**** (anonymous by request) has undertaken a most unusual aesthetic path: fingernail modification, including base fingernail jewelry, temporary and (attempted) permanent fingernail removal, "reverse" fingernail extension, and fingernail thickening. To learn more about fingernail removal, read the Extreme FAQ, fingernail modification section.

Probably in my mid 20's. I have always had a high "curiosity level". I just looked that word up in Funk & Wagnall... "3. that which excites interest by its strangeness or rarity."

I once read somewhere that "positive" voltage tasted different than "negative" voltage. (Don't try plugging yourself into the wall outlet, thats a good formula for disaster.) I was curious, and yes it does. (Try it with a 1.5V flashlight battery if you don't believe it.) It's that kind of curiosity I've got. Well, does AC taste different than DC? Yes, and different audio frequencies taste different as well. Do they "feel" different? Needed a sensitive area to try this on, since normal exposed skin is likely to require a lot of current to tell - that's dangerous... you could electrocute yourself. So I tried it on my nipples. (LOW voltages and currents, this is REALLY dangerous if you don't have the technical background.)

This led to a little "experimentation" with the nipples, but I wouldn't call this a "modification" really.

I probably decided on the fingernail modifications because, believe it or not, it's fairly "invisible" to most people, in as much as it can readily be concealed (except for the index finger, which in our society is visibly used as a pointing mechanism, among other things.) This gives me the ability to conceal or not as I choose... That, and the fact that it is a quite "unusual" modification point... And, a "band-aid" covers recent modifications until healed... And, is not at all unusual to have a "band-aid" on your finger... And there are many possibilities: long, short, thickness, shape, various unusual features...

Although you could rightly point out that nipple experimentation, for instance, is not readily externally visible, that is not necessarily true at the "family" level.

The problem with experimental body modification that is notibly visible is "corporate america". Whether it's right, wrong, or indifferent, there is a stigma still attached to this activity that precludes these activities AND participation in higher level corporate functions.

BME: HAS IT BEEN A GRADUAL PROGRESSION FROM THERE, OR DOES YOUR INTEREST COME IN SPURTS?

Somewhat both. I tend to keep at it for a while (year or two), then nothing for a while, then I'll observe something, and start on another batch of experiments. Most recent "batch" has been ongoing for about 5-6 years.

BME: WHAT IS IT ABOUT FINGERNAIL MODIFICATION THAT DRAWS YOU TO IT?

It is unusual, and as stated above, there are a lot of possibilities, and the published medical information is wrong, misleading, or incomplete, or all of the above. This excites my curiosity. At a really "base" level, you can really freak someone out as well.

BME: WOULD YOU PUBLISH YOUR FINDINGS?

Probably not. I have no need to see my name in print anywhere.

BME: HASN'T EVOLUTION MADE OUR NAILS "AS THEY SHOULD BE"?

Evolution, by the way, is full of dead ends and wrong turns anyway. What assurance is there that this is not simply another one of the wrong turns?

BME: ARE YOU EVER WORRIED ABOUT DOING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF YOUR HAND?

When you're young, I think everyone, at least unconsciously, considers themselves immortal in the sense that nothing can happen to THEM. As you get older, this changes.

I guess I "draw the line" somewhere PRIOR to impairing functionality. Since I use my hands as part of my job functions, I would not seriously consider doing anything to permanently destroy that functionality.

I generally don't attempt to explain. Also, people generally don't ask. I'm halfway convinced that not very many notice.

On those occasions where I'll make the modifications apparent, I've gotten the following (usually visual reactions): double-takes, surprise, smiles, shock. I guess those are not a surprise. Once I followed... a glance to my hand, followed by a glance to their own hand, a glance back, and a "size" estimate.

BME: WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK?

The wife is definitely not "into" this sort of thing. Although we are very close, she keeps her "space" and allows me mine. She knows my fingernails are somewhat unusual, she does not recognize they are a result of active modification, nor have I told her. (Nor would she want to know). I would not DO anything to mar our relationship. (Call me old-fashioned in that respect.)

The child takes it all in stride. He probably thinks it's part of my "work". (What happened to your finger, daddy? Just work.)

BME: WITH FINGERNAIL MODIFICATION BEING SUCH AN UNUSUAL MODIFICATION, HAVE YOU EVER MET ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN IT?

No. However, my latest batch of experiments was initiated by a picture in our local newspaper. The article had nothing whatever to do with fingernail modifications; it was an article on a local college radio station. There was a picture of someone holding up an LP record album. Their fingernails looked quite unusual, and inspecting the pictures with various magnifying glasses, it was apparent they had done some modifications to their fingernails, extending them down their fingers. This excited my curiosity and led to my current experiments.

BME: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL MODIFICATION PLANS?

Current experimentation is not yet complete, and I will probably modify the little fingernail on my right hand as well, using the "tool" method, as I'll have to use my left hand for "cutting" and I'm not that dexterous.