Body Modification

Tropes and genres
Tropes and genres
Synonym(s)	Tattoo, Inking, Body Piercing, Nipple Ring, Navel Ring
Related tropes/genres	Kink, Blair's Hair
See also	Body Horror, Wingfic
	Related articles on Fanlore.
	Contents 1 Types; 2 Some Brief Canon Examples; 3 Fanon Modifications; 4 As a Symbol of Transformation; 5 Done Without Consent; 6 Examples in Fanfiction; 7 Examples in Fanart; 8 Resources;

Body modification in fanworks...

Types

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Angel's tattoo incorporated into a webring graphic

These canon tattoos are often incorporated into fanworks:

Angel's tattoo on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Ray Kowalski's tattoo in Due South
Gabrielle's magical dragon tattoo in the series finale of Xena
The Death Eaters' tattoos in Harry Potter
Derek Hale's triskelion tattoo in Teen Wolf
The ANBU tattoos in Naruto
The protective tattoos on Sam and Dean Winchester in Supernatural. Also, the hand-print mark left on Dean by Castiel, which may count as decorative scarification.
Dwalin's tattoos in the Peter Jackson film of The Hobbit
Crowley’s tattoo of a snake, beside his right ear, from Good Omens

Teen Wolf: Romantic interests of Derek Hale often get a triskelion tattoo to match the one of Derek's back.
The Sentinel: Blair Sandburg has a nipple ring in a lot of fanfic, based on a brief reference in the first season episode "Cypher." Blair talks about getting something tattooed. Jim says, "Above the nipple ring?" and Blair says, "How did you know about that?"
Welcome to Night Vale: Despite being a spoken-word-based fandom, depictions of Cecil are often easily identifiable partially due to the character's tattoos. Oddly enough, the show itself never mentions him having tattoos.
The Hobbit Jackson films: the dwarves are often depicted as having tattoos and body piercings, which are not a feature of hobbit culture.

The Flower Shop and Tattoo Parlor AU is a trope across many fandoms.
Bound to the Law series by Dawnwind, there is modification in this (BDSM) Starsky and Hutch story (2003?)
Inmates by Cynatnite, Hutch gets a tattoo in prison, something that turns Starsky on
The Teeth of the Hydra by Resonant, a Due South slash story that includes a non-consensual tattooing crime spree and a backstory for Ray Kowalski's canonical tattoo. In the sequel, Fraser gets a tattoo. (2002)
Percy Weasley and the Gay Vampire Cult of Oliver Wood by December's Falling. Percy Weasley has a mental breakdown and tries to become a rebel by, among other things, acquiring multiple piercings. "But LOOK, I am clearly anti-Establishment," Percy said, his new mesh shirt pulled halfway up his chest to show a pretty silver ring in his navel. "The Man hates piercings, I read about this in a magazine." (2003)
An Exercise in 'Worthless' by beastofthesky, a Supernatural AU where Dean is a tattoo artist, and has several tattoos and piercings. See extended author's notes for sketches of the tattoos and jewelry.
A Halo On Your Body by freakylemurcat. The Hobbit Jackson films one shot in which Bilbo observes dwarven body piercings while the company is bathing; typical of many similar stories. (2013)

Closeup of Dean Winchester's tattoo in the AU fanfic Berserker Series, drawn by leonidaslion
Punk!Direction meme example: A One Direction bandmember's head photoshopped onto the body of a tattooed t-shirt model
Tattooed Sam manip by clex_monkie89 created for SPN ReverseBang 2012 and inspired the fic Ink Kink
Tattoo Series #6 - Tonks by Odella, and part of the artist's Tattoo Series