So my first thought was, “wow, that’s a really great quality skin removal given that it’s DIY with a Swiss Army knife”… My second thought was, “YOU’RE CUTTING TOO DEEP! YOU’RE CUTTING TOO DEEP!”
Self-Cutting Meets Self-Scarification
Written by
Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News
- Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetryby JonathonOne of the most powerful things about being at a convention like OSC is the sheer concentration of experience, creativity, and capability in one place. When you’re surrounded by people who not only understand the technical complexities of suspension but are excited by the challenge… Read more: Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
- Twelve Points to the Skyby JonathonThere’s a particular kind of magic that happens at your first big suspension gathering when you arrive with nerves, an open heart, and the quiet hope of flight. Guided by the encouragement of mentor Lynn Loheide and driven by the quiet confidence of belonging, Alex… Read more: Twelve Points to the Sky
- Ontario SusCon 2025by JonathonIn March 2025, BME attended the Ontario Suspension Convention in Hamilton, hosted by the Kevin Donaghy and the Ontario Suspension Collective. We had the pleasure to take part and help document the event, but also run a booth to sell a bunch of old (but… Read more: Ontario SusCon 2025
- Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezineby NefDear BME Community, We’ve been gone far too long, but BME is back to give people a voice, a space, a community. With time everything evolves, and BME may be different than you remember. Our goal is to stay true to Shannon and Rachel’s values… Read more: Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezine
- BME Social Mediaby NefWord of mouth has been our method of reuniting the community, and it has brought a substantial amount of us together. I am inspired by your loyalty and I want to remind more people of BME’s existence. In 2020 we gained control over @bmezine on… Read more: BME Social Media
- BMEShopby NefDespite the hurricanes in 2015 which destroyed almost all of what Rachel owned, she managed to save the original inventory from BME. We have relisted some of the stock on BMEShop.com with the hopes you may be interested. Our first drop includes a selection of… Read more: BMEShop
Comments
138 responses to “Self-Cutting Meets Self-Scarification”
I saw that and went “ARRRGH” and made a terrible face…which made everyone in my family run and see what i was looking at…lets just say my mom is’nt feeling very well. “she doesnt like blood” is an understatement.
I saw that and went “ARRRGH” and made a terrible face…which made everyone in my family run and see what i was looking at…lets just say my mom is’nt feeling very well. “she doesnt like blood” is an understatement.
Yeah well, I’ve seen this on bodymod.org quite a while ago.
reactions there were the same ^^ she had some other pictures with it with some stabbing wounds that were even more intense…
Don’t know really what to think about it…
Yeah well, I’ve seen this on bodymod.org quite a while ago.
reactions there were the same ^^ she had some other pictures with it with some stabbing wounds that were even more intense…
Don’t know really what to think about it…
Am not sure this kind of thing is positive for the community to be honest.
Am not sure this kind of thing is positive for the community to be honest.
How so Giles? “thing” wasn’t clear to me. 🙂
How so Giles? “thing” wasn’t clear to me. 🙂
good lord that looks awful!
good lord that looks awful!
There are some images and practices (such as pushing a penknife deep into yourself) that will do the BodMod scene a disservice. In the wrong (authoritarian) eyes this is just self harming and dangerous to the person involved.
There are some images and practices (such as pushing a penknife deep into yourself) that will do the BodMod scene a disservice. In the wrong (authoritarian) eyes this is just self harming and dangerous to the person involved.
it’s extremely dangerous to be honest.
this deep you can do severe damage to muscles etc…
I don’t think such things are really taking “the scene” a step forward…
it’s extremely dangerous to be honest.
this deep you can do severe damage to muscles etc…
I don’t think such things are really taking “the scene” a step forward…
what an idiot..
what an idiot..
Actually, since you don’t know exactly where on the body that is, then if the layer of fat is thick enough, you could go fairly deep without hitting muscle at all. Also what’s this crap about taking the scene forward? It’s about doing what you want with your own body.
Actually, since you don’t know exactly where on the body that is, then if the layer of fat is thick enough, you could go fairly deep without hitting muscle at all. Also what’s this crap about taking the scene forward? It’s about doing what you want with your own body.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! OWWWWWW!!!
Is all I have to share.
(And I agree. If people didn’t start doing stuff like this to THEMSELVES. . . Do you guys think we’d be where we are in modification today? It’s your body, do what you want. Or don’t. That’s the beauty of it being yours. )
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! OWWWWWW!!!
Is all I have to share.
(And I agree. If people didn’t start doing stuff like this to THEMSELVES. . . Do you guys think we’d be where we are in modification today? It’s your body, do what you want. Or don’t. That’s the beauty of it being yours. )
What about knicking arteries, veins, and the chances of infection? wouldnt it be difficult to properly sterilize a swiss army knife? Hopefully it was an accident… otherwise that just really dangerous.
What about knicking arteries, veins, and the chances of infection? wouldnt it be difficult to properly sterilize a swiss army knife? Hopefully it was an accident… otherwise that just really dangerous.
WAY too deep!
WAY too deep!
To people saying “what an idiot, etc.”, I wonder if they would say the same thing to people doing suspensions and so on? Because as I see it, this is an analogous ritual but with different specifics… Or even if that analogy isn’t obvious, it’s certainly very close to Aboriginal funerary cutting and rituals like that.
It’s always interesting to me that for many people, the further they push their borders, the more conservative and negative to anything outside those borders.
To people saying “what an idiot, etc.”, I wonder if they would say the same thing to people doing suspensions and so on? Because as I see it, this is an analogous ritual but with different specifics… Or even if that analogy isn’t obvious, it’s certainly very close to Aboriginal funerary cutting and rituals like that.
It’s always interesting to me that for many people, the further they push their borders, the more conservative and negative to anything outside those borders.
So come on then Shannon, what’s the ‘twist’ to this photo? I’m guessing by the enigmatic ‘It’s not a broken blade :)’ that there must be one? And if there isn’t and this is actually just a photo of someone stabbing themselves, then I’ve gotta say that it was massively irresponsible to post it.
So come on then Shannon, what’s the ‘twist’ to this photo? I’m guessing by the enigmatic ‘It’s not a broken blade :)’ that there must be one? And if there isn’t and this is actually just a photo of someone stabbing themselves, then I’ve gotta say that it was massively irresponsible to post it.
There’s no twist — it’s ritual scarification and artistic scarification rolled into one.
PS. What’s irresponsible about posting self-stabbing, and what fundamentally differentiates self-stabbing and suspension?
There’s no twist — it’s ritual scarification and artistic scarification rolled into one.
PS. What’s irresponsible about posting self-stabbing, and what fundamentally differentiates self-stabbing and suspension?
There aren’t any major arteries in subcutaneous fat of the abdomen so the chances of knicking a big enough artery to require a visit to the hospital is slim to none. I’ve knicked a small artery on my leg before and yeah it took longer to stop bleeding, but it did eventually stop. With enough pressure and bandages, small ones will stop. Yeah you could knick a vein and there are more sizeable veins in the abdomen than arteries, but venous bleeding is slower and much more likely to clot and therefore prevent bleeding to death. And it looks like this was a cut on a fatty part of the body based on the dimpling to the right of the star.
Now if this is on the front of the upper, upper thigh it’s much more dangerous because you don’t have as much between the skin and muscle and the femoral artery is right fucking there.
You’d really need to know where this cut is located before you can call it stupid. And yeah there’s the chance of infection but you don’t know what safety precautions were taken and DIY stuff almost always runs that risk anyway so I don’t see how this is much different.
And how is it irresponsible to post this? Have you seen the ritual cutting galleries? Why should this site be responsible for those that don’t control their own reactions? If someone is easily triggered, they’re still making the choice by coming to a site like this to expose themselves to these kinds of images and there are other sources for pictures like this. We can’t be everyone’s parents. Also, hiding this kind of stuff makes those that do partake feel isolated and that is just as bad as being triggered. It helps to know you’re not alone.
There aren’t any major arteries in subcutaneous fat of the abdomen so the chances of knicking a big enough artery to require a visit to the hospital is slim to none. I’ve knicked a small artery on my leg before and yeah it took longer to stop bleeding, but it did eventually stop. With enough pressure and bandages, small ones will stop. Yeah you could knick a vein and there are more sizeable veins in the abdomen than arteries, but venous bleeding is slower and much more likely to clot and therefore prevent bleeding to death. And it looks like this was a cut on a fatty part of the body based on the dimpling to the right of the star.
Now if this is on the front of the upper, upper thigh it’s much more dangerous because you don’t have as much between the skin and muscle and the femoral artery is right fucking there.
You’d really need to know where this cut is located before you can call it stupid. And yeah there’s the chance of infection but you don’t know what safety precautions were taken and DIY stuff almost always runs that risk anyway so I don’t see how this is much different.
And how is it irresponsible to post this? Have you seen the ritual cutting galleries? Why should this site be responsible for those that don’t control their own reactions? If someone is easily triggered, they’re still making the choice by coming to a site like this to expose themselves to these kinds of images and there are other sources for pictures like this. We can’t be everyone’s parents. Also, hiding this kind of stuff makes those that do partake feel isolated and that is just as bad as being triggered. It helps to know you’re not alone.
>>and what fundamentally differentiates self-stabbing and suspension?
The motives and outcomes.
>>and what fundamentally differentiates self-stabbing and suspension?
The motives and outcomes.
Giles – I haven’t mentioned either the motives or the outcomes, nor would I dare to suggest there is a consistency of either in self-stabbing or suspension… So I think it’s premature to make that statement (although I agree statistics and generalities may be on your side).
Giles – I haven’t mentioned either the motives or the outcomes, nor would I dare to suggest there is a consistency of either in self-stabbing or suspension… So I think it’s premature to make that statement (although I agree statistics and generalities may be on your side).
wow…. cant say i understand why you’d go and do that to yourself, surely you could find something a little more sterile?
and sharper? if you felt you HAD to surely there are better tools available to the public, right?
wow…. cant say i understand why you’d go and do that to yourself, surely you could find something a little more sterile?
and sharper? if you felt you HAD to surely there are better tools available to the public, right?
I didn’t think that my opinion would be popular, but hey, we’re here debate & explore are we not? (Yes, I know that makes me sound like a hypocrite, coz if the photo was n’t posted there would be no discussion…).
The question is, where do you draw the line? What is the difference between modification/ritual and self harm/mutilation? (I’m not claiming to know the answer to that, just interested to know what other people think. Having said that, I can see some fairly obvious differences between suspension and self-stabbing)
‘If someone is easily triggered, they’re still making the choice by coming to a site like this to expose themselves to these kinds of images’
A fair point well made, in terms of resonsibility. The possibity of triggering of self-harming in vulnerable individuals was one of my concerns, a knee-jerk reaction if I’m honest. But then, you could argue that self-harm is compulsive and so to someone predisposed injuring themselves, it might not be as simple as ‘well don’t look at it then’.
The other issue that worries me is what the motives were for the person who sent in the photo. It does look to me like they started off with a planned out scarification, then got carried away (screams of compulsive, possibly dangerous behaviour to me, not modification or ritual). has anyone considered that making this image public may have been a cry for help?
Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I think it would be wise to include some kind of explanation (where & why, mostly) to go with photos like this. I suppose really, I just want to know that the person in the photo is okay.
I didn’t think that my opinion would be popular, but hey, we’re here debate & explore are we not? (Yes, I know that makes me sound like a hypocrite, coz if the photo was n’t posted there would be no discussion…).
The question is, where do you draw the line? What is the difference between modification/ritual and self harm/mutilation? (I’m not claiming to know the answer to that, just interested to know what other people think. Having said that, I can see some fairly obvious differences between suspension and self-stabbing)
‘If someone is easily triggered, they’re still making the choice by coming to a site like this to expose themselves to these kinds of images’
A fair point well made, in terms of resonsibility. The possibity of triggering of self-harming in vulnerable individuals was one of my concerns, a knee-jerk reaction if I’m honest. But then, you could argue that self-harm is compulsive and so to someone predisposed injuring themselves, it might not be as simple as ‘well don’t look at it then’.
The other issue that worries me is what the motives were for the person who sent in the photo. It does look to me like they started off with a planned out scarification, then got carried away (screams of compulsive, possibly dangerous behaviour to me, not modification or ritual). has anyone considered that making this image public may have been a cry for help?
Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I think it would be wise to include some kind of explanation (where & why, mostly) to go with photos like this. I suppose really, I just want to know that the person in the photo is okay.
I don’t see why everyone is making such a big deal about this. This a website dedicated to letting people do what they want to with their body. We don’t question the mental status of people who hang themselves from hooks or people who tattoo their eyes or people who bisect their genitals but this person ruffles everyone’s feathers.
I don’t see why everyone is making such a big deal about this. This a website dedicated to letting people do what they want to with their body. We don’t question the mental status of people who hang themselves from hooks or people who tattoo their eyes or people who bisect their genitals but this person ruffles everyone’s feathers.
I don’t think many of you guys who defend this sort of thing are realizing its secondary effects. Suppose this guy screws up, gets infected, and ends up in a hospital. He’s wasting the doctor’s time, the hospital’s resources, and probably the taxpayer’s money. Emergency Rooms are understaffed and overworked, as it is.
If you don’t like calling someone like this “stupid,” how about “irresponsible” or “short sighted”?
I don’t think many of you guys who defend this sort of thing are realizing its secondary effects. Suppose this guy screws up, gets infected, and ends up in a hospital. He’s wasting the doctor’s time, the hospital’s resources, and probably the taxpayer’s money. Emergency Rooms are understaffed and overworked, as it is.
If you don’t like calling someone like this “stupid,” how about “irresponsible” or “short sighted”?
Casey, people doing what they want to their own bodies is one thing, but there are people in the world who are driven to injure & disfigure themselves because of an underlying psychological illness. Some of them may well end up showing the consequences of that illness on here. And before people start shouting me down, I did NOT say that everyone who engages in extreme mods is a headcase. Just thought I’d pre-empt that one 😉
Casey, people doing what they want to their own bodies is one thing, but there are people in the world who are driven to injure & disfigure themselves because of an underlying psychological illness. Some of them may well end up showing the consequences of that illness on here. And before people start shouting me down, I did NOT say that everyone who engages in extreme mods is a headcase. Just thought I’d pre-empt that one 😉
Any modification could go bad, even if it’s done under perfect conditions things could still end badly.
Maybe, even though you think they’re “irresponsible” or “short-sighted”, they wouldn’t go to the emergency room. Maybe someone willing to do a modification like that knows their body well enough that they would go to their doctor for help before it was a situation that required going to the ER.
I don’t think we have the right to judge someone elses actions.
Any modification could go bad, even if it’s done under perfect conditions things could still end badly.
Maybe, even though you think they’re “irresponsible” or “short-sighted”, they wouldn’t go to the emergency room. Maybe someone willing to do a modification like that knows their body well enough that they would go to their doctor for help before it was a situation that required going to the ER.
I don’t think we have the right to judge someone elses actions.
Casey, sometimes using a little judgment is good.
Casey, sometimes using a little judgment is good.