Hey folks!
I know they’re discontinued, but i really wanna get my hands on a flexNext chip, that triple-LED setup just looks so cool.
Anyone know where I’d even start? The two options I see are commisioning a custom one from the DT boys,
or trying to build one myself, which i definitely don’t wanna do.
I hear ya, I’m a slut for blinkies myself, but it’d probably be best to wait for a wider release of something like the Apex Mega Spectrum which has some beautiful looking LEDs. At the end of the day, the flexNExT was discontinued for a reason - that being the near 100% failure rate.
It is of course your body and you have the right do with it what you choose provided it isn’t hurting anyone else, but knowing that something will fail and causing trauma to your body to insert a product that isn’t going to work in the first place is worthy of a pro/con list which, in my opinion, wouldn’t really have any pros.
While I can’t speak for Amal & Co., I will say that DT has a history of being incredibly ethical and generous with their consumers - if it isn’t something they’d implant themselves then they won’t make it for someone else. Given that there’s near guaranteed failure when it comes to the flexNExT, I have a lot of doubt that this is an endeavor they’d embark on.
Not trying to be a downer or anything, just want to provide you with a realistic take on the flexNExT.
A little nice glowing silicone star on the phalanx of my middle finger 
I seriously hope my artist is well again soon, otherwise I can wait for 1/2 year or a year, because I definitely need holidays for that one - right hand implant, right handed person… So now I’m having three weeks of holidays and no new implant, that’s a sad combo…
I know how you feel, but don’t. 
It was indeed a beautiful implant (with a great range!), but it had its problems. It didn’t flex much (what made placement difficult - I had mine on the back of my hand, and it was definitely tight), and if it flexed, it ultimately failed. I don’t know if there is still a working flexNExT out in the wild. Mine had to be removed as well, though for other reasons, so it still works (technically speaking). It’s now in a picture frame together with the x-ray of my hand, with a reader behind it, so I can still make it blink
That’s absolutely brilliant (pun intended) ! 
Aw, that blows. Any alternatives in terms of that cool three-LED circular setup? Or something similar in size.
Things have finally happened
Went extremely smooth, very little force needed to separate the skin, no pain, and only two little stitches. Currently it feels a bit uncomfortable, especially when I keep my hand low (like when typing here because I am so happy about it and need to share it ), but really not as much as I was afraid it would, and there is only a little swelling as far as I can see. I can even use my hand to some extent.
Arnulf decided to order the biggest of the three available glowy stars, and he put it in the most proximal phalanx because the structure of the skin was best for placement there. Good for me, was my preferred placement anyway
Really curious to see how it looks like tomorrow when taking all that bandage-y stuff off…
Go big or go home. Am i right?
BUT
SO
+ 
= 
So are we… 
Also, thanks to @coma, talk about going down a rabbit hole, and man, I am so vanilla.
So Most of the stuff I looked at I could imagine how it is used, but in this category
and with this picture
So, either I have the wrong idea of how that is used
Or I am woefully inadequate
OR some people are into some VERY heavy modifications
I guess saline filled or silicone implants like breast implants.
I’m pretty open minded and all about body autonomy, you do you etc, BUT, if I’m correct, THAT has got to be one of the LEAST convenient, not to mention uncomfortable body mods I can imagine
Theres no coming back from that.
Same… And I’ve been on the fence about a couple of bodymods but none to that extreme, or at least not in that particular body part. Craziest thing that I’ve considered is a tongue split but seems too painful for something that doesn’t add functionality.
Also, the implants used for limb lengthening are awesome. But that mod is probably not for me.
Although you could argue a significant number of men get a body mod when they get a vasectomy.
But, then you could do this
ooooh there is sooo much to discover… 
I guess so… at least if it’s stretched to such a size…
Also it’s quite a surgery to get one - it’s not really a piercing, it definitely involves a scalpel and sutures
Oh, Arnulf makes these things, too, so if anyone here is interested…
I’m pondering on this one regularly, but I like my tongue piercing too much. But I can tell you as much - the procedure itself doesn’t hurt (it’s done with anaesthetics), but the first few days of healing are pretty much hell. Eating, talking, everyday stuff are really annoying, and according to my artist, the pain is intense. But it’s some days of pain for a lifetime of a nice bodymod, so personally, I think it would be worth it.
And it does add some sort of functionality and lots of new sensations
I hate moustaches, but hell… split tongues are soooo damn sexy!
Oh, and I changed my bandages today, so here’s a picture of my naked finger
The sutures are a bit tight because of the swelling, and I can’t get anything to glow right now, but so far it looks good.
Pain-wise, there is some sort of pressure pain that spreads to the adjacent fingers, but it’s not really intense.
I heard if you put a split tongue into two different glasses filled with two different liquids you can taste both separately at the same time.
Is it weird that I ponder on this from time to time when I’ve got no piercings or tattoos? The only bodymods I’ve got are thanks to Amal.
Kinda want to go really big or really small…
Not at all! Maybe it just feels fitting to you that way
I don’t think there is neccessarily a “logical” order or sequence in which to get mods, or that everyone interested in one kind of bodymod has to be interested in others as well - it’s often that way, yes, but it doesn’t have to be. And things can develop over time, too. It took me 30 years to get my first tattoo, I always thought they wouldn’t fit to me. Just take a look around, inform yourself and just see what feels good for you 
Oh yeah. It’s not something I’d do personally. Strangely it’s something I associate to women, not to men. Maybe a bit old-school or too binary from me. My tattoo artist (she) has a split tongue and she showed me some tricks she could do with it, I love it.
That brings up a lot of discussion about what is body modification.
I had a laser eye surgery 10 years ago, is that a body mod? What about the laser hair removal sessions I have for the moment? Or the crowns covering my bad teeth.
And what about pacemakers, artificial limbs, cochlear implants, … all the medical things that are actually fixing or replacing things?
There is no fixed definition of body modification, body hacking, grinders, or transhumanism.
Personally, I think so. I just had my [oral] labial frenulum and some gingiva removed which objectively feels like a body modification to me.
I spend a lot of time thinking about that and discussing it with various people…
For me, it would be something you do (or get done) voluntarily (to differentiate it from things like genital mutilation), that has no medical reason (so no pacemakers or anything) and that alters the appearance of your body (even if it’s not always visible, like a tattoo in your lip or the likes).
edit: Oh, and it is done with the intention of altering your appearance - I just thought about self-harm, and while it still meets all the requirements above, I think it’s not bodymodification. The optical results are not the reason why it is done, but rather a side effect.
This is pretty broad. Philosophically speaking, I would include stuff like bodybuilding, cosmetic surgery, permanent hair removal (heey, I’m currently doing that, too! but with electricity, not with lasers ), teeth filing, skin brightening and all the other stuff - but when I talk about bodmod and its subculture, I usually think about tattoos, piercings, scars, split or removed body parts and subdermal implants. I often wondered why I make this distinction, because technically there is little difference between a boobjob and my silicone subdermals, but I think it’s mainly because of the subculture itself. Even if the reasons for doing it might ultimately be similar, there is a lot of difference between “freaks like me” and high society ladys with pumped up lips. But there is definitely a lot of grey between those poles…
What do you think about it? What feels like bodymod for you and what doesn’t?
