Surgical addiction, self-mutilation, body modififcation. All these things should be warnings that a person is not happy with who they are. Part of the problem is the plethora of unregulated private 'clinics' who will perform such procedures simply because the client is willing to pay for them. They are under no obligation to report unusual or potentially harmful requests to qualified specialists. Nor are they requred to conduct any form of counselling prior to picking up the knife.
When I was a kid, most women wore clip-on earrings and a man with a tattoo was either a seaqman or consdered 'dodgy'. By the time I was a teenager, a lot of girls were getting their ears pierced and before I was twenty, the lads were having it done, too.
Nowadays, tattoos seem to be the rule rather than the exception, with even Civil Service managers having them! I've seen some beautiful work on arms and legs, as well as elsewhere.
But I do find facial piercings and tattoos a little disturbing! OK if your culture call for nose piercing, and yes, facial tattoos are usual among Maori, for instance. But when I see some youngster wih a face full of metal, or permanently inked wih pseudo-tribal tattoos he would have no right to if they were real, I start to worry.
OK, I'm the sot of chap who never wears tartan in case he upsets a member of the clan the tartan belongs to. But I don't have an issue with other folk wearing it. If you want your eyebrow or lip pierced, fine- just have it done properly and professionally.
However, having multiple piercings in both ears, both eyebrows, nose, cheeks, lips and tongue is more than 'pushing the boat out'. Having mst of your face tattooed with assorted swirls, lines and odd symbols is more than 'over the top'. It indicates, if nothng else, an urgent need to be noticed, even to the point of throwing away job or promotion oppottunities. The people who do the work ought to be able, preferably required, to report such excessive requests to someone, and refuse to do the work if they feel there is a problem.
When it comes to non-therapeutic surgery, there is an absolute need for pre-treament counselling. It's one thing getting rid of a nasty scar, or perhaps an unsightly mole or birthmark, but even a simple boob or nose job needs to be talked about first.
If you're not comfortable in your own skin, there has to be a reason. You need to be sure the reason is a good one!
