Table 1 Invasive, voluntary body modifications beyond tattoos and piercings.
From: Deviance as an historical artefact: a scoping review of psychological studies of body modification
Type | Description |
|---|---|
Scarification (e.g., cutting or branding) | Producing a scar on the skin. There are many methods that may be used to scar the skin, but most common is the use of a sharp implement, such as a scalpel, to remove portions of the skin; or burning the skin. |
Tongue splitting | Splitting the tongue down the centre, usually with a scalpel. |
Ear shaping (e.g., cropping or pointing) | Modifying the ear by either removing part of it, usually at the top, or cutting, reshaping, and stitching the top so it resembles a point. |
Subdermal implants | Inserting implants underneath the skin so they are completely subsumed. Examples include ridged or otherwise textured implements that give this impression on the skin; and magnetic implants. |
Transdermal implants | Implants are inserted underneath the skin with a portion still visible above the surface of the skin. These implants may have changeable attachments, for example, horns or spines. |
Eyeball tattooing | The insertion of ink beneath the cornea using a needle, which spreads across the surface of the sclera. |
Temporary piercings | Piercings conducted in the usual way, which are then removed after a short period of time. Sometimes these piercings may be threaded together and gently pulled. |
Flesh hooks and suspension | Temporary piercings wherein the weight of the individual is used to tug and pull on the piercings. This may involve being suspended in the air, or it may involve anchoring the ropes attached to the piercing to a fixed structure, such as a wall, allowing the individual more control over the weight applied to the pulling. |
Amputations or removal of body parts | The removal of parts of the body. More common parts that are removed are nipples, the navel, and sometimes digits or portions of digits. |
