I am no stranger to piercings, yet I wouldn't call myself a pro either. I have loved body modifications since I was about 12 years old and talked my mother into letting me do my eyebrow for my 15th birthday. Since then I've done my nose and tongue as well and hope to add a few more soon, definitely including a vertical labret.
At A Glance Author Jamie Contact trippinroses@msn.com When A year ago Studio Atlantic Gold and Silver Location Virginia Beach, Virginia
For about a year I talked about piercing my tongue to my friends all the time. I wanted a tongue ring so badly but there was only one thing standing in my way: my mother. Unfortunately for her, she lived by the "You can do whatever you'd like... when you're 18!" rule and that's exactly what I did. One of my good friends surprised me on my 18th birthday by taking me to Atlantic Gold and Silver down at the strip. She told me she was going to pay for me to finally have my tongue pierced. Faced with the reality that I was going to do it made me kind of chicken out, and I told the piercer that I wasn't interested in doing anything that day. He argued with me for a good half hour, telling me that he knew I wasn't scared of the pain and that I didn't look like a wimp so I may as well do it. That didn't work so he retaliated by calling me names, like a baby and a sissy and told me that the reason I couldn't do it was because I was a girl and so that makes me weak- I decided I neede d to show him that I COULD do it and that I wasn't scared. So I told him I was ready. I signed the papers, paid, and we were off.
He took me into the back room and had me sit on the bed/table. I love this room because it's decorated with pictures of piercings, and tattoos- it's really calming for the customer. Once we got back there he stopped being so obnoxious and told me he just wanted to talk me into doing it because he could tell that I really wanted it. He said he knew that I would regret leaving without having my piercing done. So he told me the basics- avoid smoking, alcohol, oral sex, kissing, and that I should pay close attention to the list of instructions he had handed me. He asked if I was ready. I told him I was as ready as I would ever be and I stuck out my tongue. He told me I'd have to first rinse my mouth with Listerine, then he used a paper towel to completely dry my tongue. After that, a paper napkin (like at the dentist) was placed on my chest incase a) I drooled and b) the needle fell out of my tongue and into my shirt. He clamped my tongue (which does hurt a little for anyone who 's curious. I personally don't think it hurts more than the piercing, but that may just be me) and sat on the stool in front of me. He said that it would be over before I would say "Ow or Oh Shit!" and before HE was even done saying that he had pushed the needle through my tongue! I think my right eye watered a bit but it wasn't even CLOSE to what I had expected the pain to be. I was completely in love with my tongue ring the second I saw it and I still am.
My tongue never got swollen the first night but when I woke up the next morning I was so sore and swollen! Immediately I thought "What have I done?" but after cleaning it and talking a bit it felt much better. Luckily, when my mom came home that night she saw me when it wasn't too sore so it didn't look that bad to her. However, she still hates it. For the next week I lived on apple sauce, soup, and angel hair pasta. Drinking out of a straw helped a lot too. It wasn't exactly great, but I was determined to eat normally as soon as possible so I would not baby my tongue and the pain at all. With the help of Listerine, salt water, advil, and ice I was good as new in about 5 days.
This all happened a year ago and I have never had a problem with it. So for anyone who is contemplating getting it done, I say definitely go for it. As long as you can tolerate a little pain and you have some patience for the healing process you'll be fine. My only advice to someone thinking of getting it done is LISTEN TO YOUR PIERCER. Follow the instructions he or she gives you exactly and you'll avoid tons of possible problems, and you won't regret it.
If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at trippinroses@msn.com.