modification

At Thou Art, we offer a variety of permanent and semi-permanent modifications including body piercing, branding, scarification, (cutting, skin peel etc), pigmented scarification amongst several others. We pride ourselves on being able to perform these in a safe and comfortable setting to the highest standards. Using equipment and materials normally only found in surgical theatres and clean room environments we are able to ensure the cleanliness of the workplace and therefore allow all our clients to feel safer and more comfortable.

As well as the modifications we perform we can arrange others such as dental modifications. Semi permanent fangs and such like. These are performed by a fully registered professional dentist in his surgery and are very reasonable priced. Just contact us for contact information if this appeals to you.

Scarification:
Is the act of cutting a design into the skin with a sharp blade in order to produce a fairly accurate scar in a significant or artistic pattern. Time wise scarification is a more calculated and delicate process than branding with more detailed results available, the discomfort felt whilst being cut is similar to a tattoo, with peaks and troughs along the way. The scar can usually take between 6 and 12 months to heal, although the discomfort felt throughout healing is much less than a brand. The scar can dip (inset) or raise (keloid) and one cannot really predict the outcome of the finished piece. Irritating the area in the course of the first month can increase the amount of keloid tissue although the scaring is usually inconsistent when the area has been irritated.

Skin Peel Scarification:
Using a sharp blade, a double line or a V shaped cut can be made with the skin peeled away from the middle, producing a thicker out(line) to achieve a better end result on a basic line design. For a more detailed design, large areas of skin can be peeled from around the design to give more contrast or from the inside of the design to give more definition and fairly dramatic results. On larger pieces this method can always been carried out over multiple appointments to "build" up the design.

Pigmentation:
Once the design has been cut and cleaned, ink (or another colouring medium) is rubbed into the fresh wound, resulting in a tinted scar. The scar should not be picked but left to heal until the pigment is fully encapsulated. The "pigment" can be prone to falling out and the tissue may need a possible re-cut and rub to even out the look of the finished design. Once healed the scar is usually more organic looking in appearance and is not meant to be crisp and clean. It can be sometimes mistaken for a badly executed tattoo rather than a pigmented scar. After much experimentation we have sourced biocompatible pigments that can be rubbed into a scar. Very similar in technique to the first tattoos it adds a new dimension to scarification. The results are not meant to crisp and clean like a tattoo but more uneven, flowing and organic looking. Colours tested to date are Black, Red and Ochres in several shades.

Microdermals
Microdermals or surface anchors have been developed in recent times from techniques used in pocketing, dermal anchoring and transdermal implants. The best way to describe the jewellery used in this modification is to say that it is similar to a miniaturised transdermal. A small plate sits under the skin and the attachment appears to be screwed right into the body. Following the ideas proposed by transdermal implants, the plate that sits beneath the skin has a number of holes to allow tissue to grow through, anchoring the jewellery in place.

Scalpelled piercings:
The procedure is fairly quick and pain free, with only minor discomfort felt throughout. It is normal for the tissue once scalpelled to be slightly bruised, swollen and tender to touch for the first week. The tissue can bleed intermittently over the next few days and by applying gentle pressure will clot fairly promptly. Care should be taken not to pick or pull the clots/scabs off as this will cause the area to start bleeding again and possibly cause damage to the freshly cut tissue.

Dermal Punch:
Dermal punching is very similar to piercing in both equipment and procedure but the results are somewhat more striking. A dermal punch is similar to a needle without the bevel,.originally designed for the medical industry to take biopsy samples they are now being used by piercers to remove circular cores of cartilage, thus simplifying the instillation of large gauge jewellery and offering an alternative to the long and tedious process of stretching. Cartilage piercings are prone to scarring and are difficult to stretch. Dermal punching the area eliminates the pressure that stretching and the subsequent tissue displacement puts on a piercing. Areas such as ear and nose cartridge are particularly suitable for this technique although it can be performed on other areas of the body. As sections are completely removed it should be viewed as a permanent modification and although some people will heal completely on removal of the jewellery some will not and so serious consideration should be given to this modification before you make any decision to proceed with it.

Branding:
Branding is the act of using heat to burn the skin and through methods of irritation of the wounded skin, a permanent scar will be left in the desired design.

We use three methods of branding at Thou Art:

Strike Branding:
This method uses small strips of metal, heated until they are white hot which are then applied to the skin in a pattern, often geometric. This method is considered to be the least painful, however takes a lot longer because of the reheating and application of the metal to the skin.

Cautery Branding:
This method uses a heated element to draw a design into the skin and can be used for designs other than geometric which the strike branding is limited to. The pain levels with cautery branding are higher than strike, however this method can be done a lot faster and so the pain of the procedure is reduced in terms of time.

Diothermic Branding:
This method uses an electrically heated element to draw the design into the flesh and is considered the most painful of all methods, however is the fastest to do. Because of the tools used with the branding machine, this method allows for more detailed and delicate designs to be possible.

Implants:
An implant is the process of placing surgically created silicon or Teflon shapes beneath the surface of the skin to create texture and patterns by raising the skin as it rises and falls over the shape of inserted piece. The process is done in a completely surgically sterile environment where a scalpel is used to create an small opening in the skin, and then a separating instrument is used to carefully ease the layers of skin apart beneath the surface to the required area of the shape to be inserted. The piece of silicon or teflon is then placed into the cavity that has been made and the wound is stitched up. Often, a compression pad is used to aid in the skin reattaching around the inserted shape in order to reduce the chance of it moving out of place during the healing process and to give the implant as much definition in the skin as possible.

There is a certain amount of restriction as to where implants can successfully be placed on the body. They are most often successful placed over bone rather than muscle mass.

Tongue Splitting:
A surgical scalpel is used to make an incision down the centre of the tongue. This procedure has a lot of blood loss and so can take some time in order to adequately clot the wound once the cut has been completed. Alternatively, the cut sides of the tongue can be cauterised to reduce the amount of blood loss, however this does not stop blood loss and so is not often the chosen method.

latest news

It'sss Chrissstmasss!

So Christmas is just around the corner! So to help us a

Competition Time!

So Christmas is just around the corner! So to help us all get in the spirit t

New Website!!

Welcome to our brand spanking new website thou