Practices of body modifications date back centuries ago. In some countries body modifications are sacred, separates class division, a set standard of beauty, or rites of passage; thus making it a ‘norm’ in their community. In the United States, some types of body modifications have become almost a standard norm, compared to past history. The body modifications that are becoming increasing popular within the U.S. are piercings, tattoos, hair coloring, body-building, tanning, dieting, and cosmetic surgery.
What is the reasoning behind why these types (semi-permanent or permanent) of body modifications are becoming increasingly normal? Unfortunately, this it is a hard question to answer and it all depends on the individual. Some people may do body modifications to perfect or correct their appearance, some may seek to improve their body-image, some may just do it as an impulse with no reasoning behind it, and some may use it as a creative self expression (Swami 2011).Regardless of the reasoning, individuals may come to regret the unintended negative consequences that comes along with their body modifications.
The connection between self esteem and body modifications are a controversial topic to study for researchers. One study found that the more piercings and tattoos present on an individual’s body, correlated to having lower self-esteem before the body modification had taken place (Carroll, Anderson 2002). However, there are hundreds of articles that claim the exact opposite of this statement. There’s no clear cut answer to this, but maybe you can figure it out for yourself by thinking about, how you felt before receiving a body modification?
Interestingly enough, there was sufficient evidence that links gender differences in body modifications. Women typically have a higher number of body modifications and a greater range of body modifications practices, compared to there male counterparts (Vizagaitis, Lenzenweger 2018). Do you think this is an accurate statement?
Let’s talk about the aftermath of body modifications. Studies show that immediately after receiving a tattoo both men/women reported having significant dissatisfaction with their appearance and also an increase in anxiety about their appearance. However, after three week passed from the original date of the modification, participants appeared to show greater self-esteem and a better body appreciation (Swami 2011). Another study agrees with this, reporting that both men and women had a higher body appreciation and a lower anxiety regarding appearance (Hill, Ogletree, Mccrary 2016). But, I guess this claim really depends on how well a body modification turned out or if it lived up to your expectations.
My opinion in all this would be that there’s no way to get an accurate answer when it concerns body modifications. Everyone is different and our experiences and communities shape our thoughts and actions around these different practices.
- Sources:
Carroll, L., & Anderson, R. (2002). Body Piercing, Tattooing, Self-Esteem, and Body Investment in Adolescent Girls. Adolescence, 37(147), 627. Retrieved from http://proxy-bc.researchport.umd.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,uid&db=a9h&AN=8520438&site=eds-live&scope=site
HILL, B. M., OGLETREE, S. M., & MCCRARY, K. M. (2016). Body Modifications in College Students: Considering Gender, Self-Esteem, Body Appreciation, and Reasons for Tattoos. College Student Journal, 50(2), 246–252. Retrieved from http://proxy-bc.researchport.umd.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,uid&db=pbh&AN=116190975&site=eds-live&scope=site
Swami, V. (2011). Marked for life? A prospective study of tattoos on appearance anxiety and dissatisfaction, perceptions of uniqueness, and self-esteem. Body Image, 8, 237–244. https://doi-org.proxy-bc.researchport.umd.edu/10.1016/j.bodyim.2011.04.005
Vizgaitis, A. L., & Lenzenweger, M. F. (2018). Pierced identities: Body modification, borderline personality features, identity, and self-concept disturbances. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. https://doi-org.proxy-bc.researchport.umd.edu/10.1037/per0000309.supp (Supplemental)
Unruly Bodies 
This is a really interesting topic. When I got my first tattoo, there really was a change in self esteem for me. For the first week I was actually really insecure. And just like your aforementioned article mentions, later, my self esteem was alright again. I’m wondering if it could be that in the first week, the tattoo is just starting to heal, thereby exposing a flawed or “leaking” body. I think we could be onto something here in that it connects to how Dr. Kate mentions how we are all pressed to avoid such instances and present a body that is intact with no “imperfection”.
I’m not surprised at all to learn that women have a higher percentage of body modifications as society tends to place a lot of pressure on women to portray a certain image. The expectations on women which tend to be created by men can be anything from the preference of blonde hair to a bigger buttocks. The aftermath of these modifications I’m sure depends on the reasons why people decided to modify their bodies in general.