Scarification means scratching or cutting, this term comes from the English word scarification. But more often they use the word scarring. This is one of the most unusual and extreme ways to decorate the body. This type of scarification, as artistic, consists in applying decorative, artistic scars and scars in the form of any drawings. Scarification is also called a kind of body painting.

Not everyone dares to make a picture of scars or scars, scarification is a rather exotic way to stand out. But still, many consider it a real art. There is an opinion that all ways to decorate the body occur in the same order. However, out of a hundred people with tattoos, only a few make themselves scarred. Tattoos are fun, compared to wanting to get scarred on your face or body.

Types of scarification methods

Branding and burning (branding)

Burning or branding of the skin is called the English word strikebranding. This method includes not only cauterization, but also the drawing up of drawings from lines that are applied separately. This option is acceptable for back scarring.

The method of scarification using special forms is called cauterybranding.

Scarification, which is applied with a laser, creating an incendiary effect, is called laser branding.

The reverse process of burning, when a scar occurs from touching an object with a very low temperature, is called coldbranding. Such scarring comes with the help of liquid nitrogen treatment of the necessary tool.

Cosmetic cutting of the skin, the so-called cutting

The removal of any part of the skin is called skin removal. This is the most popular method today, the use of this method allows you to achieve clear contours, neat lines and cuts in small details. To do this, use a scalpel.

This method of scarification, like packing, originated in Africa and had a ritual character, but it is also common today in the West. It consists in the fact that a foreign substance, for example, ash, is rubbed into the incision. In Africa, the ashes of relatives were used for this. When the gallbladder heals and the body pushes out the foreign matter, a keloid is formed. This method is used for scarring on the wrists.

Sometimes a tattoo pigment is rubbed into the incision and a pattern appears under the skin. But this is not very beautiful, as the drawing is blurry. This method is called inkrubbing.

How does the process of scarification actually take place?

Step-by-step scarification can be seen in a variety of photos, they capture all the main phases of the process. If you have a desire to become a professional in scarring, some photos will not be enough, but they will help those who hesitate to do scarification or not.

One of the important stages of scarring is anesthesia. The master who will scarify you, before starting this process, must be sure that you do not have allergies and contraindications to any painkillers.

In order to decide on a sketch, you need to look at photos and pictures, as well as types of different execution techniques. Of course, hobbies and hobbies are almost decisive factors in choosing patterns and drawings.

The pattern is also important. Usually, scarring is not done on risky areas of the body where important vessels are located or if the blood vessels are too close to the skin. Therefore, it is very important to turn to professionals in scarring, in no case do it at home, otherwise any vital veins and arteries, which can be the cause of death. Scarification requires much more money than tattooing. The price depends on the complexity and size of the pattern. But even if the price does not suit you, you should not take risks and scarify at home. For such a complex process, one cannot do without certain knowledge in surgery and medicine, as well as appropriate sanitary conditions and complete sterility of all instruments used. It is unrealistic to do this at home, only a non-professional will agree to such conditions in the complete absence of any guarantees.

There are no standards in terms of the healing of scarring, it will depend on many things. The main factor is, of course, the size of the damaged tissue, the method of scarring and, of course, your personal characteristics of the body.

Until the healing is completely completed, it is imperative to keep the wound completely sterile and clean! If you do not adhere to this, it is not at all excluded that an infection can get into the vrean. And once again, sterility must be monitored very carefully!

After scarring, pain-traumatic shock is also possible, if suddenly scarring takes place without anesthesia, there is a high probability of anaphylactic shock and the risk that the wound will heal properly.

“Do you have a scar? No, not a scar on your leg or arm from a cut. And not the terrible consequences of an excised appendicitis, but a scar in the form of a flame on your back? No? In vain. But I decided to cut myself, cut deeply and painfully.
Do not think that, grabbing a kitchen knife, and clutching a towel in his teeth, he began to slash himself right and left. I went to a salon where artistic scars are made by professionals, and this is called "scarification", or scarification in Russian.
Having examined my body, not yet touched by the blade, in the mirror for the last time, I hurried to the "procedure". The saloon sign read "Cut and beat". After thinking about five minutes at the entrance, I still went in. In those seconds that the door opened, my fantasy painted a hall: twilight, dozens of knives with different blades, photographs on the walls depicting "patients" in blood. But blinded by the bright light, I saw a room that looked like a doctor's office in whiteness. At the far wall, a young and pale girl was sitting at a table. Asking what brought me here, whether I am of age, and how much money I have, the girl retired to the next room. Returning a minute later, she suggested that I wait, as the master is busy, and will be able to receive me not earlier than in half an hour.

Everything here looked like a dentist's office. The same armchair in the middle, the same jars-flasks, the same "pieces of iron" in the trough near the chair. A clean-shaven young woman sat in an armchair, her eyes staring fixedly at the ceiling. On a tiny stool, at her left leg, bare to the knee, from which blood dripped, sat a master with a scalpel in his hand. They talked and then I just listened.

Kirill, how long have you been doing this?

Year two. I am a surgeon by profession. But here I earn three times more than in the hospital.

And how did you come up with this?

Once a woman came to my hospital with a scar on her arm and asked me to "cut it into a rose flower." At first I refused, but she offered so much money! I tried it, it worked out well. And six months later I read in some magazine that in the West, scarring is a very popular way to decorate your body. I decided to leave the hospital and cut artistic scars.

And when you worked in a hospital, did you pay attention to how scars look after surgery?

Not right away. But over time, I began to pay attention to it. For example, if you cut at an angle and to a certain depth, the scar will turn out to be convex, and straight - almost imperceptible. The location of the scar on the body is very important. It has to do with the circulatory system and muscle mass. On a large muscle mass, it turns out better, but again, not always. In general, I must say that the knowledge of surgery helped me a lot. In "scarification", the artistic design of the design is of much less importance than the bas-relief remaining on the skin - the main feature and beauty of decorative scars.

And how did it come about?

Drawing artistic scars on the body existed many, many centuries ago. I can't say exactly how long. I only know that in past centuries "scarification" was much more important to people than it is today. Now this is just a way to decorate the body, and among some ancient peoples, scarring a certain pattern on the face of a young man meant accepting him into the warriors. In African tribes, scars are an indispensable attribute of entering into sexual life. Artistic incisions are made on the girls' stomachs, sprinkled with ashes to make the scars look more prominent. Only after that, the newlyweds can be left alone.

Can you refuse a client if you think that the scar that he asks for is dangerous to his health?

Certainly. I will never cut the genitals, no matter how much money is offered. I can’t say that they often make such requests, but sometimes they come.

What's the weirdest scar you've ever been asked to get?

The most unusual? The young girl asked to cut the skin into three thin shreds in such a way that the shreds were held only by their upper ends. Then weave the flaps into a pigtail and engraft back.

I was about to cut, but from the mere sight of a scalpel she became unwell, and for about twenty minutes I brought her to her senses with ammonia.

Do you have anything yourself?

Scars? No. I'm terribly afraid of pain.

To me, sitting quietly all this time on a chair in the corner, it began to seem that dozens of blades were touching my body, cutting it into thin shreds, and ashes from African fires were pouring down on me from above. And not wanting to interfere with an interesting conversation with the fall of an insensible body, I hurried to the fresh air on half-bent legs.

Scarification, or scarification, (from Latin scarifico - scratch) - voluntary, artistic scarring on the body. This is one of the most extreme modifications of the human body. During the procedure, decorative scars are applied to the body, which ultimately represent a finished drawing. Quite often, scarification is resorted to by those who want to make beautiful the scars that already exist on the body, resulting from some kind of incident.

This is a very ancient tradition that came to us from the African continent and Polynesia. In the Middle Ages, scarification was used to brand criminals. In the US, for example, scarification was born in San Francisco as part of a new body modification movement in the mid-1980s. Initially, this movement was picked up by the gay subculture. Over the past eight years, scarification has become popular among various social groups in the US, Australia and Europe, from London to Prague. Some bodypainting extremes believe that piercing and tattoos are already a past stage, and if you want to stand out from the public dullness, you need to do something really unusual and bizarre, for example, cut your tongue in two, or make a scarification.

More recently, in modern Western body painting, this was associated with sadomasochism. However, many people interested in body modification today have little to do with sadomasochism; times have changed and now many people choose these forms of modification for purely aesthetic reasons. Some people just love the way they look!
Scarification is more suitable for people with dark skin than a tattoo, which is poorly visible on highly pigmented skin. In addition, since scarification has a three-dimensional aspect, many people enjoy the feel of healed scars.

The whole process is based on the regeneration of cut human flesh and the subsequent scar formation in the healing process. Scarification can be compared to tattooing. The initial drawing is applied, then the master scarifier outlines it, but not with a machine with a needle, but with a scalpel. The process itself is very painful and dangerous to health. The degree of soreness directly depends on your choice of whether the pattern is clearly visible or slightly noticeable. For example, if you want a flat drawing, like a small “flat” tattoo, then the process itself will not be so painful, because. the three-dimensionality of the pattern is achieved by increasing the depth of entry of the scalpel and its angle of inclination.

After the operation, the skin is disinfected with medical means, then it is covered with a well-permeable cloth. Scars heal for a long time, especially for a complete cut of the skin. Unpleasant sensations and constant itching in the area of ​​penetration are guaranteed for several weeks, but when the skin under the blood crusts is restored, the itching will subside and an excellent result will be visible in almost all cases. Recovery after the most serious operations can take up to 6 months.

Modifier artists skillfully promote their "bloody art", and the number of people wishing to be branded with artistic scars is increasing every day. There is an opinion among young people that scars on the body adorn it in the same original way, like, for example, a tattoo. But few of them truly imagine what awaits them in the modifier's office. The specialist's tools - a surgical coagulator, hot metal, a laser, a scalpel, with the help of which drawings are cut out and burned out on the body, frankly tell the patient how harmless and painless the upcoming procedure will be.

Such a type of scarring as branding, or branding (cauterization, cauterization (Late Latin cauterisatio, from Greek kauter - red-hot iron) is quite common. This is scarification, during which scars are obtained as a result of a burn. High temperature destroys the tissue, and after the wound heals, a scar forms. A healed brand is a pattern of raised lines that are slightly lighter than the skin. Quite rarely, the branding procedure consists of only one application of the brand, more often the desired scar is obtained after repeated application-strokes.

The most traditional type of branding is penetrating branding. During this procedure, a piece of hot metal is applied to the skin, which forms a burn. The modern analogue of this type is branding with a burner. This species uses blowtorches and other modern means to burn. Some medical devices for cauterization can also be used to obtain small, precise marks. There are frequent cases of independent, "handicraft" branding at home - a paper clip (for example) is folded in the shape of the desired image, heated and applied to the skin.

Branding, like other types of scarification, requires a long healing period, which consists of two main phases. The first of them lasts about a month, at which time the brand is covered with a scab and looks like a terrible wound. In the second stage, the brand from a bright red scar turns pink and takes on its final form. Depending on the skin, the second stage takes from six to twelve months.

Another modern type is "laser" branding, a term introduced by Steve Howorth to make it easier to explain to the general public the principle of operation of his electric burning device. The device is an electric arc that welds the skin. The human body is grounded and a spark jumps between the electrode and the skin, evaporating the tissue where the scar will subsequently be. This type of branding gives the master the opportunity to better control the depth of tissue damage and, as a result, get scars of various textures.

Speaking of scarring, one cannot ignore such a topic as “cold branding”. Not too many people have tried it on themselves, but the procedure itself is quite interesting. To carry out such scarring, the iron brand is not heated, but cooled by placing the copper tool in a solution of liquid nitrogen or other cooling reagents. A mixture of 5% dry ice and pure 95% alcohol has become widespread. After that, the stigma is pressed into the skin. The duration of the procedure is determined by the thickness of the epidermis - the thicker the skin, the longer. After cold modification, the hair on this part of the body never grows again, or absolutely white hairs grow.

Also, the most common form of scarring is cutting, in which the design is cut with a thin blade, while leaving a fairly neat scar. The healed result resembles a light scar in the shape of the original drawing. Skinning is often used here - cutting and removing pieces of skin. At the same time, the master can make the scars as wide and prominent as when branding and create an alternative to it.
Sometimes there is rubbing of the paint when cutting. In this procedure, tattoo or other ink is rubbed into a fresh cut, leaving most of the ink in the cut, resulting in a colored scar. However, this procedure is associated with some unaesthetic moments, for example, often most of the paint falls off along with scabs during the healing of cuts, and as a result, the scar looks more like a badly done tattoo.

scarification (scarification) called decorative scars, specially applied to the human body. The word "scarification" comes from the Latin "scarifico" - "I scratch." At first glance, it may seem that scarring is a terrible, painful process that disfigures the body, but most often it is done by extravagant people who love tattoos, as well as those who want to hide existing scars and tattoos.

Where did scarring come from?

The art of scarification is rooted in the past. In New Guinea, scars were applied before ritual ceremonies, they denoted the social status of a person. They also made scars to distinguish between people belonging to one or another tribe. Men in African tribes were accepted as warriors and initiated through the ritual of scarification. Decorative symbols, ornaments and hieroglyphs on different parts of the body meant courage and fearlessness of warriors. Boys entering adulthood were bound to be scarred. And an attribute of girlish bellies were graceful incisions, which were sprinkled with ashes for a more embossed look. Only after the scarification procedure could the native newlyweds be left alone.

Who does scarification?

In the 21st century, scarification has gained popularity mainly among goths and rockers. Most often, they inflict scars on the hands, imitating cut veins, as well as on the back. The modern practice of imitation scars looks somewhat different than its historical counterpart.

Symbols and images in scarification

Any geometric patterns, hieroglyphs, astrological and occult symbols, Polynesian drawings can be depicted on your body.

On fair skin, scars on a dark background will look more spectacular. To set off the future scar and better convey its details, a geometric figure of deep tan or dark color is tattooed as a background, with lighter edges and a dark center.

How scarification is done

Among American youth, until recently, it was fashionable to make a kind of “brand” on the body, but over time, a whole science of scarring appeared.

Cutting is an incision or section. Scars are made with a scalpel, they are of high quality and clearer. To obtain simple scars, incisions are made perpendicular to the surface of the skin, obtaining an elegant pattern. For bulging scars, the scalpel is dipped into the skin at an angle. For deep scars, the top layer of skin is cut out and deep, concave incisions are made.

Branding is branding or burning. The scar is created using a red-hot matrix. The branding matrix is ​​usually made from surgical wire. This method is preferred mainly by extremals.

The most popular places for scarring are the chest, head, outer surfaces of the forearms and lower legs. Scarification is not done on the bends of the knees and elbows, on the inner sides of the thighs and forearms: there are close vessels, you can lose a lot of blood.

Scarification is an unpleasant and painful event, more often it is done under local anesthesia. Only a qualified specialist can competently perform scarring.

Possible complications of scarring

Do not do scarification at home. Still, incisions on the skin are in some way a surgical operation.

Unskilled scarification increases the risk of infection of wounds and getting a completely different pattern that was originally desired. A failed scar can hardly be called an adornment of your body, it will be difficult to get rid of it forever or at least somehow fix it. Therefore, before scarring, think again about which specialist to contact, because the scars will remain on the body for life.

Scarification in the salons of Kyiv

Prices for scarification in some beauty salons and tattoos in Kyiv start from 1000 UAH.

Salon specialists create imitation of scars using scalpels, coagulators, needles and branding.

Scar Care

In order not to infect and not distort the pattern, while the scars heal, they are covered with a sterile bandage and do not wear clothes that squeeze or rub the scarring site.

Not only in our time, but throughout the entire period of the existence of mankind, people are inclined. When society practically reconciled with piercing, such a method as scarring still causes violent reactions in people.

Scarification has been around for a long time, since tribal times. By applying scars to a person’s skin, they indicated his social status or belonging to a certain group. This method was used to emphasize a person's special purpose, or to stigmatize him so that people would know about his negative deeds.

In ancient times, the scarred warrior was treated with honor, but there was a period when the scars became the lot of slaves. This method of body decoration is still used in many African tribes. A large number of scars adorn the bodies of women, because there it is considered a true sign of beauty.

Now scarification is a way of decorating your body with scars by cutting the skin. Otherwise, this method is also called scarification (from lat. scarifico- scratching). With it, you can apply various patterns to the body, voluminous or concave, and even give them color.

How is the procedure?

If you're thinking about scarring, the first thing you need to know is that it hurts a lot. For such a procedure is usually used. There are people who want to do the procedure without anesthesia, arguing that they must endure this pain. The argument is dubious, but it’s up to everyone to decide for themselves, but not everyone can withstand the pain of cutting off the skin and whether it makes sense, especially if the drawing is large.

The pattern is applied with a scalpel, holding it at a right angle or obliquely. In the second case, the drawing will be more voluminous. Often, special clay is added to the wound to make the scars more voluminous. The drawing can be applied using branding ( branding) is a way of getting a scar with a hot object, a kind of branding.

The procedure can only be done in a professional salon. Even if you think its implementation is simple, you can not do anything like this at home. First, you will be unpleasantly surprised by the result when the wound heals. Secondly, the probability of infection of the wound is too high.

After the procedure, you will have a long healing period. Over time, they will form, but you will see the final result only after a few years. While the scar is healing, you need to wear a sterile bandage. It is necessary to protect the place of scarring from the effects of clothing on it.

The hands, forearm and back are most often scarred. There are places on the body where scarring is prohibited: under the bend of the knee and elbow, on the inside of the thigh and forearm - this is accompanied by large blood loss, which means that there is a threat to health.

After the procedure, a new scar needs gentle care. If you neglect the advice of a tattoo artist, then complications may arise in the form of poor scar regeneration, and as a result, you will get a completely different pattern than you expected.

A normal phenomenon after the procedure is an increase in body temperature. An open wound appeared on the body, and hyperthermia is a normal reaction of the body. Your well-being after the procedure may not please you for several days, especially if you have chosen a large drawing.

Before you decide to apply a drawing to the body, you need to know that the result will remain with you forever. Unlike a tattoo, which, for example, with a laser, scarring cannot be removed. Therefore, think carefully about the symbolism and whether you can normally coexist with scarification on the body in 10-20-30 years of your life.

Of course, it is especially not recommended for minors to decide on such an act, and it is better to postpone the procedure until later if you are now in a critical period in your life. Although it is at such moments that the decision to make scarring can most often come.

If earlier, during leisure hours, some young men were engaged in woodcarving, now young people are engaged in inflicting cuts on ... their skin! There is even such an art of artistic modification of the body, which is called scarification. Some consider it a perversion and mockery of themselves, others, supporters of this method, consider it a way of self-expression and self-affirmation.

Scarification or scarring - this is another name for scarring - is the deliberate infliction of cuts on the skin in order to obtain scars and scars at the site of their healing. In order to form the desired pattern from them, cuts are applied along the contours of a pre-applied blank.

What you need for scarring at home

• Scarification should be done by a person trained in this technology.
• Maximum sterility must be observed.

Scarification is not as common as tattoo or body art, so there are not so many specialists who can perform it. In addition, this is a relatively expensive service, not everyone can pay for it. Therefore, more and more people are trying to perform scarring on their own at home, using their tools. If you are one of them, then be sure to follow the main recommendations when applying cuts to the body.

For scarring you will need the following materials:

1. Antiseptic. They process all materials, tools and the place of drawing.
2. Sterile wipes. They will be needed during the operation.
3. Medical scalpel. At home, some use a blade, a needle as a tool, but a surgical scalpel is considered an ideal tool. First, it is made of special metal. Secondly, it is hard and does not bend, unlike the blade, which is quite soft and can slip during the operation, which will distort the lines of the design or cut in the wrong place.
4. Disposable sterile gloves. Before starting work at home, they must be thoroughly wiped with an antibacterial agent. Also, the place of application of the pattern is repeatedly wiped, and the area of ​​application of the product is more than centimeters by 5-10 of the area of ​​the intended pattern.
5. A sketch of the future drawing, which is transferred to the area where scarring will be carried out. Most often at home, a decal is used as a template.
6. An anesthetic that is injected under the skin to induce anesthesia. Please note: not spraying with painkillers, but injecting it under the skin with a syringe. If you use the freezing method, then swelling of the skin will occur and the outline of the pattern will blur. As a result, you may not get the picture that you originally planned.
7. A sterile bandage that is applied to the wound after surgery and removed after 3-4 hours. It is advisable to apply iodine or brilliant green around the applied pattern.
8. Be sure to take into account that this procedure is contraindicated for HIV-infected people, carriers of the hepatitis virus, people with a blood disease, as well as patients with diabetes.

What type of scarring is easier to do at home, and which is better to refuse?

If you nevertheless decide to perform scarification at home and familiarize yourself with the basic rules for its preparation, then give up complex scarification technologies:

• deep cutting in order to obtain an in-depth pattern;
• volumetric scarring, for which you need to know at what angle the scalpel should be held.

If you do not observe the angle of the cut, you will get an uneven pattern: in one place it will protrude more, in another - less. That is, it is very difficult to achieve the desired result for those who have not held a scalpel in their hands before.

You should also choose the right place on the body for scarring. It is done where there are no folds or closely spaced blood vessels. Do not carry out scarification in the area of ​​the knee or elbow, on the inner side of the thigh. Most often, the drawing is applied to the forehead, forearm, lower leg, hands and other areas on the body.

• The simplest thing you can do at home is scraping (scratching). By removing the top layer of skin, the desired pattern is obtained. You can scratch the outline of the drawing with a needle, a scalpel. Do not make cuts that are too deep, as there is a danger of catching a nerve or muscle.
• At home, another type of scarring is performed - branding. A brand in the form of the desired pattern is made from a special medical wire, which is heated on fire and a burn is applied to the skin area. After a certain time, the place of application of the stigma heals, leaving a scar.

It should be noted that scarification is a very painful and dangerous body modification technology. There is a high risk of infection in an open wound, which will cause suppuration of the scars. Before you go for it, weigh the pros and cons, especially if you are going to do scarification at home.

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