I’ve been kinda lurking on the forums for a few weeks and known about DT for maybe two years. Finally getting to a stage where I’m genuinely considering getting an implant or two. The NExT seems to stand out.
Anyways… I have a few thoughts/questions I’d love to ask/throw out there, though some of them might just be overthinking.
Firstly, for those who’ve had a NExT, xSIID, or really any implant installed, how was your experience? I’m still a bit squeamish with open wounds/surgery, but needles don’t scare me in the slightest. Even the huge ones that look like they’re made for elephants. How was the install? Was recovery smooth? Stuff like that.
Second, how do y’all find someone to install? I’ve checked out the map on the DT site. There’s a good few to choose from in my acceptable travel distance, but don’t know if there’s maybe another resource for finding reputable/professional installers.
Now this one might be overthinking, but still something I think is worth asking. How do you decide where to get implants? I know some have certain places they probably HAVE to go, but like… which hand I guess?
For example I wear my watch on my right wrist because I’m left handed so use my left hand to use it. Is that kinda similar with these? Or is it more convenient to have some on the dominant and others on non dominant?
Okay… final question since this post is already huge. I know the basic stuff you can do with implants. Sharing contacts/links, opening locks, turning on cars. But I’m curious about what other, maybe more niche/advanced things people have pulled off with their implants. I’m really interested.
Okay, wall of text over. Thank you all for reading my rambling first post and look forward to hearing your replies.
I despise needles (But am not squeamish about wounds in general), and the install is not that bad, very brief discomfort and that’s about it. If you get them in the usual spot (between your thumb and forefinger) I would say it really feels more weird than painful.
Recovery wasn’t an issue for me, but your mileage may vary slightly. It’s generally recommended to be gentle on your hands/implants for at least 2 weeks, but for the most part even within that time you can behave as normal
To couple to that, it can take 2 weeks or so for swelling to go down and your inplant’s performance to improve, so don’t panic if you get it installed and it doesn’t immediately read,
More info about healing can be found in the FAQ:
There are a few maps out there, and though I’ve never noticed much of a difference between them myself, I still recommend checking a each of them just in case, one might show something another does not.
In addition to the maps, there is this guide about approaching a piercer/professional/potential installer who might not be familiar with these implants:
If you’re comfortable sharing your general location some people on the forum might also know of someone specific they could point you towards
That’s exactly how I decided my first one, I’m right handed, so the implant went in my left hand so I could hold my phone in my right hand to scan it.
Beyond that, it really comes down to how you want to use it, and which hand is better/more comfortable to use in that way. As another example, I’ve heard people talk about putting payment implants in the hand that’s easiest to reach out their car window with for drive-thru banking and the likes.
If you want to know more about positioning, this is a great resource:
Oh my goodness, thank you! This is really helpful.
Yeah. I’m in Oregon which to my understanding has laws against these sorts of things, but I travel California often and can travel to Washington as well.
Other than that, thank you so much for everything you shared! It’s incredibly helpful and will be some good reading for a while.
You have mentioned that you seem to have a decent bit of background knowledge on what implants can be used for. You say you’re debating on a NExT.
What are your plans with it? I started with a NExT in my left wrist (pinky side) maybe an inch and a half toward my elbow from where my watch sits. I use the T5577 side of that to get into work (the reader I use most often is on a wall perpendicular to the door, directly to the left of the door, so both that, and the fact that that part of my arm rests down for reading and writing at my desk played a part in the location). My NTAG side’s use keeps changing, especially since I got my xMagic (r4/knife edge), but it has been used for the old rick roll and currently used by my gf to write me notes.
Speaking of the xMagic, if you haven’t looked into it, you should. Very similar to the NExT in my opinion, and may be better for some specific use cases.
Novice here, less than 60 days on my first implant. I’m not as wordy or linky as some of my betters here, but I’ll try to answer a few general questions.
Where to install? I went with P0 of my left hand for the first, an xSIID. I’m right handed, so like many others, I wanted to be able to interact with the implant with my dominate hand. In general, it sounds like P0 installs are the easiest just due to lack of possible interactions with bones/blood vessels.
Map of installers - I’m going to put this out there and hopefully not get burned…but I did my install at home and would recommend it to others. For a flex install, or an install in an odd location, I would 100% find a trained professional. For a P0 x-series install, I believe anyone with a mind for cleanliness and the ability to follow instructions can do it. Now, I’m not recommending a self install - find a friend, spouse, or family member to do it. As long as everything is sterile, and the friend has watched videos and pinches the skin properly, you should be G2G.
What to install? Personally, I ordered the xSIIDxEM combo kit. I’ve yet to install the xEM as I’ve found high frequency solutions that work with my xSIID for EVERYTHING I’ve wanted to do. Gun safe? Check. Garage door opener? Check. Contact card sharing? Check. Login to my computer? Check. Blinky? Double check. I just don’t have a use case currently for a low frequency implant other than my Hornady safe, and based on feedback here I’m not convinced the x-series form factor will even work with it. And my work access requires an iCLASS, which is a while nother implant.
How bad is the install? Well…it depends on the person I think. I have a bad vasovagal response (means I faint) that I developed sometime in my twenties for no reason at all. I use to give two pints of blood frequently, and now have to focus on my breathing to avoid passing out for any blood draws. My install didn’t really hurt - like others, I’d describe it as a quick bee sting. However, my mind kicked in and I became dizzy, sweaty, and nearly passed out. Whisky helped. So, if you aren’t a wimp with a weird reflex like me, it’ll be a quick poke and you’ll be on to better things.
Currently, my only plans are for using it to access my home/log in to my computer, and maybe use the NTAG side to share contact info. Those are just my basic plans though as I’m more of an “experiment as I go” kinda guy.
I have yet to do too much digging into the xMagic, but so far it looks good and I’ll take it into consideration. Gives me an excuse to browse the forum more haha.
I noticed I never mentioned pain levels or anything. Lidocaine doesn’t work on me (found that out during a dental procedure, confirmed with a followup to that, and my NExT install), so pain management isn’t really an option for me.
My NExT install wasn’t too bad, though I did come close to passing out (maybe I should look into that condition mentioned above). There was certainly pain, but the unusual feeling of the needle in me got my attention much more than the actual pain. As for the xMagic install, I would say it was worse, but not by an amount that I would worry about when choosing an implant. The reason for that probably has to do partially with the location (hand not arm) and the wider needle. I would estimate it at around 75% of the pain of a covid shot, but lasting a few seconds longer.
If you do happen to have any questions comparing the NExT and xMagic, or any similar x-series (xEM, xNT, xSIID, xM1), let me know, and I’ll see what I can do
To address the pain, I have a NExT in my RH at P0, standard location, right? Basically the needle feels like being stung by a wasp (on purpose). Once it’s in, only minor minor pain. Will throb for an hour or two afterwords, which is why I recommend taking a tylenol / advil prior to installation. That way it’s already in effect.
Short story, feels like a wasp sting, take asprin first.
