Body modification is a broad category that covers anything from socially acceptable ear piercings to culturally mandated circumcisions, but there’s a small niche in this category that involves the most extreme manipulation of the human body. Some trendsetters treat their bodies like a work of art and some cultures are simply handing down tradition, but all of the following examples are shocking in their own way, so brace yourself. Here are 10 shockingly extreme body modifications that aren’t for the faint of heart (or stomach).

(Images via arkangel666, qeana, renzo_dinali)

Society has become used to seeing angsty teens with bad tattoos, but as society’s boundaries broaden, those who push against the limits continue to pave the way for the rest of us. Technological innovations now allow for the insertion of silicone based implants that won’t affect the body’s normal processes, but stand out in a way that would be hard to match with any tattoo. From horns to clovers, just about any shape can be slipped under the skin.

(Images via janicesaucier and kevinspraggett)

Tongue splitting is incredibly painful and the resulting wound is in turns hideous and prone to infection. Once the tongue has healed, however, you’re left with something surreal: a tongue that works as two. Some find it hideous and disgusting, but nobody can deny it’s interesting to see such a mundane part of the human body transformed into something spectacular.

(Images via michellekfamilysafe, tattooedfolk, madeofchalk)

When one thinks of piercing, the first object that comes to mind is not typically a stainless steel hook, but to some, it is. Suspension requires that several heavy duty hooks attached to wires are pierced through the skin. The biggest danger here is that not enough hooks will be used… resulting in a tear. Suspension looks grisly, but is apparently much less painful than you’d expect. It’s a staple for any dark underground show.

(Images via jcvigi and catpeters)

Corset piercings are a unique twist on a typically benign adornment. A series of piercings are placed in two parallel rows down the back, side, or legs (or anywhere else you can think of), and a ribbon is woven back and forth to create a beautiful design. One can change the ribbon to suit the occasion, turning one’s body into an unusual and creative accessory.

(Images via Lemmy_Caution and haabet)

Scarification is still frequently used in Africa for decoration and to mark the passage into adulthood. Children have tribal designs cut into their faces, chests, and backs, in order to show they are man enough to withstand the pain without uttering a single noise. These marks help tribes identify friend or foe, and are considered aesthetically pleasing. The technique is slowly making its way across the globe, though scarification in the United States and Europe typically takes on a different aesthetic that involves more flat red scars, and less raised bumps.

(Images via mimik and chilombiano)

Kavadi is a structure held into place on a devotee’s body to venerate the Tamil god of war. There are several ways for believers to show their devoutness, from the mundane (carrying jugs of milk) to the more exotic (fire walking). Some choose a more extreme path and prepare for 48 days before their rites. These believers have over 100 metal spikes placed through their skin in a formation that allows the Kavadi structure to remain in place on their body.

(Images via bme)

Just as some people have an innate desire to become the other sex, some have the seemingly random desire to become an amputee. These people are often straight-laced in every other facet of their lives, but cannot escape the need to have a limb removed. Since no doctor will perform a medically unnecessary amputation, most of these people have to take things into their own hands (and garage). When the need becomes uncontrollable, a tourniquet is tied around the limb, and once numbness sets in, they begin cutting. Afterwards, they’re left with a sense of relief that is not shared by friends and family.

(Images via paulnaidu and whappen)

Even the most common forms of body modification can be taken to their extremes. In a world where 2-4 ear piercings are the norm, and then, mostly on women, people love to push the limits by piercing anything and everything they can. Some choose to pierce uncommon areas, such as genitals, whereas some decide that more is better, and shoot for the moon. The most pierced woman has over 1,000 piercings on her face alone.

(Images via mainlinenation, uihealthcare, ufl)

Teeth decorations vary and span from inlaid jewels to teeth filed to points. Some like to sharpen teeth to look more like a vampire, while others show their wealth by having them all coated in gold. In Africa, some tribes file teeth into points, and knock out others, to show the participant has made the journey from childhood to adulthood. Just as in scarification, it’s important for the child to show no pain.

(Images via rudiroels, allposters, aestheticsbodymod, nygus)

What looks like disfigurement to some, is the height of beauty to others. Members of the Mursi tribe in Ethiopia judge beauty by the size of a female’s lip plug. Girls begin placing plugs into their lips at a young age and slowly increase the plug size until the lip is stretched to a surprising degree. Women have to be careful not to increase the plug sizes too quickly, as someone with a broken lip will never find a husband. It’s thought this tradition began as a way to avoid having women stolen during raids by other tribes, as their members would not find the modified women attractive.

Churches are some of society’s most stylistically beautiful buildings. A large amount of building design comes down to functionality and affordability, so churches, built for a spiritual purpose rather than a materialistic one, tend to include elements that highlight beauty and detail. When these churches grow old, or are purchased, they can then be renovated into amazing houses that uniquely introduce religious elements into a pedestrian environment.

The Church of Living

The Church of Living is a transformed structure, from church to residence, carefully designed by Zecc architecture in the Netherlands. This firm is no stranger to church conversions, and their design chops are shown to full affect in this example from Utrecht. White walls and modern appliances and motifs maintained the atmosphere of the church, while making it a home worth living in. The small old church touches that remain are what keep this building anchored. For example, the chandelier in the ultra modern bathroom is the perfect example of an old touch balancing out a very modern renovation.

WG Architects, Brisbane

Willis Greenhalgh Architects, known better as WG Architects, transformed this Brisbane church into a gorgeous home full of light. Built in 1867, this is a heritage site, and thus required a very delicate renovation. The unique elements of an old style church were maintained, while contemporary elements were introduced to bring the church house “up to speed.”

Westbourne Grove Church

This imposing building, Westbourne Grove Church, was transformed into a modern home with a 2 floor renovation by London-based DOS Architects; the steps taken to complete the process are presented visually on their site here. Design site Abduzeedo provides additional background information about the history of the church, which despite seeming ancient, was built with a Victorian style in 1953. The design team decided to go highly modern in the interior, which contrasts nicely with the old-style stone outside.

Glenlyon Church

Multiplicity is the two person team of designer Sioux Clark and architect Tim O’Sullivan. Bedecked with awards (for good reason) they hold tightly to their commitment of “creating spaces that are intrinsically beautiful, highly useable, readily enjoyable and environmentally friendly.” Their 2004 conversion of the Glenlyon church into a livable residence pulls out all of the design stops, as it required that they literally create a 2nd story out of thin air. Utilizing glass and the many gorgeous windows, they were able to highly increase the usable space, while keeping the structure in the middle from making it seem too crowded.

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Hyper realistic art is stunning for a variety of reasons: it pushes the limits of skill, it’s incredibly detailed, etc, but what really elevates the style is creating something in high definition that is even brighter and more detailed than possible in life. For the casual observer, however, it’s the dissonance between looking at something that must be a photograph, and realizing it was actually created by hand that makes it jaw-dropping.

Diego Fazio

Diego Fazio is an Italian artist whose careful portraiture is notable because his subjects are active. There are few things as tough to capture withe a pen or pencil as splashing water across a human subject, but Diego does it with excellent effect in Sensazioni, the piece on the left of these examples. The top right piece is Il Silenzio Del Dolore (English: The Silence of Pain), and the bottom right image is titled Come Il Vento (English: Like the Wind). According to Diego’s DeviantArt page, he began as a tattoo artist and then decided he preferred to draw bodies rather than draw on them. If there weren’t photos of Diego working on his pieces, it would be difficult to believe they were drawn by hand. Still can’t believe it? Check out the progression here, here, and here.

Dirk Dzimirsky

Dirk Dzimirsky is not playing around. When he wants to capture a moment, he captures every miniscule detail. One can look at Dirk’s collection here (warning, some images are NSFW). In Dirk’s artist statement, he discusses why he chooses drawing over painting. He notes that drawing allows him “to create many layers over layers of lines and dots which react to each other in order to create a vibrant texture with directions and movement” and argues that this layering makes his portraits more warm and alive than a photograph would. Picture above are four of his works. Clockwise from top left: Drawn Face VI 2009, Black Sun 2011, Frozen 2010, and Breath 2010.

Paul Cadden

Paul Cadden is a Scottish born hyper realist artist whose incredibly popular art is prized for its detail and subject matter. Cadden doesn’t shy away from the gritty, and uses subjects with an incredible amount of character. In describing hyper realism on his site, and how he draws based on photographs, he hits on a point that seems to be a lesson in hyper realism, that “the virtual image becomes the living image, an intensification of the normal.” All of Paul’s work can be found on his main site paulcadden.com (some of the portraits are nude, and possibly NSFW).

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Annemarie Busschers is a contemporary artist from the Netherlands who creates portraits that beautifully captures the raw emotion of her subjects, often photorealistically.

Annemarie Busschers works, most of which can be found on her site here, follow similar themes of “saying goodbye to the self” (in the artist’s own words). Even when she’s setting out to to capture her subject’s emotion, the realism of her depiction gives it a photo realistic aspect. These examples show several self portraits (top right photo, and bottom).

This painting, via PulpFactor, is one of Annemarie Busscher’s earlier works, and an excellent example of the emotional realism that continues through her most recent portraits. The second image comes via Booooooom and gives a good perspective on the size of her canvases.

These Annemarie Busschers paintings are excellent examples of the amount of texture she attains with her artistry. The size of the canvas gives her room to create a landscape out of skin and facial features, creating an image that’s an incredibly clear treatment of her subject.

Found on entremundos and galeriebrandt, these pieces reveal the contrast between Annemarie’s treatments of different subjects. Each subject requires a different approach to capture their personality.

Annemarie Busschers has incredible talent that’s constantly evolving, but always sticks to one essence: that the subject will have their essence captured in whatever way serves them best.

Theme parks are fun because of the rides, yes, but a lot of the joy comes from the atmosphere. Theme parks are designed like movie sets, and it feels like one has stepped into a different world. Wouldn’t it be great if that feeling could be brought home? It can be. Creating a themed home theater is increasingly popular with those that have the money, or the obsession, to make it worthwhile.

Pirate Themed Home Theater

(Images via elitehometheaterseating)

Elite Home Theater Seating is one of the strongest voices in the themed home theater business. This particular offering is a pirate themed project that showcases their skills to great affect. These theaters are incredibly detail oriented, with a star studded sky completing the illusion of being on an open air ship on the high seas.

Egyptian Tomb Theater

(Images via avsforum)

Florida-based AVS Forum contributor Venomnusss shared his incredibly detailed Egyptian tomb-themed home theater. According to his description, the theater took 1.5 years to complete, which isn’t surprising considering the incredible detail. Symmetric sides encase a large U-shaped couch that can seat the entire family, whether it’s time for the next episode of a TV show, or a thrilling film.

Star Trek Movie Theater

(Images via escusa)

Electronics masters ESC designed and implemented this intense Star Trek themed theater for a private homeowner. With an incredible amount of detail (apparent to any fans of the show) and a difficult set up, ESC pulled out all the stops, including motorized doors and concert-type lighting.

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