A 23-year-old Mexican woman's wild surgical procedure proves that some people will truly do anything for love.
Paulina Casillas Landeros tells Caters News that years ago, she was at odds with her traditional family, who did not approve of the various body modifications that she had gotten. In addition to several tattoos, Paulina had also had her tongue split and back corset piercings done. When they continued to voice disapproval at Paulina's decisions, she decided to undergo a painful procedure to remove her belly button as a symbolic way of cutting ties with her family and "dehumanizing" herself.
As if that isn't extreme enough, there's more to the story.
Paulina decided to gift her removed belly button to her then-boyfriend as a way of showing the depths of her love. Surprisingly, the boyfriend wasn't put off by the unusual gift. Despite the fact that they are no longer together, he has even kept the belly button.
Now, three years later, Paulina has reflected on her decision and feels a little differently about it.
Some readers may find the following photos emotionally upsetting. If you do not wish to see photos of Paulina's removed belly button, please click back to the LittleThings homepage.
Paulina Casillas Landeros enjoys expressing her individuality through body modifications.
Her family, who are more on the traditional side, did not support her decision to get various modifications, including a split tongue and back corset piercings.
"Body modifications fascinated me, there is something very transcending about them," Paulina told Caters News.
Paulina wanted to do something to spite her family. It was then that she came up with the idea to remove her belly button.
"I was very angry, I wanted to cut all unions from everything and everyone. I wanted to dehumanize myself in a symbolic way, I wanted to do something controversial," she explained.
Paulina went through the painful procedure, but it wasn't at all what she expected.
"I underwent an 'operation' done by a professional, but he gave me very bad advice on how to take care of the trauma so it got infected," she revealed.
The painful infection made it difficult for Paulina to move around. She was essentially bedridden.
Although she eventually recovered, the wound will never fully close.
After removing her belly button, Paulina made the bold choice to give it to her then-boyfriend, Daniel Ramirez, as a token of her affections.
"I was very much in love with my then boyfriend, he supported me through many difficult times, and he is one of the most influential people in my life," Paulina explained. "It was something I did in the spur of the moment, we were young and stupid but that's the way I felt."
She put the belly button, with a piercing she had still attached, in a small bag with a note that said "I love you" and gave it to Daniel.
Although things between Paulina and Daniel didn't work out, he still has her belly button.
"He has kept it and he will keep it forever because he knows the meaning behind it," she said. "We are good friends now, but we will always love each other."
Looking back at the situation now, Paulina realizes what she put both her body and her family through.
Paulina feels particularly bad for her mother.
"I can't imagine how it must feel, your own child wanting to break all their connection to you," she admitted.
Needless to say, Paulina wouldn’t do it again if she could.
“If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t do it again, it was impulsive, reckless and I hurt a lot of people,” she said. “Even though I did it for the wrong reasons, it has now taught me I should think things through before acting and it’s a nice reminder that characterizes me.”
