Why do you have body mods?

jenizzle

After my sister lectured me about my new tattoos (how they'd ruin my life, my career which is going fine, will make me a useless mother etc...) she asked me something that nobody ever asked me before!

Why did you do it?

And I didn't have an answer without thinking about it for a while and getting super psychological about it. Mainly came down to modifications making me more comfortable in my skin.

So, do tell, why do you get tattoos and piercings?

garthv

I got my first piercing(tongue) because my girlfriend at the time wanted me to get it. I remember walking around Stephens Green Shopping Centre after getting it done, endorphins rushing around my body and the slight high I got from it. This started my addiction.

I then got my next few piercings to see how far I could push it, getting a better buzz each time. Twas quite crazy. These days though, my piercings are more of a diary of my life. I usually go in with a friend who is getting something pierced so whenever I see the piercing I always have some sort of memory for that point in time.

popecatapetal

I started my small (so far) collection with the usual gunned ears when I was 11, because I had got lots of pierced earrings for my Confirmation and wanted to be able to wear them. I passed out in the jeweller's mid pierce... After that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be getting any other holes put in my body.

Then, before the summer, I started thinking about getting my nose pierced. I always liked how nose rings looked in other people. So I started saving up. My goal was not to eat any sweets for the month before my cousin's wedding (my mum had said I was looking fat) and with the money I saved, I would get my nose pierced after the wedding.

So I did. And I had such a huge adrenaline rush, and it felt really really good. And then, when I got home, and the adreniline had worn off, I looked in the mirror, and I felt pretty for the first time in an awfully long time. And I knew I wanted to get more.

After that, I was planning all summer to get snakebites, which I got and felt beautiful again. But by this time, I was actually starting to like the feeling of getting pierced as well. I got very stressed coming up to the snakebites piercings, and then the second the needle went through the first one, all the worry just drained away, and I felt peaceful (under the awesome adrenaline of course:D)

So my last piercings were my nipples, a week ago. I'd been fighting with my roommate for a month, and I was miserable and stressed, so when I went in to Inkwell to get my labret checked, I decided that I'd get a piercing to calm me down. So I got my nipples done (slight ulterior motive here though - I've never felt anything in my nipples, so I hoped that a bar going through them would open up a new world of sensation. I did feel the needle, and they've been pretty sensitive to hot and cold since, but so far not much erogeny. Ah well, I can still hope:))

I've also recently started my tattoo. It's a picture of a baby orangutan I drew for my Leaving Cert, and I've always loved both it and orangutans - I hope to work with them when I graduate. So when this is done, I'll always have an orangutan (MY orangutan:)) sitting on my lap, whether I get to work with them or not.

Next I'll be getting my other nostril pierced, cos being assymetrical makes me feel uncomfortable.

Anyway, that's my story of why I've done all the modifications I've done so far. Sorry about the length - it was the first time I'd ever really thought about it in depth.

Attol

The first time I got my ears pierced I was in 5th class. I had an allergic reaction to them and had to get them ripped out by the school nurse. I love jewellery and was jealous that all my friends had gorgeous earrings so at 15 I went to Claire's Accessories and got 2 studs. In 4th year I was still going through my mini rocker stage so went to George's St. Arcade and got my ears pierced four more times. I got back with the guy I had been seeing who was a tad more straight laced than I was and ended up toning down a little at about 17 and stopped wearing anything other than my bottom 2 lobe piercings, my tongue and my cartilage one, although he had shown an interest in my getting my tongue pierced, which I got done at 16. At 18 I lost my cartilage piercing at a gig, and with that the last bit of my interest in piercings.

At 19 I started hanging out with someone who managed to pique my interest in the matter again. Started off with getting my cartilage piercing reopened and my other lobe piercings in use again. Got a conch piercing and my nape. I just had forgotten how fun it is to see your new jewellery and was glad to get some more. My tattoo was pretty spontaneous, had a few days off of work and thought I'd try something new. I'm delighted with it and still adore it.

Quattroste

Well I only have one tattoo done very recently. I am 36 and I did listen to parents, uncles etc when they told me that I would regret getting a tattoo(when younger). I have wanted one since I was a teenager but decided that they were probably right, especially as my uncle had them and told me he regretted it. So after waiting 18 years from when legally old enough to get a tattoo and still wanting one I decided that this whole regret stuff is rubbish! However my tattoo is not visible to others unless I have sleeveless tops on as it is for me (although I would show other like persons).

I see tattoos as art! I like art and I like creating. This is why I have a tattoo.

I also had one ear pierced a couple of times but I kinda grew out of that. It would look weird in the industry I work in because everything else about me is quite reserved.

Star Lord

Why do you cut your hair the way you do? Why do you wear what you wear?
I think it's an expression of your own individualism, your likes, your loves, your ambitions...

Reku

I only have tattoos, just would worry too much about piercings getting ripped out, but I get them to make sure I never forget things, reminders of who I am and the life lessons I was rather slow to learn to the detrement of others.:(

*Page*

I did it as a way of becoming myself...

Its a form of expression.

when it came to getting anything done i went with my gut and did it and have never regretted it.

Selestiel

I only have one piercing at the moment, that's my industrial that i love in my left ear! (It's feeling better ^^)

When it was still hurting a few weeks ago i concidered taking it out, and when i did, for the whole 2 hours or so, i felt naked, as if i wasn't wearing any clothes at all, the same as everyone else, part of a whole.

I hated it

My scaffold is something that i saw on a friend, loved, and went through the fear and little pain it caused having it done, and all the happiness i got out of seeing it or feeling it afterwards. It's just who i feel like :-)

I'm debating on getting a tattoo of the number 7 in roman numerals on my right shoulderblade for personal reasons, and two 3mm earplugs.

I really want an anti eyebrow too, but i don't think that's seen as "acceptable" if you want to get any kind of job where dealing with customers is concerned.

Just makes me feel like i am who i am

hot2def

I made you a bad mother

Will

Crumble Froo

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Why do you cut your hair the way you do? Why do you wear what you wear?
I think it's an expression of your own individualism, your likes, your loves, your ambitions...

well agree with that...

for me it's partially that, partially cos i like how it looks, and partially as a little reminder in my life... more so with tattoos than piercings... it's funny, cos most people never think i've as many piercings as i do, as my hair/clothes tend to hide them... but i got like, two done in third class, another two done when i was 12, and other couple when i was about 14, another one at 17... that kinda thing... slowly built up, just a little at a time, i can remember where/when i got all my piercings done at various points in my life.

and does anyone else with lip rings find that they attract children? little toddlers always seem intrigued by it...

Hester

narco wrote: »

and does anyone else with lip rings find that they attract children? little toddlers always seem intrigued by it...

Ha, funny this. I found that Asian girls were fascinated by my lip ring. Twice in the Chinese takeaway two different girls asked me about it, did it hurt. Then another time in Spar an Asian girl asked me if it was sore. Kinda got me paranoid and was asking my friends "does it look sore?":o

Gauge

I like them.

jenizzle

hot2def wrote: »

I made you a bad mother

Oh yes, according to them, you've pretty much ruined my life! Thank you


And I think my reasons are pretty much the same as all of yours... nice to know I'm not the only one

Now I've gotten it in my head that everything must be symmetrical, so I'm gonna have to do something about that this winter (I only ever seem to be in a piercing mood at winter time)

rannerap

i get bored:)mostly when im drunkhhh

Cupcake_Crisis

i have all mine coz i think they're pretty!!! i like them and they make me happy!!

Will

^^ possibly the best answer right there...

i have body piercings because i like the way they look on me, same for tattoos. Self expression too, to a point. something i cant explain very well or put into words.

Crumble Froo

Wilburt wrote: »

^^ possibly the best answer right there...

i have body piercings because i like the way they look on me, same for tattoos. Self expression too, to a point. something i cant explain very well or put into words.

that's it exactly.

aido182

I always wanted to get tattoos but I have to say, Im glad I waited this long (Im 35) cos I could have ended up with some well dodgy tattoos!

My backpiece is my daughters celtic birthsigns, so not only do I like the piece, it means something too.

(some say I got them cos my mid life crisis has started already ) *goes off to start saving for red sports car...*

bluedolphin

Got my ear lobes gunned at 12; they closed up; got them gunned again; they closed up; got them gunned a third time - have them to this day. Got a second lot gunned; they closed (anyone seeing a pattern?).

Got nose gunned at 16; it closed.

Got rim gunned at 16; it got infected and a lot of nasty stuff oozed out; closed it!

I stopped butchering myself at this stage for a few years and realised that gun violence is not the answer.

Got labret done in June 06, then tragus in July, nostril in Dec, scaffold in July 07, and tongue two weeks ago

Plans for the future include...multiple cartilage (spiral), the other tragus, and my nape...

I have them because I like them. And they're fun to play with (tongue + labret).

Kastro

body modification is just that... modifying ones self.. everything from dying your hair to bodybuilding is modification, wearing makeup, cutting your hair, the chains and rings you wear.. the tattoos and piercings, heavy mods and further.. its all about you and being you, how you express yourself and how you want people to percieve you.