Always consider the risks

…and more importantly, how you’ll handle them. Because if you don’t think you have the resources to deal with potential problems, you should strongly consider whether those risks are worth it.

Although the experience of having magnetic implants is remarkable — you can literally reach out and “feel” power running through cables, engines spinning inside harddrives, power leaks in the surface of electric stoves, and much more, all without physical contact — the experience of having to remove the implants is all too common and extremely unpleasant.

The majority of silicone dipped mangetic implants (which as far as I know are no longer being made) installed so far have ruptured and broken down (which happens within a week of the shell opening), and removal requires a large flap and the excision of some tissue because of how dramatically the magnetic disintegrates — as you can see it’s essentially a powder.

This magnet was installed by Steve Haworth (to be very clear I understood the risks and removal procedure and have no hard feelings toward anyone about how it turned out) and removed from my finger by Tom Brazda. For me the experience, while rather unpleasant at the end, has definitely been worth it.

See also: Initial BME article on magnetic implants, my magnetic implants (getting them), and the removal of my first magnets.

54 thoughts on “Always consider the risks

  1. Thanks for keeping us all informed Shannon!
    Its much wiser to tell the world the truth… more so when things can go wrong.

  2. Thanks for keeping us all informed Shannon!
    Its much wiser to tell the world the truth… more so when things can go wrong.

  3. What are we seeing there on the right? Is all the black powdered magnet or is it mixed with rotting flesh?
    Morbid curiosity….

  4. What are we seeing there on the right? Is all the black powdered magnet or is it mixed with rotting flesh?
    Morbid curiosity….

  5. Is it just me or does the picture on the right look like there’s a tiny burnt torso and head,spitting out a glob of flesh

  6. Is it just me or does the picture on the right look like there’s a tiny burnt torso and head,spitting out a glob of flesh

  7. hahaha… KillCity, I totally see it. Lovely.

    Its too bad this is such a problematic process… I’ve always been intruiged by the idea.

  8. hahaha… KillCity, I totally see it. Lovely.

    Its too bad this is such a problematic process… I’ve always been intruiged by the idea.

  9. imagine the fun you could have with magnetic finger implants and your girlfreinds peirced clit

  10. imagine the fun you could have with magnetic finger implants and your girlfreinds peirced clit

  11. JohntheScon, unless the piercing is made out of really bad material, the metal used is usually not magnetic.

  12. JohntheScon, unless the piercing is made out of really bad material, the metal used is usually not magnetic.

  13. I really hope a viable way of doing magnetic implants presents itself. They have so much potential to be amazing and not have to end as sadly as these.
    🙁

  14. I really hope a viable way of doing magnetic implants presents itself. They have so much potential to be amazing and not have to end as sadly as these.
    🙁

  15. Upon reading the initial reports of implanting magnets I was highly interested. Even now, having read the outcome of some of these procedures – I’m still highly interested. I hope further developments are made to ensure high success rates.

  16. Upon reading the initial reports of implanting magnets I was highly interested. Even now, having read the outcome of some of these procedures – I’m still highly interested. I hope further developments are made to ensure high success rates.

  17. I’m really curious about the grade of magnet used, as the gold plated one’s I’ve been trying with iam:wizzer haven’t given me near the sensory input I was hoping for, after 3 months of healing.

    I’ve got an n48 1/16″ x 1/32 inch disk in my pinky as well as an n42 1/16″ x 1/8″ cylinder in my ring finger.

    I have the faintest sensation when I’m playing with other magnets (excepting really big magnets) I can’t feel anything in wires at all. I can tell if a wall is made of feris material, but I have to stop for a second to consentrate to find out.

    while the ring finger has minimal sensation, the pinky is so useless we’ve decided it’s redeaming factor will be to rip it out after 6 months so we can photograph it to see/document how the gold coating held up.

    Once I pull it out, I’m hoping to stuff something a little larger in there in hopes that increased surface area for the nerves to grow over/around will help increase the sensory input.

    – James

  18. I’m really curious about the grade of magnet used, as the gold plated one’s I’ve been trying with iam:wizzer haven’t given me near the sensory input I was hoping for, after 3 months of healing.

    I’ve got an n48 1/16″ x 1/32 inch disk in my pinky as well as an n42 1/16″ x 1/8″ cylinder in my ring finger.

    I have the faintest sensation when I’m playing with other magnets (excepting really big magnets) I can’t feel anything in wires at all. I can tell if a wall is made of feris material, but I have to stop for a second to consentrate to find out.

    while the ring finger has minimal sensation, the pinky is so useless we’ve decided it’s redeaming factor will be to rip it out after 6 months so we can photograph it to see/document how the gold coating held up.

    Once I pull it out, I’m hoping to stuff something a little larger in there in hopes that increased surface area for the nerves to grow over/around will help increase the sensory input.

    – James

  19. Aaaaaaaa you fucking freaks,what the hell are you doing to yourselves…..Please, just stop, no more……..just stop and love yourself and stop doing all this stupid shit to hurt your body all the time. It makes me sad and I cry alot and then masterbate ferociously, and then I finish off by shitting my bed and rolling around in it for the rest of the day. Please, my house is starting to smell, love yourselves or at least pitty my silly fucked up ass!!!!!!

  20. Aaaaaaaa you fucking freaks,what the hell are you doing to yourselves…..Please, just stop, no more……..just stop and love yourself and stop doing all this stupid shit to hurt your body all the time. It makes me sad and I cry alot and then masterbate ferociously, and then I finish off by shitting my bed and rolling around in it for the rest of the day. Please, my house is starting to smell, love yourselves or at least pitty my silly fucked up ass!!!!!!

  21. Dear me… if someone pulled something like that out of my finger I would just pass out soo fast. I can deal with the pain, just not looking at it. I hope someday someone perfects a way to implant magnets that allow you to feel the pull and whatnot. This will never be possible though without much communication between people who are testing the idea. Hurrah for communication. 🙂

  22. Dear me… if someone pulled something like that out of my finger I would just pass out soo fast. I can deal with the pain, just not looking at it. I hope someday someone perfects a way to implant magnets that allow you to feel the pull and whatnot. This will never be possible though without much communication between people who are testing the idea. Hurrah for communication. 🙂

  23. I’m thinking that a coating that uses an electric current to fuse or set would be the next step in finding a more stable, biocompatable coating for the magnets. Under certain circumstances, the magnetic field wouldn’t be compromised (as it would by heat), and there are materials (I’ve read about a few rubber compounds, not sure about more ideal ones) that can be manipulated by electricity (piezoelectricity seems to come to mind…).

    I’m just doing late night rambling, and I’m sure the people developing these things are looking into all feasible areas…

    Any developments on the coating issue that you know of?

  24. I’m thinking that a coating that uses an electric current to fuse or set would be the next step in finding a more stable, biocompatable coating for the magnets. Under certain circumstances, the magnetic field wouldn’t be compromised (as it would by heat), and there are materials (I’ve read about a few rubber compounds, not sure about more ideal ones) that can be manipulated by electricity (piezoelectricity seems to come to mind…).

    I’m just doing late night rambling, and I’m sure the people developing these things are looking into all feasible areas…

    Any developments on the coating issue that you know of?

  25. ubbaken,

    It is possible to plate with gold at room temperature without affecting the magnetic properties.

    I’m not sure what is involved in teflon coating.

    I’m also trying to hunt down implant grade epoxies that don’t outgas.

    I currently have some gold plated magnets in my fingers. We’re going to pull them after a few months to examine them, see how the coating held up. If you want to read about it, you can do so here:
    http://www.bmezine.com/extreme/implant/A61009/extmagne.html

    I will be updating as soon as we pull the magnets, to see how they did. (depending on how impatient we get, this might be as early as a few months from now) The problem, as Shannon was quick to point out, is that to really do any type of conclusive testing requires YEARS of time in multiple people before it’s really conclusive.

    – James

  26. ubbaken,

    It is possible to plate with gold at room temperature without affecting the magnetic properties.

    I’m not sure what is involved in teflon coating.

    I’m also trying to hunt down implant grade epoxies that don’t outgas.

    I currently have some gold plated magnets in my fingers. We’re going to pull them after a few months to examine them, see how the coating held up. If you want to read about it, you can do so here:
    http://www.bmezine.com/extreme/implant/A61009/extmagne.html

    I will be updating as soon as we pull the magnets, to see how they did. (depending on how impatient we get, this might be as early as a few months from now) The problem, as Shannon was quick to point out, is that to really do any type of conclusive testing requires YEARS of time in multiple people before it’s really conclusive.

    – James

  27. I have small clicking glass beads in my fingertips, most of them filled with silver beads, one of them with a piece of a sewing needle. The last one reacts to strong magnets.
    In principle one should be able to put magnetic material inside such a bead. The high temperature involved would lead to demagnetisation, but the material could be remagnetized again by a strong high frequency magnetic field.

    My glass beads have so far survived, which is now over 10 years… They somewhat resemble the implantable animal tags, which are also made of glass.

  28. I have small clicking glass beads in my fingertips, most of them filled with silver beads, one of them with a piece of a sewing needle. The last one reacts to strong magnets.
    In principle one should be able to put magnetic material inside such a bead. The high temperature involved would lead to demagnetisation, but the material could be remagnetized again by a strong high frequency magnetic field.

    My glass beads have so far survived, which is now over 10 years… They somewhat resemble the implantable animal tags, which are also made of glass.

  29. Horrible…but these things being shown are good, that is such a bad bad thing to happen, always be aware of those risks

    By God, I cant imagine just how much that hurt. Just the thought of it makes my legs turn to noodles

    Poor guy but at least its out now

  30. Horrible…but these things being shown are good, that is such a bad bad thing to happen, always be aware of those risks

    By God, I cant imagine just how much that hurt. Just the thought of it makes my legs turn to noodles

    Poor guy but at least its out now

  31. Oh wow, I wish I had the balls to do this. Unpleasant ending aside, it seems really awesome…!

  32. Oh wow, I wish I had the balls to do this. Unpleasant ending aside, it seems really awesome…!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *