Scarification

Scarification is a permanent body modification that uses scar tissue produced by the body to form designs, pictures, or words in the skin. Scars are most often formed by cutting or branding the skin. Scarification is sometimes called "cicatrization" (from the French equivalent).

Information about scarification can be found on the internet, one of the best sources is BMEzine who also run their own wiki. Many of the links on this, and other wipipedia articles, link directly to the BMEzine wiki (see scarification). Scarification as a practice is much less mainstream than tattoos or piercing and as such it is much harder to find artists to carry out the procedure. Anyone considering this form of body modification should research the subject and practicioners thoroughly before committing to having any work done on them.

Reasons

Scarifications are usually more visible on darker skinned people than tattoos.
Endorphins are released in the process of obtaining the scarification that can put a person into a high or euphoria.
Unlike tattoos, scarifications are a product of one's own body.

Methods

Scarification is not a precise art; there are many variables, such as skin type, depth of the cut, and how the wound is treated while healing, that make the outcome somewhat unpredictable. The body creates the scar, not the artist; it is important to keep in mind that a method that works well on one person may not work so well on another. Also, the scars tend to spread a bit as they heal, so scarifications are usually relatively simple designs -- small details can easily get swallowed up in the healing process.

Branding

"Strike branding" -- This is basically the same process used to brand livestock. A piece of metal is heated and pressed onto the skin for the brand. However, the brand is usually done piece by piece rather than all at once. For example, to get a V-shaped brand, two lines would be burned separately by a straight piece of metal, rather than by a V-shaped piece of metal.
"Cautery branding" -- This is a less common form of branding that uses a tool similar to a cautery-iron to cause the burns.
"Laser branding" -- The technical term for laser branding is "electrocautery branding." The electrocautery unit is more like an arc welder for skin than a medical laser (though it is possible to use a medical laser for scarification). Electric sparks jump from the device to the skin, vaporizing the skin. This is a more precise form of scarification, because it is possible to regulate the depth and nature of the skin damage being done.
"Cold branding" -- This rare method of branding is the same thing as strike branding, except that the metal branding tool is subjected to extreme cold (such as liquid nitrogen) rather than extreme heat. This method will cause the hair on the brand to grow back white and will not cause any keloiding. Many modern scarification methods were developed by an artist known as Blair working out of Toronto, Canada.

Cutting

Cutting of the skin for cosmetic purposes is not to be confused with self-injury, which is also referred to by the euphemism "cutting."

Lines are cut with surgical blades. Extended cutting techniques include:

"Ink rubbing" -- This is where tattoo ink (or another sterile coloring agent) is rubbed into a fresh cut. Most of this ink will remain in the skin as the cut heals, and will have the same basic effect as a tattoo. As with tattoos, it is important not to pick the scabs as this will pull out the ink. The general public often interprets ink-rubbings as poorly done tattoos.
"Skin removal/skinning" -- Cutting in single lines produces relatively thin scars, and skin removal is a way to get a larger area of scar tissue. The outlines of the area of skin to be removed will be cut, and then the skin to be removed will be peeled away. Scars from this method often have an inconsistent texture.
"Packing" -- This method is uncommon in the West, but has traditionally been used in Africa. A cut is made diagonally and an inert material such as clay or ash is packed into the wound; massive keloids are formed during healing as the wound pushes out the substance that had been inserted into the wound. Cigar ash is commonly used in the United States for more raised and purple scars; people may also use ashes of deceased loved ones.

Abrasion

Scars can be formed by removing layers of skin through abrasion. This can be achieved using a tattooing device (with no ink), or any object that can remove skin through friction (such as sandpaper). It is somewhat common for people who wish to experiment with performing their own scarifications to scrape away skin into a desired pattern with a needle or pin. This method of self-scarification is not recommended as it is unsafe.

Chemical scarification uses corrosive chemicals to remove skin and induce scarring. The effects of this method are typically very similar to other, simpler forms of scarification; as a result there has been little research undertaken on this method.

Healing

The common opinion on healing a scarification wound is that it should be treated with irritation.

Irritation -- Generally, the longer it takes a wound to heal, the more pronounced (the darker or more raised) the scar will be. Therefore, in order to have very pronounced scars, the goal is to keep the wound open and healing for the longest time possible. This is done by picking or scrubbing away scabs and irritating the wound with chemical or natural irritants such as toothpaste or citrus juice. With this method, a wound may take months to heal; however the scar may be inconsistent.
Keloids -- Keloids are raised scars. Keloiding can be a result of genetics, skin color (darker skin types are more prone to keloiding), or irritation. Keloids are often desired for the visual, 3-D effect they provide and for the way they feel to the touch.
If an enclosed space --such as a circle -- is cut or branded, it is possible that the skin inside of the closed space will die off and scar due to a lack of blood flow to the area.
Touch-ups -- If a scarification does not heal in the desired fashion, secondary scarifications may be done to help achieve the desired effect, such as even scarring, or detail.

An alternative view is described by the acronym "LITHA", meaning "Leave It The Hell Alone." In body modification this is often considered the best way to reduce the risk of infection and the pain of healing.

Dangers/Cautions

Scarification is intentionally causing harm/trauma to the skin -- it is not safe. However, assuming that the scarification artist and the person getting the scarification are well informed, scarification falls within the category of "acceptable risks."

Infection is obviously a concern. Not only the materials for inducing the wounds must be sanitary, but the wound needs to be kept clean, using anti-bacterial solutions or soaps often, and having good hygiene in general. It is not uncommon, especially if the wound is being irritated, for a local infection to develop around the wound. A strong immune system will heal this local infection in due time, but the bearer of the wound/scar needs to pay close attention to make sure the infection is not spreading and that they are not showing any signs that the infection has spread into their bloodstream, in which case a doctor needs to be contacted.
The scarification artist needs to have a working knowledge of the anatomy of human skin, in order to prevent cutting too deep, burning too hot (or cold), or burning for too long.
Scarification isn't nearly as popular as tattooing, so it is harder to find experienced artists, and for artists to get experience.
Precautions are made for brandings, such as wearing masks, because it is possible for diseases to be passed from the skin into the fumes produced when the skin is burning.

External links

Body Alterations - University of Iowa
Scarification FAQ from "Body Modification E-Zine"
MODIFICATE - Modificate, by Jonathan Martinez

(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the Scarification article in Wipipedia.)

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