Is there a difference between adult genital mutilation and tatoo's?

I'm going to bed now and it's gonna take a loong chapter in the Stephen King book I'm reading to get this off of my mind...lol.

But I wonder, is there a critical and relevant difference between self-mutilation and getting a tatoo or an ear pierced or breast augmentation (for non-medical or non-reconstructive purposes)?

I understand the infant has no choice, but we as adults do. And the definitions I've been reading on DU tonight as to what mutilation is appears to include those things I've just mentioned, and probably a lot more than that.

So technically, are the tatoo's we choose to get as an adult simply nothing more than self-mutilation? Are the peircing's that young ladies (sorry, guys too) choose to get a close rather than distant relative of deciding to get engage yourself in self-mutilation when you are old enough to make a rational consent to do so?

I've become aware that it's kindy trendy to get one's genatalia pierced these days. Is there any difference between that and a person who decides on a more... pronounced form of self-mutilation?

I'm not asking to get anyone pissed off or to be snarky (if I wanted to piss you off, I'd tell you about my new job in Cancun that starts next month... :) ), it's simply that the threads about this topic have brought this question to my brain.

Am I completely wrong and off-base on this? Is there something I'm missing?

Will check back in the morning.

that "chronic self-mutilation"), I think you have a point. I often got tattooed turning times in my life when I was struggling desperately to stop cutting myself. It served the same purpose.

Only, the tattoos are pretty. So I guess it was better.

I don't regret them, BTW. I like all my tats. I'm just being honest about what my motivations were at the time.

Would it be too much to ask you if I could PM (or IM or whatever it's called...) about your experiences with that at a later time? My brother's a cutter (amongst many, many other problems) and I'd like to understand him better but he can't/won't talk about his problems/feelings/etc.

I know it's kinda weird as you don't know me from Adam, but the website's I've gone to offer little in the way of personal experience (usually it's just clincal observation, etc...), or maybe you could direct me a site that does have more in the way of personal experience if nothing else.

It may not help as he's almost 40 and there's a gut feeling I have that if he hasn't resolved whatever directs him to do this by now, he never will. But I'd still like to at least be able to better empathize with him.

Thanks, either way.

I have helped many people understand why they (or their family/friends) cut themselves. PM away!

and had a likeness of my tatooed wiener tatooed on the resultant scar tissue.