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Final Concerns About My New Magnets
Hey everyone,
So I just received my magnets in the mail today! They are disk shaped, sized at 1mm x 3mm and coated with parylene. I got them from here,
(shipped very fast and no minimum order)
Any concerns about these magnets? Are they acceptable bio-proofing material? What is the best way to sterilize them and check to make sure they are fully coated and safe?
Once I feel confident about these final questions I will be getting the implants within the week. I have all the other required tools and the procedure will be done by someone else who is medically trained. I plan on putting one in my left ring finger, and one in my left middle finger. Any info/questions/concerns before I go a head and stick these in? I am very excited and looking forward to getting my first implants. I will be posting a video and follow up once implanted.
Thanks in advance for any advice you may give me.
-SuperRope
Comments
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Parylene C is very thin and can scratch relatively easily. I'd use a jeweler loupe to make sure it's intact throughout. Also, don't hold it with a metal implement such as hemostats during implant. In terms of sterilization, Quats is pretty much your best option as heat will destroy your magnet. An example of Quats is a Super Sani Cloth. Read the manufacturers suggestion. It's likely to be about a ten minute wet time. I have had that exact magnet implanted for over a year and haven't had any trouble at all. Be careful and have fun.
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Awesome! Thanks @Cassox, Thats good news. Would soaking it in some disinfecting alcohol work as well? Like povidone-iodine, or would this damage the parylene layer?
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You could... but alcohol doesn't kill everything. For example, C.dif is spread through hospitals because it isn't killed by alcohol hand cleaner. Basically, there are some types of bacteria, some types of fungus and many virus which can survive alcohol. Now, were we talking about a surgical suite, alcohol would be totally unacceptable. Because it's likely going to occur in your house, your safer. Just scrub up really really well. Be cautious. It unlikely, but for all you know the last guy you shook hands with had some nasty hepatitis variant on his hands. You touched the sink handle... or perhaps supermagnetman touch the magnets after shaking a hepatitis hand.
I mean, alcohol is better than nothing. Quats? Preferred. Or Chlorhexidine Hcl. Either of which can be bought in products from a drug store. Povidone-iodine is ok. Better than alcohol alone. Not my personal preference. Basically, Chlorhex, Iodine, and alcohol are good skin preperations. They are gentle antiseptics. For cleaning stuff... quats. Not for skin use, but kills the crep out of everything.
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Thanks for the info and advice. I will be using super sani cloths for the magnets as per your recommendation. Better safe than sorry! Ill have this done by the weekend
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The best tool is a guage needle of the right size, use it to make a pocket beneath your skin; insert magnet; and then use the metal tool to draw it into the pocket. There are many tools that will do basically the same thing.
Get some skin glue handy. Drug stores should also have some numbing/cleaning spray stuff that helps a bit...But be prepared for pain.
Another good way to check for defects is to drop the magnet in a shot glass of water. If bubbles form you should inspect it closely.
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@iexiak I was planning on using some sort of bladed tool to force open the skin enough for the magnet after the initial incision. Do you think a needle would be better at that than a blade for opening up the pocket?
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@begonia don't use a blade, use a probe. The skin peels up fairly easily with a blunt object, no need to risk cutting through the sides of the incision
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I agree with Saal here. My favorite tool is kind of in the middle between a probe and a needle though; I use a pair of suture scissors broken in half. It's still got a relatively sharp point and an edge that can cleave throught he underlying connnective tissue, but it's still dull enough that anything you pierce through will be done intentionally.
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I like the surgical scissors idea. I may take my pair apart to use. For me, using a needle to pierce through several times may be a little haphazard, and I think I could control the scissors better.
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How did you sanitize your surgical implements? I haven't been able to find a quick easy answer to that one.
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Quats, found in Super Sani Pads. Alternatively autoclave, but if you don't have one laying around that's a bit pricey.
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Yes. I've priced not-automated autoclaves as being as little as 200 to 250. Not great, but I have multiple uses for it. A pressure cooker can achieve the same thing I believe. Everything I make selling magnets and implant equipment I've been reinvesting into better equipment. A few more sales, and I'm going to upgrade to autoclaving all the metal components of my kits and shipping them inside sealed autoclavable bags.
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I've been thinking about setting up an autoclave for some future projects, pm me the ones you're looking at?
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Basically models like this: http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Autoclave-Pressure-Steam-Sterilizer/dp/B004ZMB1D4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377270173&sr=8-1&keywords=autoclave
I'm not saying this particular vendor though. I've seen them elsewhere for around the same price range. Along with some pouches like this:
I'm also going to seal everything inside plastic bags with a heat sealer.
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UPDATE!I have successfully implanted two magnets. One I did a bit over two weeks ago in my non dominant ring finger, everything went smoothly and I was done in about 15 mins. (speaking to the current discussion in this thread, I used a very sharp pointed scalpel for the incision and a duller rounded edge one to make the pocket, worked beautifully for me). I wanted to wait to see if the first one healed well, and it did perfectly, I took the stitch out and it all looks great. So I decided to do the next one.This one I did two days ago in the same hand but in my middle finger. Same technique, and again everything went smooth and quickly.There are a couple major differences I have noticed so far that I would like to share with everyone, I hope it will help someone make good decisions in the future.First off, magnetic strength.Although my new one is still healing and slightly swollen, I already know that it is far weaker than number one. With the first one I was able to pick up large paper clips right away, and that stayed constant up to this point, it actually grew stronger through the healing process as swelling and such went down, I can now easily pick up and suspend a bottle cap with it. This new one though, can barley pick up a small paper clip. It can lift the edge of a large one off the table, but I am unable to get it fully suspended. I believe this is due to the second magnet being a bit deeper under the skin. Not a problem though as this is not my main concern. I am more interested in feeling fields, which is the next part...This is the interesting part, "feels".With the first magnet I was able to feel my laptop (only very slightly) after two days. Other feelings started arising throughout the two weeks (still noticing more and more everyday) but none of them very prominent to be honest. The biggest "feel" I got was from a power drill, It was pretty freaking cool the first time, but still kind of a let down as to how close I had to be and how weak the feel was. It still didn't concern me much though as I tried keeping my hopes up, healing is supposed to take as much as 6 months for full sensitivity so I wasn't discouraged yet. BUT, I have only had this new one in for 2 days and it is already MUCH stronger in terms of feeling. I have an electric fan at my desk, and with my first magnet I would have to be about 2 inches away to even start to feel the field. With this new one ALREADY I can feel it from over a foot away, and much stronger too! Things that I couldn't even feel at all with my other finger are now a pretty strong sensation in this new one. Haven't tried out that power drill again but I imagine its going to be a huge feel with this new one. I believe that this is also due to the fact that it is deeper in the finger than the first. Perhaps also that it is my middle finger and that has more fleshy tissue and nerve endings in there. Or perhaps even the two combined create the more powerful sensation, but I doubt thats the case though because if I stick one or the other out to test them individually I can feel an obvious difference.So my observations so far, (personal experience, obviously all experimental so take with a grain of salt).The deeper the magnet, the better "feel" you will achieve.Although...different fingers have differing amount of nerve endings, so perhaps it has nothing to do with depth. Although it is a HUGE difference which leads me to believe it is a combination of the two.Closer to the skin means better party tricks.So far I am very happy with the experience. I feel that I have a good balance between the two fingers. One very strong magnetic finger, with the magnet closer to the skin, (picking things up, sensing ferrous material), And one very strong "feeling" one, with the magnet deeper in the skin (sensing fields).These are just my personal experiences, but I hope someone can learn from them! Take care in the process, think things through, and do your research. Above all, be safe grinders! Thanks everyone for your help so far!Ill be staying in touch and posting on here about my future projects involving my implants.-SuperRope
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Perhaps there is something to your median nerve theory, @Cassox... I think I'll be implanting two, one in the ring and one in the middle finger, at approximately identical depths and position to further test this.
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Do you think implant coating has anything to do with altering the feelings caused by the magnet?
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As to the quats (sorry, I'm a little off subject by now), do you know of any stores that sell it, or do you have to order online?
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You might find it at a drug store, I ordered mine online.
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About 6 weeks ago I implanted the same 3x1mm disk from super magnet man into my left ring finger. I iced my finger in ice water with salt for almost 10 minutes, then took an 8 gauge piercing needle and pierced the skin. I then took a pair of fine point tweezers and stuck it in the hole I started with the needle ( both sterilized with alcohol and peroxide separately) and made a pocket about a 1/2 inch or more into my finger. During this process I felt nothing due to the extreme numbness of my finger. It was placed fairly deep, I can hardly pick up 1/2 a small paperclip with it but I get good "feelings" from it. Microwaves, the can opener, and power adapters I can feel. I am now looking to get a larger magnet for my pinky and am trying to find a place to order 4mmx1mm, 5mmx1mm, and 6mmx1mm to try different sizes. Sometimes I forget the one I have is even there.
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@Ravanik I wouldn't go much bigger. 3x1mm is just perfect. Like you said you think you may have burried it a bit to deep. Why not just mess around on another finger with depth?
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