A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Your (self-chosen) oldest modification

Not including modifications that were forced on you — circumcisions, ear piercings as a baby, and so on — what’s your oldest non-earlobe body modification? The reader in this entry tells me that she got her nipple pierced seventeen years ago at the Gauntlet in NYC — she’s 56 years old now and still loving it!

My nipple piercing (retired) will also turn seventeen on February 14, with my first tattoos turning 19 this year, meaning that I’ve had them for over half my life now. Roo and I were talking about our tongue splits as well, with 1998 being the year that tongue splitting exploded in popularity, many people will soon be walking around — still happy, like the woman below — with decade old split tongues.

 17-year-old-nipple-piercing.jpg

Comments

172 responses to “Your (self-chosen) oldest modification”

  1. EvilSleepy Avatar

    Ears and 1st tattoo self done when I was 12…21 years ago. But as the question asks: Tongue at age 19..so 14 years ago…I don’t normally wear it but it still pops right in at 10g. 😉

  2. EvilSleepy Avatar

    Ears and 1st tattoo self done when I was 12…21 years ago. But as the question asks: Tongue at age 19..so 14 years ago…I don’t normally wear it but it still pops right in at 10g. 😉

  3. Elaine Avatar

    First piercing was my VCH… 5 years ago.

  4. Elaine Avatar

    First piercing was my VCH… 5 years ago.

  5. estrojenn Avatar
    estrojenn

    she’s gorgeous!

    my hood and nipple piercings will be 16 this july. first tattoo (s) (drawn by you Shannon!) will are 15 almost 16. so yeah – also very close to half of my life!

  6. estrojenn Avatar
    estrojenn

    she’s gorgeous!

    my hood and nipple piercings will be 16 this july. first tattoo (s) (drawn by you Shannon!) will are 15 almost 16. so yeah – also very close to half of my life!

  7. Kaitlin N Avatar

    well i am 21yrs old now, lobes and cartilage by the time i was 15. my 1st true one i guess would have been my left nostril that i got at 17yrs old. my mom let me get it if i would stop stretching my ears.. haha 5 years later and they are an 1 1/4″

  8. Kaitlin N Avatar

    well i am 21yrs old now, lobes and cartilage by the time i was 15. my 1st true one i guess would have been my left nostril that i got at 17yrs old. my mom let me get it if i would stop stretching my ears.. haha 5 years later and they are an 1 1/4″

  9. DragonHeart Avatar
    DragonHeart

    1st was right nipple at 17

  10. San Avatar

    Navel at 14.

  11. DragonHeart Avatar
    DragonHeart

    1st was right nipple at 17

  12. San Avatar

    Navel at 14.

  13. Vera Avatar
    Vera

    I’ve gotten a tattoo every year for my birthday since I turned 18, starting with a Distelfink (PA Dutch thing) on my hip for my 18th, the words “there are no words” in my handwriting on the top of my foot for my 19th, sternum piercing for my 20th but it rejected, and I’m getting my 21st birthday tattoo of a William Nicholson duck print on my back next week.

  14. Vera Avatar
    Vera

    I’ve gotten a tattoo every year for my birthday since I turned 18, starting with a Distelfink (PA Dutch thing) on my hip for my 18th, the words “there are no words” in my handwriting on the top of my foot for my 19th, sternum piercing for my 20th but it rejected, and I’m getting my 21st birthday tattoo of a William Nicholson duck print on my back next week.

  15. Snap Dragon Avatar

    I’m 30 years old now, I pierced my navel at 12.
    I had never even seen a navel piercing before I did mine so I have no idea where I got the idea other than being a bit of a cutter.. I would cut my skin and rub india ink in the rubbing’s… I started doing that at age 11.. again no idea where I got that Idea.. I still have one of the stick and poke tattoo’s I did around that age on my ankle to this day, a little tribal piece.

  16. Snap Dragon Avatar

    I’m 30 years old now, I pierced my navel at 12.
    I had never even seen a navel piercing before I did mine so I have no idea where I got the idea other than being a bit of a cutter.. I would cut my skin and rub india ink in the rubbing’s… I started doing that at age 11.. again no idea where I got that Idea.. I still have one of the stick and poke tattoo’s I did around that age on my ankle to this day, a little tribal piece.

  17. Archetype Avatar

    I’m the same as #5.
    But mine is only 4/5 years old 😛

  18. Archetype Avatar

    I’m the same as #5.
    But mine is only 4/5 years old 😛

  19. jess Avatar
    jess

    Hot!

    I had my tragus pierced when I was 14. I’m 22 now. So…8 years.

  20. jess Avatar
    jess

    Hot!

    I had my tragus pierced when I was 14. I’m 22 now. So…8 years.

  21. starspring Avatar

    first and oldest piercings which are still by far my favorites: MY nipples, done at gauntlet in 1992, 16 years ago. Goodness its been a while.

  22. starspring Avatar

    first and oldest piercings which are still by far my favorites: MY nipples, done at gauntlet in 1992, 16 years ago. Goodness its been a while.

  23. Kristin Avatar
    Kristin

    i got a cartilage piercing for my 12th birthday, and my first tattoo was a couple months after i turned 18.

  24. Kristin Avatar
    Kristin

    i got a cartilage piercing for my 12th birthday, and my first tattoo was a couple months after i turned 18.

  25. Laura Avatar

    Eyebrow, I was 16. I had it for about 3 years. I miss it.

  26. Laura Avatar

    Eyebrow, I was 16. I had it for about 3 years. I miss it.

  27. herekittykitty Avatar
    herekittykitty

    My nostril piercing will turn 21 years old on April 23 =)
    Self-done as there weren’t any piercing places around. I’d seen a pic of a girl in Easyriders biker magazine who had her nose done and had to have it.

    Used a sterling hoop earring as there wasn’t anything else to use.

  28. herekittykitty Avatar
    herekittykitty

    My nostril piercing will turn 21 years old on April 23 =)
    Self-done as there weren’t any piercing places around. I’d seen a pic of a girl in Easyriders biker magazine who had her nose done and had to have it.

    Used a sterling hoop earring as there wasn’t anything else to use.

  29. ella Avatar

    1st non-lobe piercing/intentional mod was a vertical hood piercing when I was 21, about 7 years ago.

  30. ella Avatar

    1st non-lobe piercing/intentional mod was a vertical hood piercing when I was 21, about 7 years ago.

  31. Tammy Avatar

    My bridge piercing is 9 years old, I got it 2 weeks after my 18th birthday.

  32. Tammy Avatar

    My bridge piercing is 9 years old, I got it 2 weeks after my 18th birthday.

  33. MoonChild Avatar
    MoonChild

    I had 3 earrings on one ear by the time I was 9, but since ears don’t count, I pierced my nose (with a gun!!!) at 13(over 9 years ago. I got my first tattoo almost 8 years ago (at 15).

  34. MoonChild Avatar
    MoonChild

    I had 3 earrings on one ear by the time I was 9, but since ears don’t count, I pierced my nose (with a gun!!!) at 13(over 9 years ago. I got my first tattoo almost 8 years ago (at 15).

  35. Shoot me again Avatar

    navel 13, rook + tragus 14, tongue 15, nipples 16, split tongue 16. woo 🙂

  36. Shoot me again Avatar

    navel 13, rook + tragus 14, tongue 15, nipples 16, split tongue 16. woo 🙂

  37. Shelly Avatar
    Shelly

    The picture could have been taken any time in the 17yrs she’s had the piercing. Either way – I hope to look that good when I’m 40.
    Not counting my ears done by choice in 3rd grade… I pierced my nostril (retired but still open) over 18 yrs ago – more than 1/2 my life and my tongue 15 yrs ago – almost 1/2 my life(eek! I can’t believe it’s been that long!)

  38. Shelly Avatar
    Shelly

    The picture could have been taken any time in the 17yrs she’s had the piercing. Either way – I hope to look that good when I’m 40.
    Not counting my ears done by choice in 3rd grade… I pierced my nostril (retired but still open) over 18 yrs ago – more than 1/2 my life and my tongue 15 yrs ago – almost 1/2 my life(eek! I can’t believe it’s been that long!)

  39. Kat777 Avatar
    Kat777

    shes lovely 🙂
    my oldest chosen mod is probably my second set of crooked lobe piercings, gunned at claires when i was 12…so ten years….

  40. Kat777 Avatar
    Kat777

    shes lovely 🙂
    my oldest chosen mod is probably my second set of crooked lobe piercings, gunned at claires when i was 12…so ten years….

  41. Kat777 Avatar
    Kat777

    oh, and if lobes don’t count, then my self done tattoo when i was 14, 8 years ago.

  42. Kat777 Avatar
    Kat777

    oh, and if lobes don’t count, then my self done tattoo when i was 14, 8 years ago.

  43. dungbeetle Avatar
    dungbeetle

    My left nipple will turn 15 in april.

  44. dungbeetle Avatar
    dungbeetle

    My left nipple will turn 15 in april.

  45. JuuL Avatar
    JuuL

    my nape surface piercing is about 3 years old now, first tattoo is 6 years old in april

  46. JuuL Avatar
    JuuL

    my nape surface piercing is about 3 years old now, first tattoo is 6 years old in april

  47. Annab Avatar
    Annab

    Navel- 13 years old.
    Left nipple- 9 years old.
    Not bad for 24.
    Nothing in the navel piercing, but occasionally I put something in to prove that I can.

  48. Annab Avatar
    Annab

    Navel- 13 years old.
    Left nipple- 9 years old.
    Not bad for 24.
    Nothing in the navel piercing, but occasionally I put something in to prove that I can.

  49. Don Avatar

    My oldest is my PA, done in the summer of 1992, which will make it 16 this year. Still going strong and still my favourite!

  50. Don Avatar

    My oldest is my PA, done in the summer of 1992, which will make it 16 this year. Still going strong and still my favourite!

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