Every change or alteration that we make to our organic human forms can be considered a body modification. From applying makeup, to cutting our hair, to simply changing our clothes; we make changes daily that affect the way that we look. But of course that’s not what my little pocket of the Internet is here for. I’m here to get raw with you guys, to share the craziest, most obscure, and controversial body modifications that are becoming mainstream in the modify world.
Scarification
Much like a tattoo, scarification is an artistic process that creates designs, patterns, and images onto the wearers skin. Yet instead of using series of fine tattoo needles, a scalpel is used to carve designs into the skin of the person. Scarification has been around since tattooing began, originating in Africa, as the methods would show up better than a tattoo on darker skin. This form of body modification creates what will heal into a raised flesh toned design. Scarification is still seen as controversial in the mainstream world, as it is an art form just emerging onto the professional scene. Many tattoo artists around the world specialize in scarification and they often use a numbing cream to alleviate discomfort. Healing of scarification provides more risks than a conventional tattoo, as all scar tissue can heal in different ways. Starting with a small piece can often lead to the best results and the 3-D effect truly steps up the design. It is essentially a permanently vivid white ink tattoo.
Facial Piercing Stretching
Neither facial piercings nor the technique of stretching a piercing is a crazy concept, yet the combination of the two is something that many people fail to recognize as possible. Believe it or not but the earlobes are not the only place where a piercing can be stretched to a higher gauge, and within the last few years people have given their other piercings a stretch. Septum, nose, lip, and cheek piercings have shown to be the most popular places to stretch a piercing, as the skin is naturally most flexible. This modification is often a shock to those who are not familiar with it, but the process of stretching a labret or medusa piercing is no different than that of a lobe. Some people just like their facial jewelry to display a larger impact.
Tongue Splitting
This mod has only emerged onto the body mod scene since the late 1990s, and was first done by a nineteen year old on her own tongue. Oral practitioners, plastic surgeons, and some piercers can do tongue splitting by cutting the tongue with a scalpel. In order for this modification to work, the wearer must have a fully healed tongue piercing, so that the split will not heal from the back of the cut due to scar tissue. Once the split heals, the wearer can gain independent mobility in both sides of the tongue, which is how tricks are performed. In many states, tongue splitting is illegal or can only be done by certain licensed professionals.
Ear-Pointing
Like tongue splitting, ear pointing is an out-of-this world body modification with fantasy-inspired results. ‘Elfing’ of the ears is a surgical process, performed by plastic surgeons and can be done in two different methods. In one procedure, the surgeon would cut skin around the surface of the ear, form a triangular piece of cartilage, and suture or stitch it to ear. The sutures are kept in for about a month so that the skin can fuse together. However another method is done, in which the skin is cut away to form a point. The recovery time is a few months, but many science fiction lovers find it worth the wait to embody their favorite Vulcan characters.
Sub-Dermal Implants
Another way that the body modification world is defying the laws of nature is through the ever evolving sub-dermal implant. We are all familiar with breast implants, which are surgically placed into the body to create more pronounced breasts. Well now you can have a way to insert small implants under the subcutaneous layer of the skin to create 3-D skin art. Like ear pointing, sub-dermal implants are a form of plastic surgery and thus are more susceptible to infection than an ordinary piercing or tattoo. Through this modification, one can implant shapes, designs, or even horns into their body for a unique alienesque look. This modification has also been known to be employed in the reproductive organs to increase sexual sensation. This modification has been brought up as a future possibility for braille tattoos, as a way for a modification to be readable to the blind.