Brass Neck Rings

Thursday June 18th, 2009 @ 12:28 PM

Filed under: Culture

Hey,

I was just kind of curious about brass neck rings. Since I was in 5th grade I have been completely fascinated with the elongation of womens necks. I myself have been half wanting to try it, but would like to hear stories from somebody who has done it first hand. I’ve been searching but haven’t found anything yet (maybe I just suck at computing with the interconnect)

Come to think of it, where the hell would I even find brass rings? I always assumed I would have to have them custom made if I did go through with this, but maybe there is somewhere to actually purchase them. Also, I’m curious if this act might change breathing or eatting patterns if there is excessive “stretching.”

Um, Yeah!! So, any of you guys know?

Thanks!

-Daniella

This is a good example of a question easily answered with google.

Nonetheless, since I too share a fascination with this mod I’ll share my limited knowledge on the subject. First and foremost, the neck is NOT actually stretched. In reality the collarbones and ribs are pushed down and shifted creating the illusion of stretched neck vertebrae. Generally this is done on very young female children, as doing so slowly when the bones haven’t fully developed is the least painful and most effective method. I believe 12-13 is about the oldest the procedure is started and am in all honesty unsure how effective it would be on an adult. I don’t forsee too much difficulty coming from breathing or eating. However, if the rings are worn for a long time the neck muscles underneath would most likely grow real weak and atrophy, which would make life after removal difficult until the muscles were redeveloped (if the muscles are not too far gone). To the best of my knowledge, this has never been attempted outside of the tribal cultures (please come forth and correct me if you know of any exceptions to this).

Posted by Sean Philips | Permalink | 4 Comments

Body Modification Research Paper

Tuesday September 9th, 2008 @ 6:30 PM

Filed under: Culture

Since my first question got such a helpful response, I thought I’d use Ask BME one last time for help with something I’ve been struggling with.

I am a first year Bachelor of Arts (social sciences) student. I’ve done more essays than I care to count and gotten good marks. But this semester I have to do a research paper, which will be the first time I’ve attempted anything like it. Obviously it’s not going to require the depth that you’d expect in a final year research paper, but never the less, the standards are high.

I was thinking about doing my paper on body mods. (Well, I’ve already submitted that working thesis, so one way or the other my paper will have to be on body modification. It has to have a social scientific angle on it, which means I need to come up with a thesis statement and try to pair any claim I make up with an exsisting theory, or combination of theories.

Much of what was covered in the first paper I did was about social movements - large and small - and how people mobilised and organised themselves to take collective action. I think it would be great to look at the culture of body modification as a social movement. Perhaps on a smaller scale than say, civil rights, but a movement nonetheless.

If anyone knows of any theories already out there that I could potentially pair up with that idea, or any credible material available on it, then that would be a really helpful start. I mean it when I say *any* ideas too. Although plenty of opinion peices have been written on the subject, not much in the way of say, peer reviewed material is available and I was thinking maybe I just didn’t know where to look?

Thanks

Michelle (again heh)

I’m always glad to help out the students…

Posted by Shawn Porter | Permalink | 8 Comments

Career a good idea?

Sunday August 24th, 2008 @ 7:49 PM

Filed under: Culture

I’m 28 years old and while I’ve always been fascinated by body modification, I’ve only recently begun to take a more serious interest. I’m wondering if it’s a little too late for me to look into a career in the industry. It’s obviously something that would take years to master and I wonder if, in your experience, most customers would be hesitant to get work done by somebody that “old” who’s just starting out.

I’d also like to add, after reading a rather long argument about whether or not it’s necessary to have mods to do them, that I don’t really plan on getting that many mods myself. As it stands, I have a few tats and a few piercings and while I intend to get more work done(including some microdermals) I’m not really into extreme mods for myself. That being said, I love extreme mods on other people and nothing would make me happier than to be able to help others get the mods they want. Although I’m obviously not an expert, I have done quite a bit of research about body modification and I think I know more about it than your average layperson. I’m very passionate about tolerance through education and whenever I hear people talking about “self mutilation” or calling people “sick” for getting mods, I make it a point to talk to them and try to help them understand more about it. I’ve actually managed to help change quite a few people’s views about the subject, despite not having any mods myself. I’ve also helped a few people to overcome their own fears about body modification to a point where they were able to get mods they’ve always wanted but probably wouldn’t have had the courage to get without somebody to help them understand it better. Er…not really sure where I’m going with this at this point but yeah…there you have it. Any advice/comments/info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I think that as long as the clientele could sense your commitment to their well being your age wouldn’t be much of an issue. Added to that I think that I’d personally be more comfortable with an apprentice who’s had a few more years under his belt than with one still wet behind his/her already massively stretched ears. Life experience is not a liability.

As to being modified? Have the mods you want to have. Do the mods you want to do. Steve Haworth doesn’t have horn implants. Brian Decker doesn’t have a split tongue. One doesn’t need to have a specific modification to be able to perform it.

The advice I always give goes for a person of 28 or of 18:
Classes. First Aid. CPR. Anatomy. Humility and Patience come in handy too. If you’re going to become someone’s apprentice they’re going to be teaching you a marketable skill- THEIR marketable skill- that will hopefully be the last job you ever get. Earn that. They tell you to wash forceps all day? Wash them. Two sugars in that coffee you ran to get for the fourth time today? Make sure you bring a third just in case. Above all- ask what you can GIVE to the community and not what you can take from it.

Posted by Shawn Porter | Permalink | 1 Comment

Career

Thursday June 19th, 2008 @ 9:30 AM

Filed under: Culture

Let me just start by saying i love this website. putting that aside i just wanted to ask something. I love piercing, scar and tatoo but would never do one. I live in Oporto, Portugal and i would like to know what its needed to actually make tatoos, piercings, scar and implants. I what to know what kind of instruction you need to know to actually make any of the things i refered above. i want to be a bodymoder as a sidejob (im studying animation in college). I want to know if there is some sort of bodymod school in my town, and would also like to know what is legal and illegal in bodymoding in portugal. i await your response axiously

Yours truly

Koro-

Koro…Let me just say this rather baffles me, not to mention boils my blood.

You would NEVER get a piercing, scarification piece or a tattoo, yet you want to do this to other people, as a side job?

Can we say just a lil disrespectful to the many already working within this industry? If you have absolutely NO interest in obtaining any of the work yourself, what makes you think you should be doing it yourself?

Body Modification is NOT a “side job”…There is no “bod mod school of the arts”…No certificate programs or anything…You either do it because you have the passion and love for it, or you simply don’t.

In regards to what is legal and illegal in Portugal your best bet is to do your own leg work and contact health departments, read city/country laws involving tattooing, piercing, etc. In my personal opinion I feel that if someone is willing to pick up a scalpel, implants,whatever…They should be medically licensed to do so, which means going to med school and getting the damn certificate…But hey that’s just my personal opinion.

Maybe you didn’t mean your question to come off disrespectful but as I said the reality is this type of job is NOT a “side job” and when individuals come out of the woodworks saying they want to do it as “side jobs”, its a slap in the face to all of us who do it 24/7 a week, 365 days a year.

My advice to you is this…If you have no interest in obtaining ANY body modifications…Stick with the Animation course you’re taking in College and don’t even consider for one second attempting to do anything body modification related, unless you’re willing to put EVERYTHING into it.

Posted by Warren Hiller | Permalink | 20 Comments

Piercing career

Tuesday April 29th, 2008 @ 7:52 PM

Filed under: Culture, Piercing, Uncategorized

Im thinking about going into piercing as a career , I went to college an graduated but haven’t done anything with myself. Im just wondering what kind of path/adventure Im in for, I should also mention Im an artist photograper an do alot of hands on production work in the graphic arts field.

If you apprentice the good old fashioned way, you have this to expect:
Learning humility. Respect. Patience. Traditional well placed piercings that the client has every chance of healing- and once you’re ready… you get to learn how to apply it all. As time goes on, you come to realize that you’re a bartender, a hairdresser, a priest, a shrink, a nurse and a friend to people who all want your best- not just a good piercing, but someone who listens and helps them on their way. Be prepared for that- moreso than dealing with people’s skin, a good piercer has to deal with tempermental clients, clients having bad days, et all. And sometimes for a less than stellar income. Is it worth it? It can be. On a good day, you get out of the industry what you put into it. On a bad…

Now. If you plan on doing the “rockstar internet” route of learning to pierce- all you need to do is look the part. Stretch everything REALLY big. Tattoo your most public of areas. And most of all- remember- it’s about you, NOT the client. *

*If you take this route, expect a lot of people to be unhappy.

Posted by Shawn Porter | Permalink | 1 Comment