Refers to any procedure not medically necessary that changes or alters the form of the body. Types of body modifications include, tattooing, piercing, branding and ritual scarification. Modern cosmetic surgery falls under this definition as well. For a body modification glossary, click here.
Refers to any kind of procedure that deliberately changes or enhances the body for aesthetic or personal reasons, but especially certain forms of body art such as piercing, stretching, scarification and tattooing.
Body modification (or body alteration) is the permanent or semi-permanent deliberate altering of the human body for non-medical reasons, such as spiritual, various social (markings), BDSM "edgeplay" or aesthetic. It can range from the socially acceptable decoration (e.g., pierced ears in many societies), to the overtly religiously mandated (e.g., circumcision in a number of cultures) to corporal punishment, to provocative statement by the rebellious (e.g., tongue splitting). Some even become physically addicted to the adrenaline/endorphin release associated with a painful procedure in a way analogous to that experienced by those who self-harm.