Body modification
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
The English used in this article may not be easy for everybody to understand. You can help Wikipedia by making this page or section simpler. |
Body modification (or body alteration) is when a person changes their body in a way that lasts forever or for a long time. There are many different kinds of body modification, like piercing, circumcision, or tattoos. Almost all cultures do some kind of body modification.
Contents |
[edit] Arguments
Some people who do body modification try to look like they are from another race. Asians might have the folds around their eyes changed so they look like Caucasians. Dark-skinned people might make their skin lighter with chemicals. There is a lot of argument about this kind of body modification.
People who do not like body modifcation sometimes call it "disfigurement" or "mutilation." They believe that if someone changes their body, it is wrong and they are doing something dangerous or unethical.
[edit] Why people do body modification
Body modification is done for different reasons. Religions might tell people that they should change their bodies to look a certain way. Other people with body modifications might just like the way the body modifications look, or how they feel good during sex.
[edit] Kinds of body modification
[edit] Common body modification
- Body piercing is when a hole is made through the skin, and a piece of jewelry is put into the hole. Some piercings can be stretched so they fit larger, thicker kinds of jewelry.
- Tattooing is when ink is put under the skin to make a picture.
- Scarification is when part of the skin is removed to create a scar.
- Branding is when the skin is burned to create a scar.
[edit] "Extreme" body modification
- Tongue splitting is when a person's tongue is split in two like a snake's.
- Subdermal implant is when a small object is placed right underneath a person's skin.
- Transdermal implant is when a small object is placed underneath a person's skin, but part of it pokes out of the skin and is visible.
- Extraocular implant (eye jewellery) is when a tiny chip of metal is placed in someone's eye.
[edit] Other body modification
- Amputation is when a body part is cut off.
- Breast augmentation is when a woman's breasts are made larger with surgery.
- Gender reassignment surgery, or sexual reassignment surgery -- sometimes called a "sex change" -- is a surgery on the genitals that changes a person's sex from male to female or female to male.
