Scarification

The ancient practice of scarification is regaining popularity in the modern world of body art.

War paint used in a ritual - Scarification was another popular ritual in many cultures

Scarification, the practice of purposely scarring skin tissue to leave permanent marks, is a very ancient practice that reaches back to the earliest stages of the human race.

This form of body modification has been used in ancient rituals as a rite of passage into adulthood, and also as a sign of status and beauty. Being able to withstand the pain of the process was taken as a sign of great physical and spiritual strength. Warriors also received sacred scars to identify them with their tribe, and many bearers also believed these markings had spiritual powers to protect them in battle as well.

Today, scarification is again on the upsurge, practiced as a form of personal expression along with other body arts, such as piercing and tattooing. Some view scarring as art, others as barbarism, but to the person choosing to be scarred, both the practice and the result can have deep significance.

For those seeking to push themselves to the limits, enduring the pain of scarring presents one of the ultimate challenges in life. Once the veil of fear and pain has been passed through, the bearer often feels euphoric and invincible to the daily rigors of life. How can anything else compare to the intense physical test just experienced?

Others choose scarification as a means to memorialize a significant life event, such as a birth or a death.

And then there are people who simply find scarring attractive, and appreciate the artistry involved to create lasting patterns in flesh. It can be an alternative, or a complimentary practice to standard tattooing, and provides more visible results on dark skin tones than standard tattoo inks.

"Cutting" on the wrist

Cutting is a term used in the medical field to describe a form of self-abuse, so it is important to distinguish the difference between scarification and the practice of cutting one's self as punishment. The motivations are different. Scarification is generally practiced as a means of achieving a personal goal, whether that goal is art or marking a life event, while cutting appears to lack positive components.

The most common methods of scarification include:

In this process, a surgical scalpel is most commonly used to slice the desired markings into the flesh. The wound may be cut more than once, depending on the final depth of scarring desired. The deeper the scar, the bolder the resulting mark.

There are several ways to brand, but the following methods are most commonly used.

• Hot branding involves heating an iron that will be pressed firmly against the flesh to sear in an image or message.
• Cold branding is similar to hot branding, but the iron is dipped in liquid nitrogen before being applied to the flesh.
• Electro-cauterization is yet another method to achieve branding, and it generally produces very fine results. Lasers are able to cut very delicate lines to create intricate patterns.

Note: Any type of scarring can be enhanced by lightly rubbing tattoo ink into the fresh wounds.

Tribal Scarring

After scarring, it is very important to take proper care of the wounds. The reasons for this are two-fold.

1. Proper care and disinfection will lower the risk of infection.
2. By protecting the scars, you will get a better final result.

Here are some do's and don'ts.

Do:

• Wash the area four to five times a day with antibacterial soap. Work gently.
• Follow up with a peroxide rinse to kill more germs, and further irritate the skin so good visible scars will form.
• Pat the area dry with disposable paper towels.
• Apply petroleum jelly to the scars, always moving with the grooves, not across them.
• Rebandage the area.

Don't:

• Scrub or rub your scars. This will only blur the lines, resulting in a less distinct pattern.
• Leave the same bandage on all day. Apply fresh a fresh bandage, or cellophane, after each washing.

It will take about three weeks for the area to fully scab over, with complete healing usually occurring around five to six weeks.

To be as safe as possible, scarring should only be performed by a licensed professional, who can usually be found through your local tattoo shop. All the same sanitary procedures should be observed as for tattooing to prevent the spread of blood borne diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. All surfaces should be freshly disinfected, all tools should be freshly removed from sealed autoclave bags, and your practitioner/artist should wash thoroughly, and wear gloves and a surgical mask during the procedure.

No matter what a person's motivation is, scarification is an intense experience, and not for the faint of heart. If the opportunity arises, watch someone else being scarred first to make sure you're ready to handle the experience yourself.

• BMEzine.com, scarification images, and other body art info.
• NationalGeographic.com, more body modification info.

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