6 Responses for "What’s the difference between Body Mutilation and Body Modification?"

1. DINOsour August 30th, 2009 at 2:31 am 1

   Body Mutilation- When you hurt yourself, causing to disfigure your body in some way, either accidentally or purposely.

   Body modification- Changing your body in a way to either improve or decline your overall appearance. Some examples:
   Tattoos
   Piercings
   Hair coloring
   Weight loss/Gain
   Plastic surgery

2. funwithsharpthings August 30th, 2009 at 3:12 am 2

   i’m a piercer and body mod artist. i consider liposuction and nose jobs to be quite mutilating. there are a lot of people out there that have really been mutilated by surgeons.
   but, mutilation would be like cutting yourself to inflict pain. modification is done to enhance your appearance. there is a difference, but mainstream doesn’t know where the line is

3. __Kenni_Rose__ August 30th, 2009 at 4:51 am 3

   I think hmm … Well I guess it just all comes to the reasoning and mind set for me.

   Body Mutilation is done to hurt yourself to inflict pain and hurt, your coming from a negative place and mind set. It’s a way to express and release negative emotions.

   Body Modification is done to improve or express yourself in a positive way. Most people feel better about themselves after a body mod.

   It’s kinda hard to explain but i’ve had a self mutilation issue in the past ( no longer ) and i’ve also had a couple different Body Mods done. And I can tell you that the feeling after I got say a new piercing or whatever is a happy confidant feeling … Where as the feeling after I did those other negative things was not at all.

   So like I would consider getting branded or scarification at a tattoo shop modifications and say cutting yourself with a razor in your room mutilation.

   It all comes back to the reason you do what your doing and how you feel after. That’s just what they mean to me.

   Peace <3

4. Gedsadf_D August 30th, 2009 at 5:25 am 4

   there is no difference

5. John August 30th, 2009 at 3:36 pm 5

   mutilation is like cutting limbs off whereas modification is like getting your ears pierced

6. Carol_Ine August 30th, 2009 at 11:42 pm 6

   To a degree the difference is relative. Chopping off an ear is obviously mutilation, but removing an extra finger, or an unwanted mole could be considered a modification. When it comes to plastic surgery or other procedures such as tattoos or piercings, one person might consider it mutilation while others might call it modification in the name of art.