20 Body Modifications That Will Make You Cringe (NSFW)
#1 Animal appearance
There have been several people who've gone through multiple surgeries and body modifications in order to gain a resemblance to an animal. For example, an American man known as the "Stalking Cat" underwent 14 different surgical procedures to look like a female tiger.
#2 Elfing
Also known as ear pointing, elfing is a body modification meant to give human ears an appearance similar to that of elves or Vulcans. A common method is to remove a small wedge-shaped portion at the top of the ear, and then suture the two edges.
#3 Skin stretching
Skin stretching is a common practice in some African tribes but this body modification has become popular among young people in many Western countries as well. Stretching of the ears, nose and lips are the most common areas to stretch.
#4 Arm ear
We have already talked about subdermal implants but Australian artist Stelios Arcadious has pushed the boundaries of this body modification even further. He spent 10 years searching before he finally found a surgeon who would implant a lab-grown ear in his arm.
#5 Uvula piercing
As the name implies, a uvula piercing is a body piercing through the uvula, the projection of the soft palate between the tonsils. Unlike most other types of piercing, this one can hardly be seen by other people but the procedure is very painful and difficult (which of course begs the question "Why would you do this to yourself"..but to each his own).
#6 Eye sewing
Unfortunately, lips are not the only facial part some people want to have stitched together. There is no need to explain what eye sewing is. Nor is there a need to say that this gory method is one of the most painful and brutal types of body modification.
#7 Lip sewing
Another unusual lip alternation, lip sewing is considered to be a ritualistic modification, with much symbolism connected to the idea of closing the lips. There have also been several cases when lip sewing was used as a means of political protest.
#8 Lip window
While eyes are said to be the windows to the soul, your lip can be a window as well. Lip piercing is one of the most common types of piercing and to make this piercing even more striking, some people stick a transparent pyrux plug in the hole instead of a ring or stud.
#9 Extreme piercing
Usually, body piercing involves puncturing a part of the human body to create a discreet opening in which little to medium sized jewelry may be worn. Nevertheless, some people have pushed this practice to incorporate holes in very bizarre parts of the bodies in order to wear even more bizarre objects.
#10 Transdermal implant
While subdermal implants are completely burrowed under the skin, transdermal implants are partially exposed. This type of body modification is done through a process known as dermal punching.
#11 Subdermal implant
Originating in 1994, subdermal implant is a method of body modification in which little objects, usually made from silicon or Teflon, are implanted under the skin, creating impressions upon the skin. This process is also known as a 3-D implant, or pocketing.
#12 Scarification
In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting the skin by varying methods to purposely influence wound healing. The resulting scars usually designed in pictures or words create a permanent body modification.
#13 Suspension
A suspension is the act of suspending a human body via hooks implanted through body piercing. There are several basic types of suspension such as the coma suspension, the suicide suspension or the superman suspension.
#14 Bagel head
Pioneered in Canada and now practiced mainly in Japan, bagel head is a body modification in which a saline is injected into a person´s forehead, creating a temporary swelling distortion of the head that resembles a bagel or a doughnut (hence the name).
#15 Eye ball tattooing
But the cornea is not the only part of an eye that can get tattooed. The white of the eye can also be modified. Some people have ornaments tattooed right on their eye balls while others choose to change the color entirely.
#16 Human branding
Also known as stigmatizing, human branding is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes a permanent decoration.
#17 Neck rings
In many tribes, neck rings have been part of important traditions. To elongate their necks, tribal women wear decorative neck rings that push their collarbones and ribs down, twisting them eventually at an angle of up to 45 degrees lower than what is natural.
#18 Corset piercing
A corset piercing is a very painful body modification in which a person´s back is pierced multiple times mostly side to side and then laced up like a real corset. Due to the pain and risk of injury, most corset piercings are intended to be temporary.
#19 Tongue splitting
Also known as tongue bifurcation or forking, tongue splitting is a type of body modification in which the tongue is cut centrally from its tip to as far back as the underside base. Allegedly, some people do it to increase sensations when kissing. Other reasons include novelty, spirituality, and the desire to connect with one's body.
#20 Magnetic implants
Those who like to wear different decorative objects on their bodies and don't want get pierced every time can try a magnetic implant. Once you have the magnet under your skin, you can pick any metal object and attach it to you easily without any pain.
