We've heard of suffering for your art, but these people have taken that to new heights.

Fans of extreme body art came from around the world to show off their extreme tattoos and piercings at the third annual International Tattoo Convention.

Some of the shows at the convention, in Medellin, Columbia, are certainly not for the squeamish.

A favourite performance with the crowd was a red-haired woman in a leather corset being suspended with two metal barbs through her back.

Not to be outdone, another performer at the festival of the most extraordinary - not to mention eye-watering painful to look at - body art joined her on the tenterhooks.

During the dangerous stunt, his entire body weight was held with just two metal hooks through the skin on above his shoulder blades.