I have wanted my tongue pierced for about a year, and every time I asked my mom she always gave an adamant "NO." But finally... this Monday, she said "Yes" under several conditions, being: if I talk funny after a month, take it out; if it's infected, take it out; and if I lose weight, take it out. Of course I agreed!!!!
At A Glance Author Grey Contact Grey@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Mike G., professional Studio at-home piercing by a professional Location Wolcott So the next day it happened. I went to my cousin Christy's house around 10 p.m. Her good friend Mike owned a studio for 20 years, and although he got tired of it and closed it, he still will do it for friends at home. So he came around 11, with a kit and new piercing needle. Earlier I had bought my own bar-bell, so we soaked it in alcohol while he sterilized his instruments. Then I sat in a regular old wooden chair, with some cousins, my mom, and my friend Rob in the room there to watch. I held out my tongue and he clamped it and marked it. Then he used the clamp to push aside a vein so as to not harm me by accidentally injuring it/making me bleed to death or whatever. The he said "Ready?" and my heart stopped... I was very very nervous... so very nervous I had a nauseous feeling in my stomach as he reached for the piercing needle and held it up. I heard my mom say, "You don't have to do it!", But I ignored her.
I closed my eyes and slightly nodded. He pushed the needle from the bottom upwards... there was no pain at first, but when it hit the top part it hurt because I guess the tongue is tougher there or something. At last he was putting through the bar and screwing on the balls. I then stood up and admired it in a small hand-mirror. There was little to no bleeding, no pain, and the ball was dead-center. A very good job, I will admit happily. =P
Christy then gave me a Motrin, and I drank ice water for the rest of the night. At first it felt so... unnatural. Like a pill I couldn't swallow or a candy I sucked on too much and was stuck in my tongue. So the next day, it swelled up, but didn't really hurt at all. I took a Motrin twice that day just in case, to help with more swelling and possible pain. I didn't eat a lot, but tried to... a nectarine, some yogurt, a piece of lunch-meat, attempted Mac n' Cheese, and attempted bowl of Trix cereal. I drank a lot of ice water too because it felt so good. Day two I ate some cereal, a plum, and a bowl of Mac n'Cheese, and constantly drank water.
As for other things... I love it... I always play with it. I also talk weird, like I have a bad lisp. I can't say "S" or "Ch" sounds. It is due to swelling, but also due to babying it. It hurts a bit to try to fully use it for talking. Hopefully in a few weeks when it's healed and wont hurt when used, I'll talk normal. After-care is easy: drink ice water a lot, wash out your mouth with undiluted Listerine for thirty seconds once every half-hour and spit out, use Gly-oxide after meals and before bed by applying ten droplets to the tongue and keeping it on for several minutes then spit out. Never touch it with your hands!! Next to the mouth, the hands are the second dirtiest place on the human body!! So, for three days it is really healing. It is swollen, could be painful but for me it isn't, and infection is very possible so proper care is a MUST. So far I have had good luck following through with this all.
Voila! There you have it. Easy care. The speech will improve, and there is little to no pain involved, and it feels really cool! I absolutely love it. I would do it over any time... and I like the shock value... it's funny how people act, and how you're friends "ooh" and "aah". They also could make fun of your speech a lot so watch out! But I totally recommend it. Good luck!! Do it if you want to! People make such a big deal out if it but it is an awesome experience. Hopefully society can get over the stereo-types of it being used for the one purpose we all heard of... but for me, I just wanted it. I wanted a piercing that isn't over-used or one that everyone has like the belly-button one. It's amazing... I truly recommend it! But if you go there and the piercer isn't sterile and doesn't say anything to you/doesn't use a clamp, don't do it! Go somewhere else and make sure they use clamps and brand-new needles!!!