WHAT IS IT?
Branding is a form of body modification that – in a nutshell – is burning the skin in a desired pattern/shape/design to leave a scar. Where scarification/skin removal is a ‘cut’, branding is a ‘burn’. Once the burn heals, a scar is left in its place (usually a wider scar than the initial burn). It is subtle (once healed) and is 100% ‘organic’ – meaning there are no foreign bodies in your skin – ink, silicone, etc. You can see examples of branding, scarification and skin removal pieces in this and other blogs on the subject, as well as photos of the varying stages of healing.
HOW IS IT DONE?
There are many methods that would burn skin and leave a scar, from a body modification practitioner, you would expect it to be done with a disposable thermocautery pen. This is the type used in hospitals and during surgery.
They look like this:
And when the cap is removed, and the pen is being used, the end will glow red like this (gloved hands during a procedure though!):
You can get non-disposable equipment, which would have a similar set up appearance to a tattoo machine (power supply, wires, etc.) but despite the high temperatures meaning that any bacteria or BBPs (blood borne pathogens) would not survive on the equipment, most practitioners use disposable pens in the interest of hygiene. The ‘nib’ of the pen is pressed onto the skin gently, leaving a small burn. To build up a design, the nib is touched onto the skin over and over (think like drawing a line of dots very close together) – the nib is not dragged over the skin, as this could result in uneven brands and therefore uneven scars. The set up your practitioner would use would be very similar to piercing – clean surfaces, gloves, etc. The pens are not an infinite power and will ‘run out’ – usually around 10-15mins use from each one, so multiple pens may be required for larger designs.
As you would expect burning skin (and the fine hair that grows all over your body) can create a bit of a smell. Studios offering branding should be well ventilated to keep this to a minimum. After having mine done, my dog followed me around the house for the rest of the day sniffing at me because he thought I must have something tasty for him to eat!
Because the skin is burnt, not broken, there is usually very little bleeding (though a small amount may be seen), and the burn is NOT an open wound, so it’s much easier to care for – aftercare is discussed later in this blog!
Many people think of ‘cattle branding’ or so-called ‘strike brands’ when they think of branding – but strike brands are not as precise as a thermocautery pen brand. The branding done by hot irons does not allow for contours of the skin, meaning that the brand will be uneven, inaccurate and would hurt much more.
This is a brand in process
WHAT DESIGNS CAN BE DONE?
As with tattooing and scarification, the design can be anything you wish! Scarification and branding is like binary tattooing – you don’t get colours or shading, only ‘scarred’ or ‘not scarred’ so super-fine detail pieces are not advised. While scarification gives a very fine scar finish, brands will spread slightly, meaning that any detail is lost. It is best to stick to bolder, simpler and bigger designs of opting for a brand, and smaller, finer, more detailed designs for scarification
HOW CAN I GET ONE?
Branding is available to people over the age of 18. It is a permanent alteration and irreversible process. However, tattooing over the scar will make it less noticeable, but remember – the differing texture and contours of the scar will still be there, and the scars left from brands are much wider than from a scarification piece.
People who suffer from keloid scaring or any other skin conditions (eczema, numerous allergies, etc.) should avoid getting branded, as should pregnant or breastfeeding women.
If a medical condition means that branding can be a problem, getting a tattoo done using white ink only can give a very similar effect (though pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid tattoos and all body modification until 6 weeks after the birth/finishing breastfeeding). White ink tattoos will give a similar effect, but over time, white ink can gain a slightly yellow tinge. Branding scars tend to be slightly raised too, whereas tattoos generally heal flat.
Most practitioners will state that they don’t like branding people who have not had other modifications done (extensive tattoos/piercings, etc.), as any type of brand or scarification gives such different results from person to person, you need to be prepared for it to heal differently to what you’d expect. It’s something that should NOT be taken on a whim and you need to think very carefully before getting this done. A lot of people will judge you more on a brand/scarification piece than on a tattoo. It’s usually pure ignorance, but there is a huge taboo on scars and self-harming (even though getting a professional brand or scarification piece is not SELF harming), and people will have reservations about you if you have a scarred/branded design. If the artist does not feel comfortable working on someone, they will politely decline to work on them. As with tattoos, artist carrying out branding will likely insist on a face-to-face consultation before every piece where designs and limitations will be discussed – listen to your artist! If you cannot get the exact thing you want, do not get a brand. Your artist will use their knowledge to make a design or idea ‘work’ but if you aren’t happy with the compromise, it may be worth seeking out other avenues A lot of people will get the desired effect by having a white tattoo (being tattooed using only white ink). White tattoos can give much finer detail than scars and they heal faster and flatter than branding, which can heal differently from person to person. Tattoos tend to heal more-or-less identically on everyone (depending on how good your tattooist is).
As far as the process goes, the initial consultation will be carried out, and when it’s time for the ‘big event’, you will be asked to fill in a consent form, just like a tattoo, and you can choose from an [almost] infinite amount of designs (which is discussed above). It’s best to discuss your piece with an experienced professional before undergoing it, and take on board any points they make about changes to the design.
DOES IT HURT?
Yes, it’s a 2nd degree burn. But not in the way you think it will. Brands are done at VERY high temperatures, burning yourself on a lighter, an oven or a cigarette may be around 200-400 degrees Celsius; this will damage your skin and nerves and cause you a lot of pain. Thermocautery pens operate at around 1,000-1,200 degrees Celsius. They ‘kill’ any nerves, meaning that the process is much less painful than expected. The area around the brand will be sore and tender for a few weeks after the procedure, but the procedure is much less painful than most people anticipate. Personally, I found the 2 weeks AFTER being branded was the worst part about it.
HOW DO I LOOK AFTER IT?
OK, this is the iffy bit about brands! Getting them done is all very well and good, but looking after them is the hard part! As mentioned, I found the first 2 weeks the worst. No tight clothing over the area (waistbands, collars, bra straps, jewellery like necklaces, chokers, bracelets, etc.) Wear clean clothing around the area, and avoid anything ‘fluffy’.
After being done, it’s likely that your practitioner will cover the brand with cling film (this is what I was given) which will protect it. After a few hours, remove the dressing and wash with clean lukewarm (if it’s too hot, you’ll know about it!) water, no soaps, etc., and pat dry with a clean towel, then re-dress with cling-film dressing, as it will stop clothing rubbing on the area.
Wash GENTLY with lukewarm water for the first few days and use a cling film dressing as needed, but do allow air to the brand. Now comes the tricky part, with brands, agitating them will help the scar be more pronounced (though the scarring would still be present even if you didn’t agitate the wound). Agitation is done at your own risk, and can result in uneven scarring. If you want a perfectly flat, neat piece – branding probably isn’t for you.
To agitate: ALWAYS wash your hands before touching your brand. After 3 days, soak the area in clean, warm water (saline is also fine to use). Use a baby’s soft toothbrush (always buy a new one!), gently scrub along (not across) the lines of the brand. This WILL hurt, just take your time and keep flushing with clean water/saline. You may be able to peel off a bit of burnt skin, never pull or yank at this, but help it peel if it wants to. Do not be tempted to use any chemicals or other liquids on there. Pat the area dry with a clean towel. After this, you may feel like the skin is less tight on the surrounding area. It will be very tender and sore, and you will start to see how much the branded scar is spreading. It may look pink/red on the outer edges, and the middle of the lines may look ‘juicy’ after agitation. Apply a cling film dressing if needed, but leave to air-dry if you can. Agitate every 3-4 days or as needed – you do not HAVE to do this every few days (I think I did mine twice, which still gave a clear, bold scar), more agitation = chunkier scars = less detail in the healed piece so beware over-doing it, and if you want a check-up, return to your practitioner. After about 10 days to 2 weeks, you should start to see less redness, and the ‘juicy’ areas will look thinner. Continue to clean the area daily, but there’s no need to agitate further. The redness will start to fade, and once the area is not sore/tender and any scabbing – which would be minimal – has fallen off on its own (usually around 4-6 weeks), you can go back to wearing bra straps/waistbands/etc. over the brand. Applying a vitamin E cream will soothe the area at this stage, but no further care is needed. It will take 4-6 weeks for the wound to heal, but over time (up to 2 years) you will find that the brand can change through pinks/purples/reds and will eventually turn white.
WHAT DOES IT HEAL LIKE?
Everyone heals differently from minor burns, and branding is no different. Most people end up with a thick (4mm approx.) white scar in their desired design – almost the same effect as a white tattoo – though more often than not, the scars will be slightly raised. The brand will look pink for a long time after the initial procedure, but it will usually turn white over time. Aftercare and peoples genetics are the biggest determining factors in healing scarification. People with different skin tones can end up with different results too. It is best to research the varying healing possibilities before getting anything done. Also, I recommend getting a small piece (or something which can be incorporated into a bigger piece at a later date) to start with to see how you go. It can take over a year before a brand is fully healed (by ‘fully healed’ I mean that the scar is white and hasn’t changed colour/shape or caused any irritation in at least 6 months).
Remember the snowflake from earlier?
This is it at 4 days old
2 weeks
6 weeks
I think I have covered the main points about branding in this blog, but please post below with any questions. If you feel scarification may be more for you, you can read more in my other blog on the subject.
