What forms of body modification exist across cultures?

The answer

Body modification is a universal cultural practice taking diverse forms. Cranial deformation, achieved by binding infants' heads, was practiced by the Maya, the Huns, and several African cultures to signify elite status. Chinese foot binding compressed women's feet to roughly 10 centimeters for over a thousand years. Scarification is practiced across West Africa as a marker of identity, beauty, and social status. Ear stretching has been practiced by the Maasai, certain Southeast Asian groups, and modern Western subcultures. The Mentawai people of Indonesia sharpen their teeth to points for spiritual and aesthetic purposes. Modern Western body modification has expanded to include implants, split tongues, and extreme piercings. All these practices share a common purpose: using the body as a canvas to express cultural identity, social status, or personal meaning.