Body modification is also used as a form of entertainment, as in cases of suspension, where individuals pierce their bodies with fish hooks, wire or other objects and then hang or elevate their body much like a "circus" trick (Leo 1).

Side Effects

There are many side effects of body modification, often contingent on the amount of or intensity of body modification a person is involved with. For example, ear piercing might leave few side effects other than some scar tissue in the ear; the same is true of piercing in other locations. Any form of body modification involving piercing the skin or cutting into the body introduces the risk of infections (Bendle 193).

Modern plastic surgery may leave scarring, especially when invasive procedures including tummy tucks or breast augmentation are performed; despite this many people are advocates of body modification, which has in its own right created a culture of its own (Bendle 193).

Conclusion

Human beings alter their body in many different ways, as a reflection of self-pain, as a reflection of their membership to a culture or group, as a way to rebel against others, and as a uniform expression of the self. Body modification will likely continue for the next several decades, as human beings discover new and interesting tools and ways to modify their natural landscape.
References

Bendle, Mervyn. In the Flesh: The Cultural Politics of Body Modification. Journal of Sociology, 40.2: 2004, p. 193.

Kewitt, Kim. Mutilating the Body: Identity in Blood and Ink. Bowling Green, OH:

Bowling Green State University Popular Press: 1997.

Leo, Jessica D. Suspension: Going Beyond the Limits of Body Modification. Retrieved May 14, 2007: http://www.journalism.ryerson.ca/online/tor/umm/jdileo_feature.htm

Body Modification