I came to this tattoo place to get my nipples pierced about three months ago and asked about flesh stapling and other hardcore or extreme piercings that they do. They couldn't do it back then but I noticed they have some paraphernalia for it now. However, they still couldn't do proper flesh stapling so I went for the next best thing - three surface piercings down my left wrist. The piercing guy told me I'm the first one to do this, so I'm the guinea pig.
I like the sound of that. ;)
Thus, I signed the indemnity form and proceeded with the surface piercing.
I originally planned for three similar length and gauge surface piercings but the piercer told me it would look disproportionate due to the widening of the arm, so he suggested 22 gauge, 24 gauge and 26 gauge bars in ascending order so it'll look straight. It turned out to be an excellent suggestion.
Surface bar piercing is the exact "opposite" of flesh stapling. Flesh stapling allows the "bar" to be visible, but the "ends" to be invisible while surface bar piercings has the "ends" visible while the "bar" goes under the skin.
The skin is clamped together at the wrist and then pierced through with a large needle before the surface bar is inserted and the end screwed in. The entire bar goes under your skin so you can feel it beneath your skin, somewhat akin to a sub dermal implant.
This is the process flow of the surface bar piercing procedure:
The site of the piercing (in this case my left wrist) is marked with a pen with horizontal and vertical lines as a guide for the three bars going in.
The skin around the wrist is clamped together - not a very easy task for the first one since it's located quite high up on the arm. The clamp marks alone took over a week to heal!
A very thick needle is poked through the skin from A to B so it goes under the skin between the two points.
It is temporarily stopped with a cork for safety purposes.
The surface bar is then inserted all the way in...
...before the clamp is released, putting the entire bar under the skin and leaving the ends up. The side of the surface bar is screwed in with a ball.
I did all three in a row which amazed the staff, as did my tolerance for pain. I don't mean to brag, it's none of that macho shit, but I honestly don't feel much pain at all. It hurt a little after a couple of days though, especially when it snags on clothes and hair. I look a little like a porcupine at the wrist, but I kinda like how it looks now.
It's supposed to take six (!!!) months to completely heal but I think mine is pretty much healed now. It doesn't hurt anymore, even when slightly snagged. It's different and I get a lot of double takes and people commenting about it (one guy even wanted to take a photo of it) when I go out.
It's technically a transdermal implant since part of it is inside the skin and part of it is outside and is considered a little on the extreme side, so that's something you might want to consider if you're doing this.
...a video of the third and final wrist piercing going in.
This is what it looks like when it's done.
It looks horribly painful especially for virgins to the world of self-mutilation, er...I mean body modification but it's not as painful as it looks. :)
Very nice.
oooowwWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!
*.....goosebumps!.....*
wow... this disproves the theory that women have a higher tolerance of pain compared to men... =)
do you actually have difficulties sleeping at night? or like bathing? changing? :O!
Kim: Thanks Kim! :)
jaycye: I register pain differently from most people (I presume).
I don't like throbbing pain e.g. migranes, that register as "pain" to me. Emotional turmoil is also categorized under "pain" and rates much higher than actual physical pain.
Sharp pain e.g. from piercings, tattoos and cutting makes me feel good. Produces a rush of endorphines. Kinda like a high.
Ask any body mod enthusiast and you'll probably get the same answer. :)
karmen: Initially yes, but after two weeks or so no problems at all. :)
so that is how the piercing is done, I have been wanting to see how it is done hehe.
the first pic is a recent pic? all the lobangs sealed already? means u can never take them out again?
When I had my piercing on my nose and eyebrows so did my friends we all went dress in blacks very goth look. That only way to stand out more with the piercing. Wore regular clothing one time with piercing was not right and complete looks.
More edge is needed in looks. Black tank top or t-shirt and spike hair like before that outa do it.
Wow.. this is cool man...
Dude, my friend just put 30 staples in her skull, you wanna check it out?
Dang... I almost fainted just seeing the pics... u're hardcore dude...
Oh, man. You already know my thoughts on these piercings from the last time you posted about them. I think, however, it bears repeating.
Looking at the top pic, they're not a happy set of piercings. While they might not be infected and oozing, they're certainly not happy and look to be well on their way to rejection.
If you have no intention of taking them out, healing your wrist and starting over with proper placement, piercing technique and jewellery just do one thing for me. Get yourself some proper jewellery, please! You can custom order Anatometal jewellery through bodyartforms.com, and an actual surface bar (not just a straight barbell that's had some angles put into it) will help considerably. It won't be cheap, but you do seem hell-bent on keeping these piercings...
Also, all three pieces look to be around a 12 gauge to me. Are you sure the 22, 24 and 26 aren't referring to the wearable surface in mm? 26 gauge would make it around the thickness of a needle.
WOW COOOOL.....boy ur not kidding when u said u have a high pain endurance. What are u made of HB?just kidding. honestly it looks good on ur wrist very unique n most cool!
cool but really crazy leh...awww
*pukes
omg so eerie eh..
*resumes puking
looks so hurting wan
That looks so painful! :X
I got my wrist pierced too :)
O_O"" its cool!! AWESOMEEE!!!! I wish i got mine too.. -_-"" too bad.. must cost high! :P
how much is it.. anyway..? :P
I don't mean to brag, it's none of that macho shit, but I honestly don't feel much pain at all.
:) yes i believe u.. :) hehe.. its not pain at all.. :D its obsession! O_O"" n the experience while having it is ... O_O" feeling SO SERENE! Not to brag but yes.. its comfy!.. watever idk the proper words.. :P hey.. great job!.. keep it up.. maybe i'll find u if i need one.. xD
im addict to those thingy.. yay! yay! rock on!
It's definitely way too cool for me. You go man!
hi HB, long time fan of yours from Brunei... so happy to see you blogging again.
anyway, just to echo the words of Katie above.... your piercings dont look too good man.. i mean, aesthetically, they look cool as hell. but the piercings dont look like they're healing very well... and the complete bar is meant to be subdermal... only the balls(lol..) are meant to be showing...
sorry i really dont mean to burst your bubble or anything... they look great, and it was a great idea.. but you need a really professional piercer to be able to do this well. the last time in KL, i saw loads of places that did surface piercings and the photos they were all advertising looked REALLY REALLY bad. like straight barbells for surface piercings? yeah. not good.
if i were you, i'd take them out and find a good piercer in singapore, or australia[if you're ever going back] to redo them.
anyway man. glad to be reading your posts again. take care!
Darren: Yep, here at sixthseal.com, we always aim to please. ;)
Subscribe to my YouTube, much more happening stuff going on there.
xin: Yeah, recent pic, taken this week just before I posted. I can still take it out, no problems. It's just the putting back in that's gonna be a real world of hurt. ;)
Sally: Yeah, I did my nose piercing (through the middle of the nose, like a cow) in '96 and it was revolutionary back then. A lot of people have piercings now so I tend to go for more extreme piercings. ;)
Nok: True, true. I need to work though, so I only wear casual during weekends or holidays. :)
Khimmy: Yeah, I love the piercings too. :)
I hear it lasts anywhere from 3 months to 2 years due to the body rejecting it as a foreign object, but it's still fun.
e: For sure buddy, it sounds awesome!
cmos: I'm medio-core. ;)
I want to do more extreme piercings but I can't due to work commitments.
Katie: Hello Katie! Yeah, you told me in a previous post. Oh well, it's temporary anyway, I'm going to take it out when it starts to get rejected or when work requires it.
I'll do proper flesh stapling next time, not surface bar. I prefer the look of flesh staples.
Thanks for the concern and the tips, but my philosophy has always been LITHA (Leave It The Hell Alone) until it gets infected/rejected at which point I'll take it out.
Thanks for the wealth of information. Keep in touch okay?
Tz: I'm made of skin, bones, muscle and fat like everyone else. ;)
I just have a high threshold for pain. It's quite fun to do this.
Thanks for the kind comments! :)
ahmike: Hmm...you're not the first one to doubt my sanity about the piercings. Haha!
eugene: Honestly, it doesn't hurt that much - it just LOOKS painful. :)
jessy: Yeah, but it really isn't, it's just like an injection, albeit a prolonged one. ;)
Pixeldoll: Very, very cool. :)
You're into body modification as well eh?
Beck: We are kindred souls, my friend. I feel the same way. :)
eiling: It's a great conversation piece though. ;)
ST: Hello there! I'm glad to have you back. Cheers mate!
Well, about the piercings, I'm just going to LITHA and see how it goes. Gonna go for more concealed piercings in the future.
Hey, I'm going to Singapore the week after. Going on Saturday, coming back on Sunday for an event. Which places in The Land of Sin do you recommend for piercings?
whoa, that looks pretty good actually. i was never into other types of piercings. what i had back then was just the wimpy, normal earlobes, nostril, tragus and a septum at one point in time.
the studs look a bit long to me but i guess the gap is for heal swellings.
seth.frostheart: I have a distinct feeling (probably caused by Katie's comments) that it's not going to heal after all.
I read somewhere that surface bar piercings last anywhere from 3 months to 5 years before it gets rejected. Don't know how true that is.
The studs are way too long, and the angle is incorrect (points out) so each time I catch it on something, it pulls at the point of entry.
Katie is right, this was done wrong, I should redo it.
I still want to LITHA and see how long it will last though. :)
It looks a bit dangerous.. with the ends sticking out, stud bit too long heh? :P
Me a careless and clumsy person, bound to hit something or brush against something with my body parts, I will not try this haha! Flesh stapling sounds good.
wow ... I'm impressed with your high pain tolerance.
bongkersz: Yeah, but we reap what we sow and I've sown the seeds. Will take it out when it gets infected. :)
Donny: Don't be impressed, you probably have a better talent than me. :)
hey that's my piercer. :)
OMG! We go to the same piercing place!
Justine, haven't heard from you in a long time. 016 888 2069, text me. Yum cha k, now that I'm in KL. PJ actually.
hahaha
i haven't dared go back in a while. kept screwing up my tongue/labret ones over and over.
justine: ZOMG! You didn't tell me it was this outlet, or I wouldn't have let them do me.
whooops! no no no...
*I* kept screwing my piercings up!
ronnie is great. ;)
I did my u-bar usrface piercing at Sungai Wang Plaza yesterday and I love it sooooo much
Tygon, which is flexabile tubing and autoclavable, should've been used for this piercing. It moves and bends with the body, and there's less chance of rejection since there's no pressure under the skin as with the barbell. Also, I'm appaulled that the barbells used were not only touched with a ruler, but also placed down on a table before inserting! Hopefully it didn't get infected, but if it does, you have to heal the infection up before removing the jewelry, can't just take it out because of it. That leads to more problems!!!!
Hi, I just want to ask: Is it possible to make this kind of pierc but turned in 90 degrees?
Nice surface piercing...
justine: Heh! Alright. :)
tze: Nice! I'll like to retry this again soon, in a different place this time. :)
Nelly: Thanks for the tip! I'll ask for those next time I go get pierced. :)
cudlla: Yeah, it can be done, have seen it on BMEZine. Most piercings can be done actually. :)
Danesh: Thanks mate! :)
i tryed peircing my tounge and i didnt do it properly
Ashleigh: Hmm...perhaps it's time to go to a professional? :)
nice backround song?? id say so=]
miss andrea: The smoking meth video had an even better BGM. :)
OMG i so wana get that done, who did it for you?
please email me the info at hotpinkpizza@yahoo.com (ya i know stupid email but hey i was 11 when i made it)
btw do u have a pic of ur rotting, dead corpse hand with yellowing fingers grasping my leg and pulling me down with blood dripping from the fingernail rake marks, full color masterpiece? it sounds awesome
Brittany Brown: I did it in Sg Wang in KL, I wouldn't recommend them though, they did a shoddy job out of it.
Anyway, about the rotting corpse hand tatto, it's stilll a work in progress, finishing up some details and will go for it.
I'll share the artwork with you when it's done, you can modify it if you like. :)