Body Piercing

Elaine Davidson, Brazilian Born - with over 9,800 piercings she is the most pierced woman in the world

The art of piercing is a modification that involves cutting or puncturing an area of the body in order to wear jewelry. The origin of this ancient practice is unclear but among the earliest records, mummified remains over 5000 years old have been found wearing earrings.

Earring with remains found in Germany dated from the 6th century.

Ear piercing is by far the most common practice and it could be argued that the general populous do not consider a basic ear lobe piercing as "extreme". There are mothers that have been known to get their baby daughters' ear lobes pierced before they are even 1 year old. Whilst this is becoming common practice in the western world, it is not paid the credence it deserves. Consider this scenario - a human life is having its body modified before it is able to conscientiously decide for itself. What if that human grows old enough to decide it never wanted the body modification to begin with? Some people conclude that this is mutilation by definition; It is a valid conclusion. In comparison "genital mutilation" which is rampant in Africa (90% of females aged 15-49) follows a similar ideology. The Parents and elders see forced female genital cutting as - "a normal part of their culture" not - "mutilation".

Infant girl getting her ear lobes pierced

Jim Ward
"Granddaddy of the modern body piercing movement"

There are a plethora of locations on the human body that can be pierced, a labret is not one of them. A labret is a piece of jewelry, not part of the human anatomy. This example is one of a thousand terminology misinterpretations that riddle the piercing industry today. Sometimes the clinical terminology of a particular piercing will simply be the part of the body being pierced eg. septum, eyebrow, philtrum piercing. Other times you will find that the name has been adopted from the piece of jewelry being used eg. a surface/dermal anchor. There are many other widely accepted names for certain body piercings like Prince Albert piercing or a Medusa piercing, however some of these dubs can be controversial. When we start dubbing a pair of upper lip piercings "Angel bites" It may sound cute, but we stray from clinical professionalism as a community. Individual conduct indirectly defines stereotype of the collective human experiences represented. The use of this language will stem from ones personal philosophy towards body modification. For an in depth view of Modern Body Piercing culture, Jim Wards book titled "Running the Gauntlet" is a great read

Some common examples of body jewelry

It always pays to use a professional and body piercing is no exception. Crooked, misplaced an uneven piercings are just a few of the many risks associated amateurs in the industry. Quality jewelry is also imperative particularly for a fresh piercing. Titanium & stainless steel jewelry is the benchmark of professionals however gold is an excellent choice too. Many other quality materials exist though they are not recommended until the piercing is properly healed. Cheaper nastier jewelry often comes with its own set of complications like toxicity or sharp external threads so do yourself a favour and don't use them, your body will thank you for it.

Subdermal Implants

Ear Implants by Samppa VonCyborg

A subdermal implant is an object "usually made of silicone" that is augmented with the body by inserting it under the epidermal layer (skin) It is also known as a "3D-implant" or "Pocketing". Silicone implants are either carved or mold injected to create the desired form or shape. An incision is made through the skin down to the subcutaneous layer then a dermal elevator is used to separate the skin at the fascia to create a "pocket" for the implant to be inserted. After the implant has been inserted, the incision is stitched shut and left to heal. Stitches can usually be removed after 2 weeks except in special circumstances but the skin can take between 1-2 years to "knit" completely at the fascia, although most silicone implants will look exceptional at around 6 months of healing.

Samppa VonCyborg making the incision for a silicone implant

Implant incision is ready for stitches

Implants are often put under tattoos to create a 3D effect however commonly you will see them under clean skin areas too. Designs and shapes are endless and can range from stars, skulls & domes to pieces that are much more abstract in nature. Working with a qualified & experienced artist like Samppa Von Cyborg will ensure you get the desired result. There are many "hacks" out there trying to emulate the work of the professionals but ultimately they lack the finesse of technique, experience and knowledge base that is imperative to performing a procedure of this nature.

Silicone Implant after 1 year

Some areas of the body are more ideal for subdermal implants than others. The backside of the hand is a preferable area as it has little tissue between the skin and the bone. This allows the skin to "stretch" tighter over the implant making it more visible and prominent. Another great area of the body is the forehead for the same reason, there is little muscle and fat tissue between the skin and the bone. Another consideration is functionality of the body area in question. Whilst an implant can be put nearly anywhere it is advisable to keep them away from high contact/ movement areas of the body like the inside area of the hand/palm or the feet in case of contact with shoes etc.

Subdermal Implants are growing in popularity and it is generally agreed that this movement started in 1994 by Steve Haworth at HTC Body Piercing. Steve put a row of beads under a woman's wrist to create a "bracelet" effect. Since then many artist have experimented with a spectrum of designs and techniques. Some of the most well known artists in the industry today are - Samppa Von Cyborg, Russ Foxx, Brian Decker and the infamous Stelarc who cultivated cells to grow an ear then implanted it onto his arm.

Stelarc and his infamous "ear implant"

Pain, Price & Reason

"When it comes to your own body, How could you consider anything other than the premium option?" *quote- Jol Agni, Hand-Poke Tattoo Artist & Head Body Piercer at Trademark Ink, Cairns, Australia*

When an uninformed/unmodified person meets someone with extreme body modifications, Three questions surface frequently.
1- Was the modification procedure painful?
2- Is the modification procedure expensive?
3- Why did you decide to get the modification?
This is can be narrowed down to Pain, Price & Reason. For the most part, when an uninformed person asks these questions, it shows they have a genuine interest and willingness to understand body modifications and the people that have them.

Pain is variable depending on the modification procedure being performed but it is fair to say that at the extreme end of modification, there is always some level of pain involved. Furthermore; person to person, individual tolerances to pain vary greatly. There is also the healing period of said modification which can have its own separate levels of pain involved. Pain can be considered part of the Price but also can be synonymous with the Reason for some. For others it is fair to say that the pain doesn't really matter, it's just something that has to be endured to achieve the end result. Ultimately, most good things in life aren't acquired without some level of discomfort.

Price is something that can vary greatly for many reasons like any commodity. The most important aspects to consider are the quality/demand of the work performed and the experience/skill of the artist performing it. With that in mind, the majority of diligent body modification customers aren't looking for a "cheap price" as it will usually correlate with "cheap work". "When it comes to your own body, How could you consider anything other than the premium option?" *quote- Jol Agni, Hand-Poke Tattoo Artist & Head Body Piercer at Trademark Ink, Cairns, Australia*. Jol makes a spearhead point regarding price, this isn't a car or a motorcycle you are about to modify, it's your body which cannot be replaced. Bad/unwanted work can usually be fixed/undone but this is a road no-one wants to go down. After finding an artist you are happy with, being a loyal customer and developing a rapport is the best way for you to get better prices in the future. Meeting an artist for the first time and haggling with their price can be considered insulting. This is the wrong foot to get off on with an artist whose services you require. After all, you want your artist motivated don't you?

There are many reasons an individual will decide to get modified. Image is the most obvious, but their are plenty of other reasons too. Sexual enhancement is a common motivation for body modification and usually involves but is not limited to the genitals. Piercings, implants and incisions are common forms of modification for sexual enhancement. Spirituality & Religion is another common reason for body modification. An example of this is the Jewish Bris ceremony (foreskin removal), Remembrance is a popular motivator, people often get tattoos of loved ones in pictures or script. Old Sailors had a tradition of piercing their nipple and adding links each time they crossed the equator. Medical Reasons can arise too, A cochlear implant is an electronic device that replaces the function of the damaged inner ear. An arising trend is trans-humanism or human ascension which is basically defined as acquiring body functions that aren't the nature of a human being thus ascending/transcending what it is to be human. Some good examples of this are the magnetic implant and the RFID (remote frequency identification) chip implant which both serve to give functions a normal human being does not have. Admittedly these are minor functions but there are more extreme cases of this happening everyday. Who knows what the future holds...

Stigma & Stereotypes

There is a common misconception out there that people with tattoos/body modification are criminals. Whilst it is true that criminals often sport gang affiliation tattoos, it is a very small percentage of the tattoo community that is often misrepresented through media and Hollywood. The vast majority of us are law abiding citizens that often rise above and beyond the call of fellow man because we are easily noticed and remembered.

A criminal doesn't really want to stand out in a crowd for the most part. It would be like wearing flashing lights and a siren whilst trying to rob a bank, it is counterproductive. Criminals are often trusted, respected and in positions of power and authority. So you can thank Hollywood and mob mentality for this stereotype, Just think of Shows like Breaking bad for example. Not all criminals are tattooed jailbirds, In fact the worst criminals are probably clean skin well groomed people teaching your children at school or church, Perhaps a Medical surgeon that has a prescription drug dependency, Lets not forget about crimes committed by Politicians and people in positions of power.

The fact of the matter is anyone can commit crime or have a drug addiction, Just like anyone can wear a pinstripe suit or get tattoos. So lets all try and delete this stigma from our minds, For the most part in my own personal experience, the talented artists, intelligent philosophers and people with a true insight into the human condition are all heavily modified people. The people I find hard to relate to are clean shaven men wearing suits talking about the price of Chinese eggs in South Korea and how it affects us abroad.

The Reality - Left to Right - Bianca, Holesy, Aneta, Jol, Atom, Josh - All modified happy people

If you are a clean skin "normal" person and you see Modified people in the light I have described, remember this- We are looking at you with a stigma attached too, You look like "sheep" to us. Not that you are sheep but there is nothing to differentiate you from the masses. Everyone has the right to look however they want, my point is when you cast judgement on those that look different to yourself, have you really inquired into where this feeling comes from? Racism, Sexism & Stereotypes all stem from the same place - Fear of the unknown... So do yourself a favor and get to know people that are different to yourself. Rise above the generic programming given to you by a television screen.

Let Me Introduce Myself

My name is Atom Myzen and I have been modifying my body for the better part of two years. I am here to cover the amazing art of Human Body Modification and at the same time try to dispel some of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding it.

I started with a small tattoo given to me for my birthday by a my good friend and talented "hand poke" tattoo artist Jol Agni. After this I caught what some might call "the bug" and I had to get more tattoos. I continued to let Jol tattoo me and this is still happening. Jol is also a top tier body piercer but I get to that later.


A few months Down the road and I was introduced to Samppa & Aneta Von Cyborg. Samppa Von Cyborg is arguably the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) of extreme body modification. He is one of a handful of people in the world who are able to perform modification procedures of the most extreme nature.

Samppa Von Cyborg at work on my hand 3 months after my first tattoo Jan 2015

Exploiting this opportunity of meeting one of the gurus of the industry, I quickly put Samppa to work.
First was a sub-dermal implant in my left hand of a six pointed starfish/snowflake design that i fell in love with the moment Aneta Von Cyborg had shown me it. The implant was of a fair size but the incision Samppa made in the top of my wrist was small. So small in fact that I only required 4 stitches to be sewn up. The stitches were tied so well that at 18 months later I have no visible scar whatsoever.





After this I decided to get 2 sub-dermal implants in my head which was in Jan 2016. Samppa & Aneta did an excellent job again I must praise them. Again two small incisions on the hairline of my forehead. silicon implants were inserted and then I was stitched up.

I wont lie to you readers, When the drugs wore off that night it was painful to say the least. But I healed up quickly and Jol Agni removed my stitches 2 weeks later. About 6 months and almost no scarring is visible, by a year I expect it wont be seen at all I'm sure.

I have other tattoos but that is probably enough about me for now. I am indeed getting more modifications and I look forward to sharing them with you along with many other peoples mods here at - Human Modification.