The Art of Scarification

Scarification is still a relatively uncommon practice in the United States, but it is rapidly growing in popularity. Scarification is related to tattooing, but instead of injecting ink into the body it involves branding or cutting designs into the body. It is a unique way for people to express themselves, and when well done it can be tasteful and beautiful. It is important to remember, however, that scarification can affect the body and mind. The act of getting a scar can be dangerous, as numerous things can go wrong. The reactions of other people, and one's own feelings about the new scar, can change one's self-esteem greatly, for the better or for the worse.

Scarification includes branding, cutting, and abrasion, with branding as the most well known technique. Brands are usually created by pressing specially designed, hot irons to the skin. Designs generally require more than one strike, and each strike takes several seconds to complete. Branding can also be done with surgical lasers, which usually results in more precise lines. Either way, branding causes third-degree burns, and must be cared for carefully so that they heal properly. Despite the fact that branding causes bad wounds, many people who have received a brand say that the procedure actually does not hurt that much after the first split second or two of each strike. This is because the heat of the iron quickly burns away the nerve cells. However, anyone who has acquired a brand can remember the smell of burning flesh vividly; it is perhaps the most lasting impression of the procedure. As the brands heal, they spread to at least twice the width of the original burn mark. Cutting, on the other hand, produces fine lines that do not spread, and so cutting scars can be made much smaller and more intricate than brands. Cutting is done with a surgical scalpel, and often lines are done over and over again in order to produce deeper scars. Abrasion starts with the process of cutting, but as the wounds heal, one chafes the wound by picking at it or rubbing a substance such as dirt into it. Removing small sections of skin in order to produce thicker lines, usually done in conjunction with cutting, is also a form of abrasion. This method is extraordinarily painful. Either method will cause a raised scar to occur, called a keloid. Keloids occur more often on dark-skinned people because of the larger amount of melanin in their skin. Many people perform abrasion on their wounds in order to make their brand or cut more obvious. However, abrasion can lead to infection and make the scar heal unevenly.

Scarification has been in existence for centuries, and it has been done for many different reasons. Sometimes it was done to enhance attractiveness, but it was also done as a test of strength, to ensure health, to mark one's place in society, or to honor a god, among other reasons. It first occurred in regions where dark-skinned people live, since scarification shows up against dark skin far better than tattoos do. Even today, people in many parts of Africa create patterns of small raised bumps through abrasion for beauty and as a sign of health. Other peoples use cutting scars to indicate membership of a tribe, and in one Ethiopian tribe men receive scars when they have killed an enemy for the first time. A female mummy covered in tattoos and decorative scars was recently discovered; she lived in Egypt over four thousand years ago. At around the same time period, the native people of New Zealand and Australia practiced cutting as part of their passage into adulthood. British warriors cut designs into their skins in order to unnerve their opponents, as well as to show what tribe they belonged to. Branding also has a long history, dating back to Roman times, and has most often been used to identify slaves and criminals. Branding is also used as a rite of passage in many cultures. Genesis 4:15 states that God placed a mark upon Cain. Some people believe that this mark may have been the first brand. In the United States, members of fraternities often brand themselves to show that they have a bond. The art of body modification spread throughout Europe in the first few centuries AD, but when the Spanish Inquisition started the art almost ceased entirely. This occurred because scars often proved that the wearer was or had been part of another religion. As people stopped publicly receiving scars symbolizing what religion they belonged to, however, non-Christians also started to get secret scars so that they could identify each other. After a long hiatus, body art slowly become reintroduced to Europe in the late 1700's. Scarification first appeared in the United States in the 1980s in San Francisco (Guynup, 2004). Since then, its popularity has grown tremendously. However, it is important to remember that throughout history, scarification has most commonly been used to signify someone's passage into adulthood. This is because scarification was so painful or dangerous that to be able to complete the ritual was a sign that someone had enough strength to become an adult.

Its role through history should make it clear that scarification is by no means a safe operation. A good artist is essential when getting a decorative scar, because there are many health risks. Attempting to scar at home could also lead to mistakes being made, which would result in a scar that looks ugly or blurred. The artist must know how deep to cut or how long to hold the hot brand to skin, as well as how to properly care for the healing wound. Anyone who wants to get a scar should go to a reputable shop, so that one can ensure that everything is sanitary. There should be a clean workspace and sanitized materials, and the artist should also wear gloves. Unclean materials make it likely that a disease will enter the new wound, or an infection will start. Before receiving a scar, it is important that one not consume alcohol or drugs, since that can lead to thinning blood, a heightened awareness of pain, or falling unconscious, among other dangers. Receiving a scar can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to several sessions of a few hours each (Guynup, 2004). Since this is a long period to undergo tremendous pain, many people get a "high" from the endorphins flooding their systems. Once receiving a scar, the wearer should follow the artist's instructions or the wound may not heal properly and become infected. It is necessary to clean the wound twice a day, and keep the wound bandaged up. Applying a medicated gel is helpful in cooling the wound and speeding the healing process. Unless the healing wounds are picked at, branding is not likely to lead to infection because the burned flesh seals up the wound as soon as it is created. This makes branding perhaps the safest of the three types of scarification. Picking at the scabs, though it can lead to a more visible scar, is likely to make the scar look rough and uneven. Picking at scabs is also what leads to infection, which could be problematic or even deadly. A better way to ensure a visible scar is to irritate the wound with something like lemon juice or a special chemical. Abrasion is the type of scar that is most likely to get an infection, because people often introduce unclean materials such as dirt in order to make the scars more prominent. It is important to remember that everyone reacts differently to scarification; what looks good on one person may turn out badly on another, depending on skin color and how thick the skin is, among other things. Someone who wants a scar should always listen to their artist's recommendations about what type of scar is best for them. Most good artists will only agree to scar someone if it is clear that they have made their decision by thinking long and hard about it, since all three methods are extremely painful and the scars are nearly impossible to remove. Brands can often only be removed by cutting away the skin that surrounds it, which will most likely result in a new scar forming from the surgery. In some cases, it may even be necessary to graft skin onto the wound from another part of the body. There are also mental risks to scarring. Because of the endorphin rush that occurs during scarification, many people become addicted to the process. Some psychologists worry that scarification may be a growing form of self-injury.

Someone who is absolutely sure that they want a decorative scar must think about why they want one, therefore, and also about the effect that it will have on their life. Many employers do not allow their employees to expose their body art while they are at the workplace. Those who have scars in a prominent place may find it difficult to find a job, or will be required to cover it at all times. Anyone considering a scar should choose its placement with this in mind. Some people mark themselves with the name of someone they love. However, most body artists do not consider this a good idea because relationships often change, apart from relationships such as the one between parents and children. The military, though it does not prohibit body art, has rules about what types of body art are allowed and what are not. Some religions, such as Judaism, also prohibit body art. Leviticus 19:28 states, "You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead of tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord." The reason for this command was because many pagan cultures used body art as a way of worshipping their gods. For the Jews, to obtain body art would be a form of idolatry. Most Christians, however, do not believe that this command still applies, because body art is no longer seen as something that only pagan cultures do. In fact, many Christians who get body art use it as a way to witness by getting a cross or a verse number imprinted into their skin. Other people get scars as a way of maintaining their individuality in an increasingly uniform world. It is also done to pay homage to one's ancestors who practiced scarification as one of their customs, or as a sense of nostalgia for a more natural way of living. These people call themselves "modern primitives," and often obtain scars reminiscent of the scars that ancient tribes used in their rites of passages. Still others yet want scars in order to reveal who they are, or at least a piece of themselves, to the world. Scarification is used to mark transitions, because of peer pressure, or simply to enhance one's physical appearance. There are many different reasons for decorative scarification, but it is important to never get a scar on a whim. It will most likely be a source of regret after a few years.

Though scarification is not something that appeals to everyone, others like the look tremendously. Scarification is not wrong; it is a unique way for one to express oneself. Decorative scars can be beautiful, and scarification has an incredibly rich history. However, one always most consider carefully before deciding to get a scar, because removing one is nearly impossible. It is important for people to learn about scarification before they decide to change their body, because otherwise they may make a mistake that they will later regret. Scars are for forever, and while they can be an excellent and exciting way to make a statement, it is important to think carefully before making the decision to acquire one or not.

Works Cited

Miller, J.C. (2004). The body art book: A complete, illustrated guide to tattoos, piercings, and other body modifications. New York, New York: The Berkeley Publishing Group.

Gay, K., & Whittington, C. (2002). Body marks: Tattooing, piercing, and scarification. Brookfield, Connecticut: The Millbrook Press, Inc.

Guynup, S. (2004, July 28). Scarification: Ancient body art leaving new marks. National Geographic Channel.http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0728_040728_tvtabooscars.html

Wilkinson, B. (1998). Coping with the dangers of tattooing, body piercing, and branding. New York, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.