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Nearly every human society practises or has practised some type of body modification in its broadest definition, from Māori Tattoos to Victorian Corset s to modern Breast Implant s. Some Futurist s believe that eventually humans will pursue body modification with more advanced Technological means, such as permanently implanted devices to enhance mental and physical capabilities, thereby becoming Cyborg s. For the substantial number of people with Heart Pacemaker s and Brain Implant s such as Cochlear Implant s and electrical brain stimulators for Parkinson's Disease , this is already a reality. CONTROVERSY One controversial objective of body modification is the attempt to resemble another Race , such as Asians having their Epicanthal Fold s modified to resemble non-Asian eyes or skin lightened with dyes (or even surgically), Suntanning , increase in Lips or Buttocks size by Caucasians, or African-Americans straightening their Hair or getting a Nose Job . Other sources of controversy stem from the notion of attempting to artificially beautify the natural form of the body, often leading to charges of disfigurement and mutilation. Extreme forms of Body Modification are occasionally viewed as symptomatic of Body Dysmorphic Disorder , other Mental Illness es, or as an expression of unchecked vanity. Often the general public are unprepared for some forms of modification and reports of the ostracism of modified individuals are widespread within the modification community. Unlicensed surgery performed outside of a medical environment can often be life-threatening, and is illegal in most countries and states. "Disfigurement" (a subjective term) and "mutilation" (regardless of any appreciation this always applies objectively whenever a bodily function is gravely diminished or lost, as with castration) are terms used by opponents of body modification to describe certain types of modifications, especially non-consensual ones. Those terms are used fairly uncontroversially to describe the victims of Torture , who have endured damage to Ear s, Eye s, Feet , Genitalia , Hand s, Nose s, Teeth , and/or Tongue s, including Amputation , Burning , Flagellation , Piercing , Skinning , and Wheeling . " Genital Mutilation " is also used somewhat more controversially to describe certain kinds of socially prescribed modifications to the Genitals , such as Circumcision , Female Circumcision , Castration , and surgeries performed to conform the genitals of individuals with Intersex conditions to those of typical males or females. Those opposed to the practice of Sexual Reassignment Surgery may consider it genital mutilation, done for Psychological reasons; this is universally rejected by those in favor of it, who more often consider the reasons medical. TYPOLOGY OF BODY MODIFICATION Body Art is any body modification for artistic or aesthetic reasons. However the term is often extended to all socially significant markings, often displaying the bearer belongs to some hereditary (e.g. tribal), age, religious or other group, and therefore on body parts that remain or can be 'decently' exposed in public, except if the group is private or even secret. "Mainstream" body modification
"Extreme" body modification
Genital body modification
Other surgical body modification
Body modifications occurring as the end result of long term activities or practices
INDIVIDUALS KNOWN FOR EXTENSIVE BODY MODIFICATION SEE ALSO SOURCES AND REFERENCES
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