World's Most Extreme Body Modifications: Spiritual or Sick?

By: Aina Hunter
Topics: News

tongue bifurfaction

(CBS) Extreme body modification.

For some it represents beauty, spiritual exploration - a modern primitive rite of passage. Others view it as disfigurement plain and simple, and some doctors suspect that it's a possible symptom of a mental disorder.

PICTURES: 13 Most Extreme Body Modifications

The San Francisco bay area has long been on the cutting edge, so to speak, of piercing, skin-stretching, flesh suspension, and other forms of body mod. Members of the community are sensitive to the criticism of outsiders.

Traci Joy Burleigh, 38, a yoga instructor and active member of this community, who has been suspended by hooks and had "corset piercings" among other things, says that she has no history of mental illness. For her, body modification is "empowering" and has helped her to "more fully integrate as a modern human, take responsibility for my body and cultivate will and fearlessness."

Heron Saline, 52, a San Francisco hypnotherapist, says that body modification is generally done with a "spiritual intention" with an emphasis on safety. "It's about love and choosing health," he says.

But extreme body modifications are not without risk. Doctors say self-modifiers can do serious damage to their bodies. Dr. David Bank, director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic, and Laser Surgery in New York, says that anytime the skin is opened up there is the potential for infection. And when it comes to surgery done by non-medical professionals, such as the insertion of dermal implants, the risks are very serious.

PICTURES: 13 Most Extreme Body Modifications

Photos

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by shadwgrl August 7, 2010 1:40 AM EDT: To ds, wallybook, ada etc-
A person's face or appearance has nothing to do with the content of their mind, or their ability to do a job. My parents raised me to judge people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin, or clothes, and I feel bad for anyone that has to live day to day in fear and condemnation of myriad of difference that surrounds them rather than enjoying or at least appreciating it for what it is another option. We all have different standards of beauty, and we all just want to be free to pursue our own path to it.
Also before you consider a tattoo or piercing sick, take a moment to look into what goes into a plastic surgery operation. Not that I have any problem, but thousands daily have their faces injected with toxins, or thier muscles scraped away from their shaved & broken bones to make room for silicone to be placed in thier faces, torsos, fat liquified and sucked out skin streached back so far men shave far behind their ears, etc... and these people are envied and worshipped.
I suppose I am just trying to say that lots of beauty rituals are brutal, and personally I don't want attention. People should be able to do what they like to themselves. I want to know why you people seem to care so much? Why should tattoos or piercings or hair color effect a job? If you would trust a tattooed guy to fix your car why not a tattooed girl at your bank? I cant understand why it matters or where you draw the line at all?; Reply to this comment


by VanVlack99999 July 27, 2010 11:26 AM EDT: Ha, DS,

I am upper management in a construction company, and my parents have defended me most of my years.

Its hard to understand that millions of years this has been going on and that I have to say they never talk about the details of suspensions, how there is commonly a ceremony (lets call it) prior in these evens, sure some do it for the freak show appeal while others do it for spiritual, but we do have very good jobs thanks for your concern and we are parents also, we aren't drug addicts or bad people and probably some of the most warmest kindest people you will ever meet.

P.s. I probably make more in 6 months than you do all year, and my kids are top of their class, but clearly my modifications make me a bum.; Reply to this comment


by stealthysam13 July 22, 2010 6:10 PM EDT: Being a fresh face in the body modification industry i must say that there is absolutely nothing sick about what we do to our bodies. We aren't forcing people to get things done themselves nor are we expecting acceptance from everyone. Body modification has been a part of society since the dawn of time, but for some reason our North American "political correctness" taught people over time that this was abnormal and we shouldn't do these things (no matter how normal it really is and how many people are doing it without even knowing other people are). for the record Dannysteele i work in the industry as a piercer, my parents love the S*it out of me and allow me to do what makes me happy as long as what i am doing is not debilitating me. If by chance I am not able to keep doing what i do than i believe i would one day become a business owner myself so others like me can do what we love to do. F*ck, if any of you have any questions feel free to ask me (piercingsbychris@live.ca); Reply to this comment


by bundye July 22, 2010 12:41 PM EDT: Sick is the only name for this.; Reply to this comment


by TaySan1 July 22, 2010 7:19 AM EDT: I have worked as a consultant, researcher, graphic designer, and scientist in medium and small companies for years. Occasionally, there is a period in which rapport is developed with people even expressing how they "changed their mind" about me or their beliefs. Occasionally, there are particularly recalcitrant and close-minded folks that never really get over appearances, even though I dress and conduct myself very professionally.

Many people I know who are modified work as creative professionals, work in health care and residential care facilities, retail, science research (lots of science researchers actually), and obviously, in the tattoo and body piercing industry.

People never notice, or don't say anything, about my bifurcated tongue, also known as a split tongue. I don't show my tattoos, and my stretched earlobes sometimes get some remarks, but not much.

My parents, like many, were not excited about my first body modifications in college, but lately, they have come to understand how these things are very much a part of me... not a fad, not a trend, not self-mutilation, but rather a way that I express myself. Some people express themselves by dressing up in funny clothes and painting their faces in the colors of their favorite sports teams. If it doesn't make sense to you, you probably don't get it.

It's natural to react to something you don't understand or don't prefer, but let's all realize, people, that this is supposedly a free country, and unless people exercise that freedom, we might as well live in North Korea, Iran, or the USSA.

And we're not going away. The more you resist against it, the more your children are going to want to be this way, as a statement against the absurdity of this throw-away, impermanent culture that doesn't offer much in the way of alternatives.

Cheers.; Reply to this comment

by Another_Devil_Advocate July 21, 2010 4:20 PM EDT

...is our civilization been sensitized to a point that this kind of deviation is now acceptable..?

Reply to this comment


by amandae17 November 28, 2010 10:50 PM EST: Body modification, in various forms, has been acceptable in societies throughout the world for over 5,000 years. Why shouldn't it be in ours?


by book_of_wally July 21, 2010 3:24 PM EDT: This is sick!; Reply to this comment

by dannysteele July 21, 2010 12:48 PM EDT

I have two (non-obvious) questions for ALL of these people:

1. What (if anything) do you do for employment?

2. What do your parents think of your "modifications?"

DS

Reply to this comment


by DModsa July 27, 2010 1:56 PM EDT: Well I can't speak for everyone, but I can answer these personally for you as someone who has body modifications, as well as parents with them.

My father is a great example of body modification in the work place. Currently, he has tattoos on his upper arms, as well as his lower arms called "sleeves", his legs, and torso. He also has his ears stretched to a 00 gauge. Even so, he was a production manager for a well known building company until they down sized. Now he is a Community Association Manager, currently working himself from the bottom up, and enjoying it. Obviously, this answers both your questions in one package. You can get a well-to-do job even with body modifications, and him being a parent, is also very open minded when it comes to personal expression.

So please, do not judge people or put them in a category of "mental illness" because of how they choose to express themselves. There are good people and bad people in the world, with and without body modifications.