Microdermal implants are a form of body modification

Body modification

Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human body for any non-medical reason, such as aesthetics, sexual enhancement, a rite of passage, religious reasons, to display group membership or affiliation, to create body art, shock value, or self expression...

 which gives the aesthetic appearance of a transdermal implant

Transdermal implant

Transdermal implants are a form of body modification used both in a medical and aesthetic context. In either case, they consist of an object placed partially below and partially above the skin, thus transdermal. The skin around it generally heals as if it were a piercing.Medically, transdermal...

, but without the complications of the much more complicated surgery associated with transdermal implants.

Microdermal implants can be placed practically anywhere on the surface of the skin

Skin

-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...

 on the body, but are different from conventional piercings in that they are composed of two components: an anchor, which is implanted underneath the skin, with a step protruding from (or flush with) the surface of the surrounding skin, and the interchangeable jewellery

Jewellery

Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...

, which is screwed into the threaded hole in the step of the anchor.