Introduction to Body Modification Suspension

Hey Tattooed Fans and Friends! Have you noticed all these people hanging by ropes and HOOKS from the rafters lately? They are practicing the Art of Body Suspension or Body Modification Suspension - suspending the human body from hooks that have been placed through body piercings. These piercings are usually temporary and are performed on-site just prior to the actual suspension.

Body Suspension is blend of modern body modification and ancient spiritual practices. Once practiced by North American Plains Indians and Southeast Asian aboriginal tribes as a “rite of passage”, recent growing popularity can be directly attributed to Australian suspension artist Stelarc; Fakir Musafar - the “Father of the Modern Primitive movement”; and more recently the television show Mindfreak, whose host Criss Angel suspended himself from hooks attached to a flying helicopter.

Body Suspension is a delicate and detailed process and preparations and suspensions are usually performed by Suspension “Teams”. These Teams often include one or more Professional Piercing Artists. The Team also handles the detailed preparations, body hook placement, safety and sanitary precautions and finally, the actual suspension. Until recently, the suspension hooks were large fishing hooks that had been modified for body suspension by removing the barbs. The growing popularity of suspension has prompted piercing jewelry and piercing supply companies like Painful Pleasures to develop, test and market 4, 6, and 8 gauge hooks designed specifically for suspension. The remaining body suspension hardware can be as simple as a pulley and nylon rope, or as elaborate as an entire suspension “cage”.

To read the rest of this article and learn more about Body Modification Suspension including the Suspension Styles and Positions check out the full-length article at the SABodyArt.com Tattoo and Piercing Article Page! To see detailed (graphic) photos of a recent local Body Suspension visit A Night of Suspension and Suspension at the Slinging Ink Tattoo Expo. Thanks! Kevin at SABodyArt.com - Promoting the Tattoo (and Tattooed!) Lifestyle in San Antonio!