This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Scars can be a thing of beauty. Scarification is a form of body art older than tattooing, it has been used by humans to adorn the body for thousands of years. Modern techniques can be used to create incredible patterns with nothing more than the body's own healing capabilities.

Ryan Ouellette is a body modification practitioner with over 15 years of professional experience, specializing in scarification and piercing. Given the moniker "Lord of the Blade" by BME (body modification e-zine) founder Shannon Larratt, Ryan is a leading innovator in the practice of scarification, a form of body art older than tattooing. Ryan has worked and instructed internationally in such locales as London, Tokyo, and Berlin in addition to owning Precision Body Arts in Nashua, New Hampshire. Ryan focuses on safety in modern body art and has been involved in writing legislation and regulations for various municipal health departments. Ryan is also recognized as a member and instructor for the Association of Professional Piercers, as well as a Scarification theory and technique instructor for the Body Modification Exchange Network conference in Germany.

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