Scarification: what is it, photos and useful tips

Scarification (scarification o frightening in English) is one of the most talked about bodily modifications of tribal origin. In Italy it is not clear whether it is legal to practice this or not. Or rather, as is often the case in this area, it is neither expressly prohibited nor explicitly permitted to perform scarification.

Origin of scarification

The name of this practice comes from the word “scar“Scar in English, because it consists precisely in creating incisions in the skin in such a way that decorative scars are formed. This type of leather decoration has been widely practiced in the past by some African peoples for celebrate the transition from childhood to adulthoodand even today in some parts of Africa it is a form of extreme body modification that symbolizes beauty and well-being. Obviously, this was a painful practice that the subject had to go through in silence because, as is the case with many rites of passage, suffering is an element that demonstrates the courage and strength of those entering adulthood. The choice of drawings varies from tribe to tribe, made from razors, stones, shells, or knives, putting subjects at high risk of infection or nerve cutting.

Today many people decide to resort to frightening to create original jewelry for the body and, despite the bloody procedure of their manufacture, of delicate beauty.

How is scarification done?

First of all with scarification all this is implied practices aimed at creating scars on the skin... There are 3 main types of scarification:

Branding: hot, cold or electrocautery. In practice, it is “branded” or using liquid nitrogen / nitrogen in such a way as to leave a permanent mark on the patient's skin.

Cutting: through more or less deep and more or less repetitive cuts, this is the most famous and oldest method. The deeper and more noticeable the incision, the more noticeable the result and the raised scar (keloid).

Skin removal or flaking: the artist removes real skin flaps according to a precise design. To obtain optimal results, the artist often removes less skin without going too deep, instructing the client to take optimal measures so that the skin can heal with an obvious scar that is true to the original design.

For all types of scarification, this is FUNDAMENTAL that the artist is certified, that he adheres to the hygiene rules established by the law (and even beyond), and that the studio in which everything will be performed is obsessed with the hygiene directives. If even one of these elements does not come back to you, leave and change the artist: it is very important that you first realize that everything is set up to create body modification painful and in itself is already fraught with a high risk of infection.

As long as the pain and risk of contracting this extreme modification does not prevent you from doing it, it is good to know what to do inaftercare so that the structure heals and heals as we would like.

How to cure scarification

Unlike a tattoo, for which everything is done to speed up and accelerate healing, for scarification it is necessary to slow down scarring... Like? This is not easy because the first thing the skin will do is protect the damaged parts by creating a scab. And in order for the scar (and therefore the completed drawing) to be visible, the crust should not be able to form.

Does scarification hurt?

Yes, it hurts like hell. Basically, your skin is intentionally traumatized in order to create a scar. Obviously, pain can be reduced to a minimum by using pain-relieving creams or real local anesthesia. However, it is also true that many people who choose this art form embrace pain as part of a spiritual process.