So I've had this implant for 2-3 weeks and for a week (or two) it's looked like this. My other implant didn't do this (both are M31s) so now I'm thinking something might be up with it.
Is it just a scab or something more serious? Thoughts?
Let's start with some background. You've had the implant for 2-3 weeks. It's been black like this for 1-2 weeks.
How much have you used it? Have you stuck it to anything for more than maybe 20 minutes? Have you been keeping up with after care for the implant? Have you cleaned the site with alcohol at all? Where are your other m31s? same hand? other? which fingers? Do you work in a job that requires a lot of hand work or finger work?
^These questions will help us understand exactly what's going on.
Looks like a blood blister to me. Leave it alone for a few weeks and it'll fall off, or a little gentle shaving of the skin over it will speed things up.
When I pulled the stitches for my implants I had a couple form immediately afterwards. One fell off on its own, the other I shaved the skin over it and it came out in the shower. Both of them had beautiful pink skin underneath.
I probably use the magnet everyday but it's for a short amount of while I'm moving my hand around on my computer or mobile devices. I've never stuck it to anything for more than a minute. I've been using alcohol and salt water (the kind you would use for a piercing) to clean it, but mostly salt water. Both M31s are in the same hand. This implant is in my ring finger towards my pinky while the other magnet is in my middle towards the thumb. I write code all day but I've been avoiding using this finger.
Also, I forgot to mention this last night but right before it turned black like this I could see the magnet right under the skin and then I stopped being able to see it and then it turned to how it is now.
Let's be a little more specific. Poke it with a needle, cover it in a small bandage (to avoid mechanical rejection), then come back to it in about an hour and see what came out.
It looks like you simply bled into the area, but it's difficult to really judge a wound by photo alone. Ok, so the high risk thing to worry about is cellulitis. Some forms are so damn nasty that you'll lose you finger and perhaps your arm in a number of hours.. death in 24 w/o proper antibiotics. Sorry to scare you, but I've seen Nec Fas at work, and I've seen gas gangrene. Neither are pretty and only one of those folks I'm thinking of survived. So.. basically, I'm ok with the poke and see idea with one caveat... if it doesn't drain then it's possible that the wound really is necrotic. I mean it's either black because of a pool of blood or a complete lack of circulation causing cell death and a subsequent infection. The factor in your favor? It's been like this for two weeks. I seriously doubt that it's currently cellulitis/necrotic... but if the overlying tissue has been without circulation that long it may turn into cellulitis.
So, first thing I think you should try - Ice pack it and elevate it for 3 hours. Normally, one shouldn't actually open up a blood blister. The problem though is that the healing process if not drained will likely cause the magnet to reject. If it ceases to look swollen, then don't cut. If it doesn't then move onto draining it.
Ok, so wash your hands well first. Cleanse the area really well. Poke and assess the tissue. I'd use a lancet such as used by diabetics and available OTC from any drug store. Don't go in at 90 degrees, but rather from the side at perhaps 30 to 45 degrees. You can apply light pressure, but don't overdo it. Cleanse the area again following this and then bandage. Please update us on it.
If at any point you start to see red streaks, increasing pain, etc. go to the ER man. It's not worth losing a finger over. In fact, the best advice is to just go to your MD or ER.
I found a needle before reading your post @Cassox and followed what @FrankMatheson said (with the bandage and waiting an hour) and the only thing I saw was blood. No puss or anything white or green. While it did bleed it's still there so I'll ice and elevate in a bit and update you all.
This morning while I was washing my hands, it just fell off. Now it looks like this. It also kinda looks like I can see the magnet so I think it's being rejected.
Huh, thats.... a lot different than the picture you previously posted.
Looks like the blood really was a scab/blister. You can't think of any mechanical trauma or repeated abuse that it received? Think small, the finger is small so less like smashed in a door....
On the plus side, this isn't a coating failure (yay) as everything there looks healthy and pink. Irritated as fuck from whatever happened here, but still pink and not oxidizing.
There arek a list of potential aftercare fubars that may have occurred. Cass is a much better guy to go through that list tho, so i'll leave that to him.
Just being able to see the magnet doesn't mean it's rejecting. The site isn't pretty but I'd still give it a chance. Ice it periodically. Interesting. I haven't seen an implant go like this. It looks like the pooled blood killed the overlying tissue so when it came off, it left everything exposed... but the magnet was deep enough that there is still viable tissue over it. Good luck man. Please keep updating us with photos.
Comments
How much have you used it?
Have you stuck it to anything for more than maybe 20 minutes?
Have you been keeping up with after care for the implant?
Have you cleaned the site with alcohol at all?
Where are your other m31s? same hand? other? which fingers?
Do you work in a job that requires a lot of hand work or finger work?
^These questions will help us understand exactly what's going on.
When I pulled the stitches for my implants I had a couple form immediately afterwards. One fell off on its own, the other I shaved the skin over it and it came out in the shower. Both of them had beautiful pink skin underneath.
I probably use the magnet everyday but it's for a short amount of while I'm moving my hand around on my computer or mobile devices. I've never stuck it to anything for more than a minute.
I've been using alcohol and salt water (the kind you would use for a piercing) to clean it, but mostly salt water.
Both M31s are in the same hand. This implant is in my ring finger towards my pinky while the other magnet is in my middle towards the thumb.
I write code all day but I've been avoiding using this finger.
Also, I forgot to mention this last night but right before it turned black like this I could see the magnet right under the skin and then I stopped being able to see it and then it turned to how it is now.
It looks like you simply bled into the area, but it's difficult to really judge a wound by photo alone. Ok, so the high risk thing to worry about is cellulitis. Some forms are so damn nasty that you'll lose you finger and perhaps your arm in a number of hours.. death in 24 w/o proper antibiotics. Sorry to scare you, but I've seen Nec Fas at work, and I've seen gas gangrene. Neither are pretty and only one of those folks I'm thinking of survived. So.. basically, I'm ok with the poke and see idea with one caveat... if it doesn't drain then it's possible that the wound really is necrotic. I mean it's either black because of a pool of blood or a complete lack of circulation causing cell death and a subsequent infection.
The factor in your favor? It's been like this for two weeks. I seriously doubt that it's currently cellulitis/necrotic... but if the overlying tissue has been without circulation that long it may turn into cellulitis.
So, first thing I think you should try - Ice pack it and elevate it for 3 hours. Normally, one shouldn't actually open up a blood blister. The problem though is that the healing process if not drained will likely cause the magnet to reject. If it ceases to look swollen, then don't cut. If it doesn't then move onto draining it.
Ok, so wash your hands well first. Cleanse the area really well. Poke and assess the tissue. I'd use a lancet such as used by diabetics and available OTC from any drug store. Don't go in at 90 degrees, but rather from the side at perhaps 30 to 45 degrees. You can apply light pressure, but don't overdo it. Cleanse the area again following this and then bandage. Please update us on it.
If at any point you start to see red streaks, increasing pain, etc. go to the ER man. It's not worth losing a finger over. In fact, the best advice is to just go to your MD or ER.
I found a needle before reading your post @Cassox and followed what @FrankMatheson said (with the bandage and waiting an hour) and the only thing I saw was blood. No puss or anything white or green. While it did bleed it's still there so I'll ice and elevate in a bit and update you all.
Here's where I'm at: I tried icing it and I did get a lancet, both made it smaller but it's still here. I'm going to the doctor on Tuesday...