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Body Modification (or, Body Alteration) is the deliberate altering of the human body for any non-medical reason, such as - aesthetics, sexual enhancement, a rite of passage, religious reasons, to display Group Membership or affiliation, to create body art, shock value, or self-expression.

In its most broad definition, it includes plastic surgery, socially acceptable decoration (e.g., common Ear Piercing in many societies), and religious rites of passage (e.g., circumcision in a number of cultures), as well as the modern Primitive Movement.

Some sources of controversy stem from the notion of attempting to artificially beautify the natural form of the body, often leading to charges of disfigurement and mutilation.

Extreme forms of Body Modification are occasionally viewed as symptomatic of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, other mental illnesses, or as an expression of unchecked vanity.

Unlicensed surgery (i.e., the plastic surgery field) performed outside of a medical environment can often be life-threatening, and is illegal in most countries and States.

* See also: Bᴏᴅʏ Pɪᴇʀᴄɪɴɢ, Ear Piercing and Navel Piercing.