Quinn Norton's recent Wired news article will make some extreme Star Trek fans very happy. For individuals who have always felt a genuine connection with, say, the Klingon clan, it is now possible to alter their facial features to match those of their favorite television icons. Forehead ridges and bumps, however, are only a few of the subdermal implant options available to customers. The list of shapes is virtually endless, ranging from small horns, to stars and hearts, to various beaded patterns, to pretty much anything else you can imagine (click on the above link to view actual photos).
As the name suggests, a subdermal implant is another extreme form of body modification in which a foreign object is surgically implanted under the skin. According to Norton's piece, "Early implants were medical-grade stainless steel, but today's are mostly molded silicone. A few are implant-grade Teflon." (Side note: The Teflon/cancer link suggested in recent news articles may be a cause for concern for those in this last group.)
The actual procedure involves the following:
To install them, the practitioner uses a scalpel to make a shallow incision to the subcutaneous layer of the skin, then wields a plastic surgery device called a dermal elevator to create a channel between the subcutis and the fascia. The elevator, which looks like a tiny spatula, clears enough room for the implant, but not enough room for it to move around. The implant is slid into place after the elevator is removed, and the original incision is sutured shut.
Frightening as this may sound, Quinn explains that the technical procedure is not controversial or novel. In fact, it has been performed by many surgeons and doctors who have implanted pacemakers, certain forms of birth control (Norplant), and other medically-related devices. The problem, however, is that most body modification artists lack the medical background or knowledge to be conducting such dangerous procedures. While some - including the original subdermal implant artist/pioneer Steve Haworth - have taken the time to learn (his background is in medical-device design and implant design), they are the exceptions.
Many other artists rely on improper instruments, such as butter knives, to separate layers of skin; a number of these artists also perform the modification surgery in less-than-sterile environments. This, in combination with their lack of medical expertise, places their patients/customers in an entirely-too-risky situation, as far as I am concerned (and as you probably guessed, I'm not alone in my thinking). Realistic consequences include serious infections and implant complications, not to mention damage to the nervous and lymphatic systems. Why anyone would undergo this procedure without fully exploring the background of their selected "artist" is beyond me.
While subdermal implants aren't really my style, it doesn't mean that they haven't caught on in a big way. In fact, according to implant enthusiast and co-publisher of BMEZine (Body Modification EZine), Shannon Larratt, approximately 50,000 people worldwide already have artistic implants. So, the next time you're standing in line at the store and notice that the man in front of you is sporting a pretty serious set of horns, don't be jealous. Rest assured knowing that you can have them too.
