Well, I guess I should preface this by saying that I had never really considered getting anything pierced before. I always liked the way some piercings looked on other people but just never really considered it for myself. I had my ear pierced a few times as a kid(you know the story, it involves a shopping mall and a gun) but I never really counted that.
At A Glance Author selectorwest Contact selectorwest@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist john Studio warrior Location philadelphia, pa So jumping foreword, I'm at the tap room with some pals enjoying a few Guinness and in the course of conversation a long time friend mentions that she had a tongue web piercing. I had known her for years and never noticed, but she showed me and lo and behold there it was, a very small (maybe 18g) silver barbell. I thought it was pretty weird in a cool way (I didn't even know it could be done) and it just kind of stuck in my mind for a while incubating. After a few months that seed of a thought began to sprout. Now I should also mention that I have a frenulum (tongue web) that is very prominent, extending to nearly the end of the bottom of my tongue. I started thinking "You know, I could do that if I wanted", and, "if you don't like it you can just take it out" and at that moment I knew I had to do it. I stumbled into the BME web site and started looking around and reading other peoples experiences.
It was like some weird compulsion had taken over in my mind and after a couple days of this I couldn't take it anymore. I went to a piercing spot near my work and asked some questions but the people there didn't seem too interested. So after work I head to another spot in town and tell them what I want. To my dismay the people at this studio didn't really want do this piercing. I was told, "Its pointless, it serves no purpose, all it will do is collect plaque, and it will eventually grow out." Okay, what the heck? Discouraged but undaunted I rolled around the corner to another spot(Warrior) and talked to the guy there (John) about it. He told me that it doesn't always grow out (my friend by the way had already had hers for several years) and that he had just done one of those recently. He checked my frenulum and said because of the size it would be a piece of cake. That was all I needed to hear. I forked over some cash signed some paper and hopped in the chair. John j acked up some punk rock and got the tools etc. ready. Once everything had been prepared and the moment had come, he clamped me down (not as uncomfortable as I had anticipated) and had me do the standard inhale/exhale procedure and I felt the greatest little pinch pop feeling of the needle passing through. It really didn't hurt and it sort of felt good (and I normally don't enjoy pain!)he slipped in a 16ga (or 14 I can't remember) captive bead ring (which took a few seconds) and I was done! He told me "For someone who is new to this I got to give you props! You didn't move, flinch, anything." I was psyched! He gave me the after care routine and I was on my way! The whole thing had really only taken but a few minutes.
For the rest of the night the swelling was really minimal, and I went out the same night with a friend for a couple drinks. The next day it was a bit tender but not painful. It still felt very strange when I would eat food (like it was getting pulled around). I ate a lot of soup and drank a lot of soy protein drinks for the next day or so but after a few days to a week I was eating normally and hardly even noticed it.
I followed the aftercare instructions very strictly (I constantly had a bottle of 50/50 Listerine/water on me which I used every single time I ate, drank, or burned herb for a month), I used my Gly-oxide twice daily and my piercing healed awesome. A couple of months later I changed to a circular barbell which is a little bigger, easier for me to clean (because I can grab it and scrub it better), and feels cooler with two beads instead of just the one. I still use the Gly-oxide about every day or so. The ring has shown no signs of migration after about six months now which I'm happy about. I really like it and intend on keeping it indefinitely. I figured that even if it does grow out I could always get it redone anyway. It's been fun freaking out the few people who notice it (including my dentist) and it's cool to me that its so hidden most of the time.