As many of you know, I have been doing microdermals/surface anchors for quite some time now with huge success! When a customer approached me with a new microdermal she had read about, I contacted the company.

Microdermals.com has now launched a POLYMER MICRODERMAL. I spoke with Keith on the phone and via email several times before finally receiving samples of the new polymer microdermal. Keith explained that the microdermals had been used for over 2 years in Canada, and were easy to use, durable, and inexpensive. I was specifically interested in them because they did not cause artifact on Radiographs, MRI's and CT scans. I also was excited to possibly be able to offer a less expensive dermal to our clients.

I did have some MAJOR CONCERNS though. My main concerns were the durability of the polymer and its resistance to stripping. I also wanted to make sure the dermal anchor continued to anchor nicely into the skin.

We waited patiently for our product samples to arrive. After a few weeks, I emailed Keith again to see what the hold up was. He said he had sent them out and they must have gotten lost in the mail. He promised to send out another sample pack right away. When that one didn't arrive a week later, I contacted him again. I verified our mailing address and such and he assured us we would be getting them soon. days later the package arrived. So, after a very long wait we finally got our samples. Time to test them out.

One of our "shop friendlies" volunteered to be a guinea pig for the three dermals we received. Before using them, I autoclaved each one individually following standard procedure. I then decided to test the durability of the anchors....

When I fed the metal dermal anchor top into the polymer base, it threaded very smoothly. I inserted and removed it several times, and then tried to thread it crooked to see how it effected the threading. When the anchor top was in the upper threads, I pulled on it and it cracked the polymer. NOT GOOD!!!

Next, we prepped to use the remaining two anchors with our guinea pig. One of the dermal bases was much wider than the dermals we usually use,and was difficult to insert. (I use the "needle method" using 10 g tri-beveled needles for my procedures.) After struggling with it, I tried the other, smaller anchor. I had the anchor with the gem top in my dermal anchor placement tool and began to insert it when I heard another loud CRACK. We immediately stopped and examined the dermal. The entire stem top of the anchor cracked and the gem was lodged in the remainder of the broken stem! VERY BAD!

OUR OPINION:
Polymer dermals sound like a great idea, but these dermals failed miserably. I would NOT use these dermals for the reasons above.If you do intend to give these dermals a try, remember that they are more fragile than traditional titanium anchors and should be handled with exceptional care.

I have sent a copy of this review to Keith at microdermals.com, and I sincerely hope that these opinions will contribute to improvements on this product. It is unfortunate that they still seem to have some serious problems that would limit their use.

FROM THEIR BROCHURE:

Technical Specs:
*ISO 10993 bio-compatible polymer that is USP Class VI toxology tested for human compatibility.
*Characterized by a non-hydrolyzable polymer back bone structure, making it inert to chemical attack by water. The structure also confers hydrophobic nature to the polymer so that it will take no more than 1 moisture.
*High strength, low weight, abrasion resistance, and translucent to medical imaging devices such as MRI and X-Ray.
*Superior to metal in hypo-allergenic testing.
*Withstands pressure and heat from steam sterilization with no degradation.
*No need to remove for medical procedures.
* Comparable to the best aero space grades of titanium alloy and 7 times stronger than titanium.
*Unique 12 gauge Post designed for rigidity and better healing.
*Can be easily installed with tools you already have in your shop.
*Internally threaded posts will accomodate any 1.2 mm threaded end.
*Custom sizes and lengths available.

QUOTE FROM MICRODERMALS.COM SITE AS FOLLOWS:
Since our start we have researched, produced and evaluated 4 different Microdermals designs and our current Microdermal V2 version is the most reliable version on the market. Less rejection and faster Healing are the key advantages of our V2 designs. Precision CNC manufactured out of the implant grade Titanium alloy Ti-6AL-4V-ELI with internal M1.2 threading and a 3 step polishing makes our Microdermal jewelry the No. 1 choice of over 1000 body modification artist from around the world.

Not only do we produce the most advanced single point jewelry, we also have the knowledge to answer all your question regarding insertion techniques, healing issues and general single point piercing question.