Body modification isn't a new fad that's just grew in popularity recently, it's actually been around since probably before 3300BC when the first Ice-Age man was found with tattoo's. In Africa and many other countries around the world body mods are a way of life. Did you know the word 'tattoo' comes from 'tatau' (Polynesian) which means 'to mark'?
Take for example these cultures who body modify as apart of their religion and beliefs:
- Ethiopia - Mursai woman stretch out their lips using lip plates and also their ears.
- Brazil - Amazonian men stretch out their ears with wooden ear discs, doing so marks the right of passage for men in the same way as a Bar Mitzvah for Jewish boys.
- India - The Apatani tribe sadly urge their women to look unattractive as a way of protection against men of other tribes. They add plugs to their noses, tattoo's down their faces and ear stretching also.
- Thailand - The Kayan practice the giraffe neck; this is where the woman add metal coils to the neck to give the impression of the neck becoming elongated. It's started early in life which is really sad as I wonder if they also succumb to peer pressure? Apparently if they were to take off those rings apparently it would cause them to die due to the neck muscles being so weakened, weak neck muscles leads to the head becoming unsupported which would cause suffocation.
- South Asia - The Bagabo woman practice teeth sharpening, I mean their teeth are seriously sharpened to a vampire worthy point which is apparently super painful. It's also seen as being an attractive quality within their tribe.
Most of these modifications are done as part of sacred rituals but the sad part is that even infants and young children are modified. In some cultures someone who has 'clean skin' would not be allowed to trade, sing or dance - crazy huh! In other cultures women with scared and cut skin are deemed attractive? and we worry about gaining a stone, I'd rather be lumpy than scared up... eeekk.
Nowdays it seems that body modders are continually looking for the next way to modify their bodies. Adding new implants, internal embellishments or additional materials to alter the way they look. I personally wouldn't go that far but I'm not everyone. I can see how some maybe appealing but when I think of getting it done it makes me shimmer.
I'm one of those rare peeps that's allergic to Titanium (try having your body start to shut down because of titanium clips inside you to prove yip peeps can be allergic to this non-allergic metal). Most of the implants are made from titanium so even if I badly wanted a sub-dermal or micro-dermal implant it would be a no-go.
Some are cute and can look quite classy but what happens when you grow bored? or when one moves into the wrong place or get's caught on something? Surely the risks are enough to put people off?
So what are some various body modifications?
- Sub-dermal Implants - These are implants or objects placed under the skin. The skin then heals itself effectively growing over the object but leaving a 3D shape. Peeps like to use ball shapes, knuckle dusters and I've even seen some with actual locks and keys under their skin. Braille tattoo's (actually they're implants but are called tattoo's) are growing in popularity.
- Micro-dermal Implants - These are also implants but come in two parts. An anchor is implanted into the skin and then the top part is attached. These can be changed in the same way as earrings. Have you seen people with diamanté implanted in their wrists or hands? these are micro-dermal.
- Transdermal Implants - These are added to the skin usually after a cut has been made. The implant is then added and remains in place because it's the bottom section of the jewellery is too large to fall out. Have you seen the pictures of the metal mow-hawk guy? these are transdermal implants.
- Extra-ocular Implants - Eye implants. Crazy-dangerous stuff. Normally fine metal implants are added into the eye with a small cut. These then sit in the eye....ouch.
- Tongue Splitting - A cut is made separating the tip of the tongue into two, this gives a lizard type of appearance.
- Bagel Heads - Saline is injected into the forehead (usually) and then indented in the centre giving the appearance of a bagel or donut.
- Electric Tattoo's - This is similar to the implants in that it's under the skin, however these are electric and usually light up (like the watch pic above) it's popular to opt for a watch type of implant.
- Teeth Alterations - Usually clients will ask for pointy vampire teeth in which teeth could be sharpened or a custom tooth can be implanted into the gums.
- Scarification - Flesh is literally cut off into a pattern so when it heals it scars in the same pattern. This usually gives a red tattoo type look like the picture above.
- Flesh Holes - Also called flesh tunnels. These are the big holes you see in peeps ears, they start of with normal piercings and gradually add larger 'tunnels' to stretch out the ear. There have been a huge rise in people getting cosmetic surgery to fix large saggy ear holes after people have regretted it.
There are so many more forms of modification and more are being conjured up as we speak. What I'd love to find out is what do Sweet Elyse Blog readers think of this? Is it a simple (but painful) way to improve your overall look and ultimately make you unique? or do you think of it as being a pointless extreme method which is used to make you look 'cool'? Are mod's just taking embellishment to the extreme or do you think it's more of a spiritual matter?
What I will say is that if you're considering a piercing, modification or tattoo please, please, please shop around; do your research, find out from others who have had it done successfully and also those who it may have gone wrong for and weigh up your options.
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Oh heck!!! I don't like the thought or look of any of them tbh & I certainly wouldn't 'fancy' someone with those odd foreign body parts added to them or in them as the case is with some people.
ReplyDeleteI know about a tribe in Mexico that put things up their penis to strengthen and stretch them but I daren't ask to see it when I was there lol!
hahaha I can imagine you considering asking lol. I know so scary and these mods were the more gentle options.....eeeek! X
Deletethis was such an interesting post to read :) x
ReplyDeleteAww thank you lovely I appreciate that X
DeleteThose rings actually will not kill them if they take them off, they just push down the clavical bone without affecting the neck. :) And depending on the culture, the women and children have a choice as to whether or not they want to wear the rings (a lot of them think they are pretty, so they choose to wear them). :D
ReplyDeleteHi lovely,
DeleteI heard that if they removed the coils that suffocation would be a major issue due to the neck muscles being so weak. For those that did cheat and remove them it was that which tended to kill them, I wasn't aware it was a choice though - definitely an interesting culture to say the least.
What do you think of the neck rings? Can you imagine wearing them? eeeekkk! xx