We’re big fans of expressing yourself here at S&LC, however that may be. Both M and Nixalina – our lovely editors – have tattoos and M has had a number of piercings in her time.
But body modifications have taken the world by storm over the past century, and even more so over the past few years, with new methods and materials popping up each and every week. It’s now commonplace to have a tattoo and ear piercings in particular are some of the most creative we have ever seen.
The wide variety of different modifications can be a little tricky to get your head around, but luckily you needn’t be in the dark for much longer. Here are some of the most popular body modifications, explained!
Tattoos
Tattoos have been apparent in human culture for many hundreds, if not thousands, of years, but the level of precision and detail that goes into modern methods is like nothing seen before. Tattoo artists can create glorious pieces on any part of the body, utilising colours, lines, shading, dot work and many more features to turn your design dreams into a reality. Tattoos and tattoo artists come in such a wide range of styles, from traditional to watercolour, and almost any image or idea can be translated into a tattoo. A tattoo used to be a lifelong commitment but now laser tattoo removal is easy to access which won’t get rid of it completely, but will take away the majority of design and colour.
So, how does getting a tattoo actually work?
The actual process of getting a tattoo involves an artist using a machine which breaks through layers of the skin to insert ink, which is often described as a sharp scratching pain. So literally they scratch the ink into your skin.
Does it hurt? Well, that depends who you ask and where on the body you’re getting a tattoo. Below is a diagram of where is predicted to hurt most based on its location, so things like bones or thickness of skin, but ultimately it does depend on each person’s individual pain tolerance.
Piercings
Piercings can be used on many parts of the body – from ear piercing to nipple piercing – and the jewellery themselves can be gold, minimalistic, covered in diamonds, or almost any other style you might wish to see. You’ll be amazed to find the variety of different piercings on offer, especially thanks to recent fashion trends.
Do piercings hurt? Well, they can be painful, especially when done in sensitive areas, as it’s essentially a large needle which breaks through the skin to accommodate the piercing – that’s gonna hurt in some respect. It all depends where you’re getting one done and, again, that person’s pain tolerance.
So, where can you get piercings?
Let’s take a look at a complete list of piercing locations…
Ear
- Antitragus
- Cartilage/helix
- Conch Piercings
- Daith
- Earlobe
- Industrial
- Orbital
- Rook
- Snug/anti-helix
- Tragus
- Triple helix
Oral and facial
- Anti-eyebrow
- Bridge
- Cheek
- Eyebrow
- Eyelid
- Lip
- Nostril
- Septum
- Tongue
- Web
- Tongue frenulum
Lip
- Angel bites
- Vertical lip
- Canine bites/shark bites
- Cyber bites
- Dahlia/Joker bites
- Dolphin bites
- Horizontal lip
- Labret
- Lowbret
- Medusa
- Monroe/Madonna
- Snake Bites
- Spider bites/viper bites
- Vertical labret
Surface and dermal
- Chest
- Corset
- Dermal/micro dermal
- Neck & nape
Navel
- Bellybutton
- Variety of surface piercings around the belly button
Female genitals and nipples
- Christina/Venus
- Clitoral
- Female Nipple
- Fourchette
- Horizontal clitoral hood/HCH
- Outer labia
- Triangle
- Vertical clitoral hood/VCH
Male genitals and nipples
- Ampallang
- Anal
- Apadravya
- Dorsal frenum
- Dydoe
- Frenum
- Guiche
- Jacob’s Ladder
- Kuno
- Lorum
- Male nipple
- Prince Albert (PA)
- Pubic
- Reverse Prince Albert
- Scrotal ladder Piercings
- Scrotum/hafada Piercings
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery covers a seemingly endless mass of procedures that seek to change or alter your appearance. This could be facial, including things like Botox, fillers and full facelifts, which usually seek to reduce wrinkles, increase lip size or generally alter the shape of the face, or body related, such as liposuction and bum lifts. Cosmetic surgery is not without risk, as there are many potential dangers which can occur during or after a procedure that could affect your wellbeing and general quality of life. They are real surgical processes that often involve anaesthesia, and may have a considerable healing and recovery period. Cosmetic surgery can completely transform the way that you look in almost every regard, as you can even have toe procedures to create more attractive feet, so it can be a real confidence boost for many people who struggle with their image.
With any luck, the detailed explanations above can help you to understand the most popular body modifications in more depth, helping you to make an informed decision whilst understanding the process and associated risks. Always do your research before exploring body modification, and seek out a reputable and trusted studio or clinic.
