BODY MODIFICATION: Common Terms

New Castle News

August 12, 2006 03:23 pm




Here's a look at some common terms in the underground trend known as body modification:


*Transdermal implants: Implants that begin beneath the skin but protrude outside, such as metal spikes or beads.


*Subdermal implants: Implants that are completely covered by skin, such as inserted bone plates or forehead horns.


*Scarification: The process of cutting or removing skin -- whether through chemicals, instruments or otherwise -- to permanently scar designs onto the body.


*Tongue splitting: The process of dividing the tongue down the middle into two sections that can be independently manipulated at will. The muscle can be cut through various methods, such as with a scalpel, string or burning tool.


*Surface piercing: A piercing done on a flat area of skin, such as the chin or neck.


*Tooth filing: The reshaping of teeth through the removal of part of the dental surface.


*Ear pointing: The creation of "elf"-like ears through removing tissue from the top tip of the organ and suturing the two ends together.


*Suspension: A ritual in which practitioners fasten hooks to piercings, usually in the back, legs or torso, and hang from ropes or chains that are attached to a ceiling or other surface. Suspensions can last for minutes or hours.


-- The Associated Press

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