What It's Like to Be a Hardcore Body Modifier

Body modification isn't limited to just tattoos and piercings. From subdermal horns, to tongue splitting, to ear stretching, to eyeball tattoos and way beyond, there are a whole horde of ways to change the way you look—and just as many reasons for doing it.

To better understand the mentality behind extreme body modification, VICE sat down with Vic Penna, a former tattoo artist and piercer who's had his tongue split, ears, lips, and cheeks pierced, and been tattooed more times than he can count. Penna explains how he started to experiment with the process, and why someone might want to voluntarily put hooks through their flesh.