Bagelheads: The Hot New Trend That's Already Old

The trend isn't new, and it didn't originate in Japan. It was first done by a Canadian artist in 1999.

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f you don't watch the NatGeo channel, or if you haven't seen one of the many news stories in the last couple of weeks, you may still be unaware of the bagelhead phenomenon. It's an "extreme" body modification in which 400ccs of saline solution are injected into a person's forehead, causing a massive bubble to form under the skin. An indentation is then made in the center of the bubble to create the shape of a bagel.

Hey, good lookin!

It's being touted as the crazy new trend that's taking over Japan, but the trend isn't new, and it didn't originate in Japan. It was first done by a Canadian artist in 1999, and it became popular in body modification circles in the mid-2000s.

It's only now gaining national news due to an episode of the NatGeo program Taboo that focused on extreme body modifications. 

Body modifications are certainly nothing new. In addition to tattoos and piercings, people on the fringes of society have been doing things like forking their tongues, stretching their skin, getting vampire fang implants, scarring themselves, and putting spikes and horns under their skin for many years.  It's an ancient practice in many cultures, and there's even a so-called "church of body modification" dedicated to the practice.

Ancient or not, there seems to be no reason why the bagel-shape is a desirable thing to have protruding from one's forehead, but the procedure is not only harmless, it's temporary. The bagelhead looks goes away after about a day. Perfect for the person who only wants to be extreme for a little while.