Beauty Is in the Eye  of the Beholder

By Katey Khaos

When you hear the term “body modification,” what comes to mind? Tattoos?  Piercings? Body modifications go far beyond that. In fact, some people have taken their bodies and turned them into 3-D works of art. Check out some of the more extreme body modifications that are gaining popularity.

Microdermals & Surface Anchors ~ These types of body mods are becoming more common whether you’re heavy into the look or not. They can be placed nearly anywhere on the body, with popular places including the hips, clavicle, fingers, and next to the eyes,. They’ve even been used as wedding rings and accents on tattoos!  This type of body mod is neat because it gives the illusion of the jewelry being screwed directly into the skin.

Extraoacular Implants ~ Microdermals and surface anchors have made it possible to sport a piece of jewelry virtually anywhere on the body, but what about in your eye? Extraoacular implants, more commonly referred to as “eyeball jewelry,” are cosmetic implants involving a tiny piece of decorative jewelry which is implanted into the layer above the whites of the eyes. This procedure isn’t cheap ~ one implant will run you about $1,000. The jewelry implanted is made from a platinum alloy and comes in a variety of shapes including music notes, hearts, and stars. Although this procedure originated and is legal in the Netherlands, multiple states in the US are already trying to ban this type of body mod.

Subdermal Implants ~ Ever wondered what you’d look like with horns? That may sound bizarre, but some people have taken this idea and developed a whole new level of body mods. Subdermal implants are a type of body jewelry that is placed underneath the skin, therefore allowing the body to heal over the implant, creating a raised design. Popular subdermal implants include hearts, stars, rings, and yes, even horns!

Scarification ~ Wear your scars with pride. Scarification involves literally scarring the body in an artistic manner to achieve an aesthetic result. When initially done, the piece is bright red and not very attractive, but upon healing, the result will be a beautiful, faded, three-dimensional scar. The look is similar to that of subdermal implants, but the designs can be much more intricate although not nearly as three-dimensional.

Tongue Splitting ~ A tale of two tongues…well, almost.  Also known as forking and bifurcation, tongue splitting entails exactly that, cutting the tongue in two. The result resembles a snake’s tongue. If the thought of snakes or scalpels scare you, this probably isn’t the body mod for you. However, for some people, their reason for tongue splitting goes much further than its aesthetic value. Like all body mods, it can also be used to identify with a specific group, or to ward off those who would make quick judgments based solely on appearances.