Tattoos, piercings and branding … all started as practices among a few on the fringe of youth culture. But chances are you've seen so many that double takes are a thing of the past. Since these types of body modification have moved into the mainstream, kids on the edge have been searching for something a little more extreme. They've found it in what is becoming known as three-dimensional body modification. As with piercings, the metal's all there. The only difference is that this time it's under their skin!

The practice originated six years ago with Steve Haworth, a Phoenix artist who implanted beads under the skin of a woman's wrist. To date, Haworth has completed over 500 implant procedures at a price ranging from $300 to $600. Unregulated by the government, Haworth sees the practice as his "art." "I'm an artist," he says. "My medium is flesh and my form of self-expression is 3-D modification." A 3-D art implant is any object implanted under the skin for the purpose of causing a sculptural change in the skin surface.

As the practice becomes more widespread, people are having shapes including barbells, spheres, rings and crosses inserted under their skin at any and every spot from head to toe. The implants are generally made of surgical stainless steel, titanium, Teflon or nylon. "Beadings" are done with beads roughly 1/4" in size and most often placed in male genital tissue for the purpose of sexual stimulation but can be done on any part of the body.

In the procedure, an incision is made in the skin using a scalpel. Through that incision a "pocket" is opened with a tool much like a small spatula. The implant is placed into the pocket and the incision is closed with sutures or tape.

One of the most bizarre implants are horns placed on the forehead. Some begin with smaller horns. Once the skin has stretched, the initial implants are removed and replaced with a slightly larger set. The procedure is repeated until the final size is achieved.

Another unusual type is the transdermal implant, which passes through the skin. One end sits under the skin while the other protrudes. One of the more common is the "metal Mohawk" or "stegosaurus" transdermal, which is a series of spikes sticking out of the scalp.

Finally, some are going so far as to have coral implants placed under their skin. The theory is that the coral will actually assimilate into the person's biological makeup. Over time, the coral is calcified by the body, making the implant a permanent fixture.

The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding grants permission for this article to be copied in its entirety, provided the copies are distributed free of charge and the copies indicate the source as the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.

For more information on resources to help you understand today=s rapidly changing youth culture, contact the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.

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