An intense piercing fire burns you, and a thin line of blood creeps up where the blade has just been. If you identify with this sentence, then cutting might be something you enjoy. There are a lot of things to think about if you want to try cutting or even if you’re already a cutter. These things include where and how deep you cut, what you cut with, and cleanliness.
Picking a location to cut is pretty important. You dont want to cut over anyplace that has veins or arteries close to the surface of the skin. This means that recreational cutting on someplace like your wrist is bad. Also avoid places with bone close to the skin. The outside of your upper arm and the top of your thigh are good places. After you’ve picked a location, wipe or spray the skin there with alcohol to ensure that its clean.
There are a number of things that can be used to slice on skin, but just because you can use it, doesnt mean you should. Note that there is always a risk of scarring when you are cut, but the sharper the blade and the less deep you cut, the lower your risk is of scarring. That said, you should always pick a sharp blade to use when cutting. You might get disposable scalpels from a medical supply store or from online stores that sell tools specifically for body modification. A knife with a clean smooth blade may be used if it has been very well sharpened and sterilized. Those that are interested in play piercing and have the needles on hand may want to use the tip of a new hypodermic needle. For beginning cutters, the lancets used when testing blood glucose do well because its harder to cut yourself deeply with them. This will allow you to get used to how deep a cut can be made and how to avoid cutting to deeply.
Cleanliness is an incredibly important thing when cutting. Use alcohol to clean your skin and the tools you use. Having alcohol prep pads or a spray bottle full of alcohol makes this easier. Gauze pads, butterfly bandages, medical tape, and antibiotic ointment are useful to have handy for when the cutting is done. When you are through making your cuts, lay a gauze pad over the wound and give it one or two solid slaps or a punch. If you cant do this yourself, have a friend near by to do it for you. This will prevent a hematoma (swelling at the site where a blood vessel is broken) from forming by compressing the ends of the cut vessels.
Note that while this covers some of the basics of cutting, no article can replace the knowledge of an experienced and safe cutter, and it is best to cut with experienced supervision. Body modification of any sort is something that should be given great thought to and decided on with a sound mind. If your desire to cut comes from depression, then its best that you seek treatment from a medical health professional rather than self medicating with pain.