Magnetic 'Piercing' Allows Man to Attach iPod to Skin - Cleveland News - Fox 8

CLEVELAND, Ohio â€" There’s no need for an iPod or cell phone armband at the gym when you can take a more permanent approach.

David Hurban, 21, is a body piercing specialist in New Jersey who recently implanted studs in his arm with magnets.  It’s a process called microdermal piercing that enables Hurban to magnetically attach his iPod and watch to his body, without a strap.

“I saw a picture of the iPod Nano and I thought it was very possible to do a strapless watch with it,” said Hurban.

Hurban believes he’s the first to use magnets and microdermal piercing to hold a watch or portable music player. 

“I get people who think that I drilled into my bone, I get people who think that I shoved magnets into my skin and actually, it’s just a piercing, it’s nothing really crazy,” said Hurban.

According to Tyler Hoberg, who manages several Body Revolution locations in northeast Ohio, microdermal piercing is a relatively new piercing procedure.

“What this is, is there’s no exit wound â€" it just goes straight in and it’s an implant, it just sits underneath your skin,” said Hoberg.  “I thought it was cool [what Hurban did], it just shows the creativity that is behind it and you know the possibilities that people are coming up with now.”

Damien Bowman is a Clevelander who uses an armband to hold his music player while working out at his downtown gym. 

“I used to just lay it on the actual workout equipment and it was unsafe because it would fall off and I would try to catch it and hold it while I was working out, so this way I can just attach it to my arm,” Bowman said.

However, implanting magnetic studs would be a little over-the-top for Bowman.  “(Next, we’ll) put your iPod Nano under your skin, then it’ll never come out!”

The body piercings can be easily removed but doctors warn about the potential for serious side effects, including possible infection.