In some relationships between a dominant and a submissive, there is a need to perpetuate the relationship with a temporary or permanent mark. There are various ways to apply such a burn mark to the skin, both with (extreme) heat and cold.
I will not give a value judgment on branding, because I assume it happens between two adults who have thought it through and do so with good will (Risk Aware Consenual Kink – RACK).
Why ‘body branding’?
Some people like it when their BDSM play leaves marks on the skin, for example bite marks, scratches or bruises. These kinds of markings go away over time. This is why a very limited number of BDSM practitioners choose to seal their relationship in a more permanent way. This can be done by putting and tattoo, or by ‘body modification’, such as scarification or branding.
By putting a mark on the submissive, they can show their devotion to the dominant. But it can also involve the pain and experience of the application itself. Needless to say, this is an extreme activity that is not to be undertaken lightly on a whim.
History
It is assumed that branding was used soon after the invention of fire, usually as punishment. In fact, in the Roman Empire there was an elaborate system with all kinds of different brandings for slaves, gladiators, and criminals. The brand was applied in a visible place (e.g. on the cheek), so that it was clear to everyone what that person’s status was. Later there was a ban on mutilating the face and the brand was applied to the arm or hand
In the Middle Ages, branding was common across Europe to identify repeat offenders. In England, letters were used to identify someone’s actions: ‘V’ for ‘vagabond’, ‘F’ for ‘Fravmaker’ (troublemaker), ‘A’ for ‘Adulterer’.
But branding became especially ‘popular’ during the slave trade in the 18th century. Often even before being put on the ship to America, slaves received their first branding. Upon arrival, they often received another branding from their new owner.
But branding is also used in certain religions in Africa and Asia as worship of gods or initiation rites.
How does it work?
There are different ways to brand someone, but it is painful either way and will remain painful until the (burn) wound has healed. Complications can also occur, such as inflammation of the wound or burning through nerves. So it is not a good idea to get branded if you do not like this prospect.
Branding will leave a permanent scar in most cases, but until it heals, it is also a vulnerable open wound. I therefore highly recommend that you only get branded by a professional or someone who has a lot of experience with it. Compare it to getting a tattoo or a piercing; you don’t let just anyone do that either. And while you can find a tattoo shop on every street corner, it can still be difficult to find a good brander. Only a few tattoo or piercing artists do it. Getting a design made and having it set costs around €500 or more (depending on the size).
Besides branding with a hot metal object, you can also brand with cold or with electrical devices. The way it is done can make a superficial mark that fades over time, or a deeper mark that is permanent.
The most common technique is by heating metal rods of a certain thickness or shape with a special burner. When they are red hot, they are pressed against the skin, causing third-degree burns. The type of metal, temperature, pressure and time determine the result.
In the video below, you can see how a burner from tattoo shop L’Extermiste in Arnhem sets a burn:
Other methods
Cauterisation or laser marking – Some ‘Violet Wands’ (which are sometimes used to administer small pulses of electricity to a sub) also have a specific mode for superficial burning. The electricity is concentrated into a small dot, so it leaves a burn mark the size of that dot. If you then move the Violet Wand gently and precisely, you can use it to draw a pattern on someone’s skin.
Cold branding (freeze branding) – This method is similar to heat branding. However, now the object is exposed to extreme cold, such as liquid nitrogen. The result is about the same. All the hair on the wound will grow back white. Cold branding makes a second-degree burn and leaves a semi-permanent figure and is less painful than burning with heat.
You can also cold burn yourself by applying a layer of table salt to the skin (the skin should be completely covered) and holding an ice cube in a certain shape against it for one or two minutes. Pour lukewarm water over it to clean it and let the wound breathe (do not cover it). After three days, the wound will be healed and the shape will be visible for about a year.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
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