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Diagnosis & Disease Information

Lip Plating
Body Modification

Pucker up: Lip Plating Still in Vogue in Remote Tribal Villages

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Today we travel outside the US to explore the lip plate, a form of body modification thats still practiced in Africa among a few indigenous tribes, particularly in the central and southern part of the continent, as well as among some tribes in the Amazon rain forest. Women from the Mursi tribe in southwestern Ethiopia are particularly notable for this practice because their village has turned into a tourist attraction for Westerners to come and get their gawk on.

Earlobe Stretching
Body Modification

Lend Me Your Earlobe

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Ah…the earlobe.

Its filled with nerve endings, it turns red when were embarrassed, and for most people its also an erogenous zone. Stretching the earlobe has been practiced for thousands of years, and still continues today as a cultural tradition in many indigenous tribes around the globe, including the Mursi in Ethiopia and hill tribes in northern Thailand, where it can be a rite of passage, a spiritual symbol, or a sign of status.

Lip Sewing
Body Modification

Not Your Mother’s Idea of Sewing

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Lip and eyelid sewing are on the list of extreme forms of body modification. They’re a type of cosmetic procedure that is certainly not meant to improve one’s looks. Sometimes referred to as “play piercing,” this bizarre practice falls under the category of ritualistic body modification because it is typically connected to personal symbolism for individuals who undergo this painful process to make a point, for example, as an act of protest. This body ritual may also be incorporated into a public performance at a body mod conference, or one may feel the need for assistance in focusing their mind when meditating; lips sewn together can effectively remove the temptation to speak.

Uvula Piercing
Body Modification

Uvula Piercing

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Uvula piercing is an infrequent form of body modification because it has a high failure rate due to the intensity of the gag reflex, which makes it extremely difficult to apply or receive the piercing. It may take numerous attempts to clamp and secure the uvula for piercing. Mucus bubbles typically appear, making the process even more frustrating to accomplish. And once in place, mucus bubbles can form on the ring at any time.

Magnet Implants
Body Modification

Magnet Implants

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Gaining in popularity in the body modification subculture is having a magnet implanted beneath the skin for the purpose of…well…we’re not quite sure what the point is! The procedure is known as “body hacking” or “bio-hacking.” People who’ve had it done report that they can now perform cool party tricks, such as picking up paperclips and bottle caps with the tip of their finger. (Guys, this implant could be a literal “chic magnet!”)

Eyeball Jewelry
Body Modification

The Eyes Have It!

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Don’t blink—surgically implanted eyeball jewelry takes body piercing to a whole new level. It was developed in the Netherlands 10 years ago, slowly made its way to Los Angeles, and recently arrived in New York. The technical medical term for eyeball jewelry is extraocular implant. Eye surgeons at the Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery created the cosmetic procedure where a tiny piece of jewelry (which they market as “JewelEye”) is inserted under the surface of the eyeball for decorative purposes. The institute’s website says that the implant is completely safe and does not affect visual performance, mobility, or other ocular functions.

Subdermal Implants
Body Modification

Subdermal Implants Come in All Shapes and Sizes

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When Frank Sinatra sang his hit song I’ve Got You Under My Skin, we’re sure he wasn’t crooning about subdermal implants, because they weren’t around in his time. Today, there is a whole new meaning to Frank’s phrase about love, in the growingly popular practice of implanting “body jewelry” beneath the skin’s surface, which results in a raised design.

Buttocks Implants
Body Modification

Designer Derrières

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Women who want a great-looking butt before bikini season—or men who are concerned about the flatness of their buttocks—may be flirting with undergoing any number of surgical enhancements, because when it comes to the appearance of your gluteus maximus, modern plastic surgery techniques and advanced cosmetic procedures offer an array of ways to acquire a kick-ass butt.

Round Eyes
Body Modification

Increasing Number of Asians Seek Eye Surgery to Look “American”

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“Round eye.” It was once a derogatory slang term Asians would use at times to refer to Westerners, but particularly, it applied to Americans. Now the term “round-eye” has taken on a whole new meaning in Asian culture and is associated with more than a touch of envy and beauty. How ironic that an Asian woman’s almond-shaped eyes, thought to be mysterious and alluring to many Western men, are now considered an ugly deformity in some Asian cultures, most notably in Korea and China, where the Western look is now coveted.

Living Dolls
Body Modification

No, They’re Not Mannequins…These Dolls Are Made of Real Flesh and Blood

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Remember when little girls used to dress up their dolls? Well, now some girls who’ve grown up are into a new form of extreme body modification that can make them look like living plastic dolls. It’s a body mod trend that’s becoming increasingly popular and quickly going global, although the look has been trendy for some time now in Asia (the doll-like look originated in Japan a few years ago) and Ukraine, where young women, mostly teenage girls, are transforming their bodies into “living dolls.” They’re sometimes called “human Barbies” because these ladies yearn to look like the actual Barbie doll, the toy typically associated with Western society’s vision of flawless female beauty with perfect proportions.

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