Warning: This article is was submitted as one individuals experience, Tattoo Info cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided, we strongly urge you to get experienced professional advice before even thinking about such practices.
These are body modification practices that include lots of procedures. They involve the use of medical equipment, and should be done only by professionals. Much of the information included in this article might be unpleasant for some people, and all of it is for informative reasons only. Never attempt any of this on your own without a professional, a sterile environment, and lots of experience and knowledge. Many of these practices are illegal in a few states, and you and the professional that performed them may be subject to arrest. Also, some of these practices fall under “body mutilation” in many states, and can have you hospitalized against your will.
Splitting is the cutting of a body part in half, and making two separate parts. This is done to a few body parts, mainly tongues, penises, nipples, and other parts of the genitals. They can be performed by scalpel, laser, “tie-off” thread, or cautery tools, which sometimes included a heated scalpel. Tongue splits start at the tip of the tongue, and end about an inch or two up. During the procedure, you may feel pain, pressure, burning, and/or the smell of burning flesh. The laser is the most clean and precise method of splitting, and is considered to be the least painful as well. There isn’t much blood in the splitting of a tongue, but other body parts are likely to bleed intensely.
Your splitting may not heal “correctly”, or as you intended it to, since the body tries to keep itself together. The laser procedure also helps with a successful healing process. It may take up to four months or more for some body part splittings, but the tongue takes a considerable less amount of time. After it is fully healed, both sides of the tongue are able to be moved separately, and even pick up small objects. It is done for aesthetical reasons, and also for the sexual benefits body modifiers claim.
Scalpeling is done for many reasons, one of which is to quickly enlarge a piercing. When enlarging your gauges for your body jewelry, some people prefer to jump sizes quickly, rather than the slow stretching process. You can scalpel any body part, and enlarge any size hole. Ear gauges are often helped grow in size with the use of scalpeling, especially if one’s ears don’t yet have any holes, and they want to get to a double zero immediately. The scalpel is often heated in order to cauterize the cut, and the new jewelry is inserted immediately. This process can be very painful and takes months of slow healing. Swelling may not recede for a week or more, and infections are very possible.
Scalpeling is also done to give little slices and nicks into body parts. People have notches cut out of their ears, genitals, nipples, tongues and even large spaces like chests or arms. This is a mix between scarification and scalpeling, and is less noticeable that splittings, as they are usually small indentations.
