How to Properly Unscrew a Dermal Top

Microdermal Anchors.
Microdermals.
Dermals.
Dermal Anchors.
Surface Anchors.
Transdermal Anchors.

Dermal anchors or more commonly dermal piercings are the newest trend circulating throughout the piercing world. The jewelry is a one-sided piercing that is implanted under the skin. Yes, to answer your question, these anchors are considered implants, and must be done by an experienced body piercer to avoid any sort of infection. Rejection on anchors is very minimal, but can vary due to placement, experience of the piercer, body movement, as well as tissue type. (If you were to get them on your hips, some places will turn you down due to the tightness of the skin as you get closer to the bone which could result in the puncturing of muscle tissue.)

This piercing can be done with two different methods. A 'Dermal Punch' or the traditional needle.

A Dermal Punch is a tool similar to the shape of a pen. The edges are rounded off yet sharp. A rounded needle might make a bit more sense. When applied to the skin, the tool removes a small amount of tissue allowing the anchor to slide every easily into the skin. The side effects include redness, bruising, and small amounts of blood. These can vary with body types.

A Microdermal Needle or in other cases a traditional needle is approximately a size 10gauge which is approximately 2.5mm(This is fairly large compared to the punch.) The piercer will grab a small section of the skin in which you plan to have the implant inserted and create a small skin pocket (This can require more than one pocket to be created.) which will allow the anchor to slide easily through. The side effects of this method include moderate to severe bruising, tenderness of the skin, redness, an increase of blood, and swelling.

Now that you have a bit of background knowledge, let's assume you have a new set of dermal tops and a nice set of Dermal Anchors inserted into your skin.I have four dermals on my hip bones, yes, hipbones. I have had both sets done at different times using both different methods.

Items You'll Need

• New tops
• Salt-water mix.
• Clean hands-A MUST
• A box of flat surface to place your jewelry in, any sort of dish works.
• This is optional, damp paper towels to clean the ick off the tops if need be.

1. Be familar where your anchor lays, since you are not seeing your body piercer, this can be a little bit tricky or pretty easy. Avoid pulling on the top as much as possible, this could possibly end tragically, but sometimes may be neccessary to see which direction your anchor lays. Press lightly around the area of the jewel, at some point you should be able to feel a small bump. This bump is your anchor. Sometimes you should be able to press on the skin and the jewel should raise a small amount and allow you to unscrew the top.

*Note, the longer you have your anchors the easier this process will be. It may also be easier to be lying down to do this.

2. Clean off any excess dirt and/or gunk around the piercing. This is important, it will eliminate any chance of infection that could get into the skin.

3. Also optional, in case of swelling press a warm wet paper towel to the surface for approximately 30seconds to a few minutes. Whenever you feel comfortable with screwing the top back in.

4. Get your supplies new tops ready. This should probably be the first step, but if you're like me, you don't really think of these things until it's too late...lol.

5. Get your top ready and align the screw with the post. You want to avoid going into the post at an angle, this will prevent your top from stripping the post. AKA getting your top stuck in the post and being permantely stuck with one color until you get it fixed by a piercer.

6. Carefully screw in the top, once it's fully secured, go back and tighten the top as much as you can. This will prevent you from losing the top in your sleep, or it coming undone well anywhere really.

VIOLA!

Helpful hints

1.If your hips are done like mine, laying down is the easiest way to get your fingers around the top to safetly remove it.

2. Keep your anchors clean. Seriously.

3. Depending on which method you use to get these, wait at least three to four weeks before changing the tops if you have used the Dermal Punch method. If you used the needle, I'd probably suggest between four to six weeks only because the swelling and tenderness of the skin is much more severe.

DISCLAIMER:

This is only how I change mine. I do not claim it's the right way, it's just my opinion and how I do things. I have in total sixteen piercings, and these by far are the easiest to keep up with. I do not claim to know everything about these piercings simply because I am not a body piercer. I can answer small questions if need be due to the amount I have.