Have you considered a needle installation?
You Piercer may be more comfortable with that…
Yeah I considered it. But I feel scalpel would be the easiest and quickest
Fair enough.
I have no need for a flex at the moment, but if/when I do, I will give the needle install a crack. Sounds easy enough, what could go wrong?
I will also ensure I video it and upload it.
I am yet to see one done…
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I got my NeXT installed at a tattoo / Piercing shop. They used a scalpel & dermal elevator (rather than the DT injector). Look for one that specializes in ‘body modifications’
I have a piercer that does all my regular implants. But the flexNT is a bit more involved. Which makes me want to seek out a doctor perhaps.
I have a promising lead. Had a Dr call me this morning and was curious. Explained what it’s about and answers whatever questions she had. She said she will do some research and then call me and let me know if she feels comfortable doing it.
So fingers crossed.
In fact, it is not easy nor quick to use a scalpel… however your doctor is probably much more comfortable using one with a dermal elevator to incise and make the pocket. The needle approach, once mastered, is literally a speedy 5 seconds from start to finish. The scalpel method could take several minutes, and will require sutures after to close.
Several things 
The biggest difficulty people seem to have is the bevel. If you keep the bevel up, the point will be down and it will collect quite a lot of skin inside the needle as it goes in. Once you’re past the back of the bevel however, the point will be down and away from the underside of the dermis, so risk of protruding back out through the skin is low as you insert the needle. If you keep the bevel down, then inserting into the skin is much easier, but the point will be up right under the dermal layer, so it is absolutely critical you keep the skin in front of the point pulled up as the needle is inserted, or it will poke right back out again.
We are exploring a rotation approach wherein the bevel is inserted facing down, but once fully under the skin, the needle is then rotated as it is inserted so the bevel ends up facing up with the point down. This approach combines the best of both worlds, but requires finesse and a keen understanding of spacial dynamics and procedural correctness to do properly.
Other risks include opening or completely severing a major blood vessel, infusion, and other nasty things… so, as always, definitely work with a professional to perform any installations.
Attached, for informational purposes only, is our professional guide for needle based flex installations.
VivoKey Flex Device Installation Procedure Guide.pdf (517.4 KB)
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Thank you for the information. I feel like a stupid monkey sometimes, but knowing you’re here to give us correct information is invaluable. If this doctor decides she doesn’t want to do it, I’ll go with my piercer.
I’ll be purchasing the flexNT sometime today.
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Glad to help! It’s nothing special, just experience
Amal
Oh PS… the flexNT is 8mm wide in total with no wedge shape… the 7mm wide start of the wedge shape of other flex devices helps needle installation a whole hell of a lot. With the flexNT, the installer may need to kinda jam a corner in first, then pry it into the incision, if you know what I mean. Alternatively, the blade of the needle can be used to slightly open or widen the incision once the initial pocket is created. I’ve installed a few flexNT with a needle and it’s not easy.
Alternatively we are exploring the idea of adding a little wedge start shape to the flexNT… it’s extra material though that exists on one side for no other purpose than to make needle installations easier… so some people may not like the idea of extra useless material going in.
Final note… the needle method is really not suggested for difficult area installs like the finger. Fingers are delicate and difficult to work with and definitely requires a very steady professional… preferably a medical doctor or hand surgeon… in fact, hands are so difficult that most general docs or even general surgeons won’t even touch them and refer you to a hand surgeon.
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Yeah I was thinking the finger. Seems to me like the best place for ease of use.
What other locations would you reccomend?
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Back of the hand or knife edge also seem to be common. The flexNT has different placement concerns than the x-series injectables. Mainly you want to put it in a place that won’t have much skin tension, but bone is of little concern. The finger is a decent place but difficult to install there… and you need good sized fingers to fit it.
My
Sorry, I was actually being facetious, I should have put in a winky face, here is one now 
(better late than never) and now a 
for not inserting a
That is a great guide Amal.
I guess that will be the accompanying guide when the Vivokey Flex is released publically.
I had previously thought about the bevel rotation purely from a logical point of view, so good to hear you confirm it.
The x series injector would be easy to 180⁰ with the “arms” as an indicator but also the “arms” could get in the way when actually rotating…
With a piercing needle I had thought about marking the needle either top or bottom side of the bevel to the rear of the needle.
Just thoughts and NO actual practical knowledge.
Still keen to see and actual video of a needle installation of a flex.
If I get a VK Flex I’ll give it all a crack.
Needle, rotate, video…
What could go wrong
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Got a reply from that doctor. She is willing to do the procedure! The only issue is, it would cost me around $350.
Med doc or surgeon or cosmetic surgeon?
Medical doctor. 350 bucks seems kinda steep. My max would be around $150. Though, not too sure if that’s reasonable number or not. considering I still gotta pay the $150 for the flexNT.
Yeah… talk to Pineapple … he’s likely in the $150 range.
He’s done plenty of flex installs.
For sure. I emailed him a few days ago. Waiting to hear back still
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Turns out they are! I just got a request from Michelle to fire up a batch… I’ll start on those tomorrow… should ship next week.
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Awesome! Can’t wait. Thanks again