I've just turned 16 and I'd just started college and one day my friend asked me to go with her to get our lips done. Now this was something we had been planning for about 2 years, so I was up for it. Sunday comes and my friend doesn't ring me, fair enough I think, she hasn't got any credit, so I ring her, no answer. So that threw my plans. No matter I thought, I'll go in the week, i finish at midday on a wednesday, i could do then.
At A Glance Author Loz Contact Loz@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Paul Studio Under the Skin Location Aldershot, Hampshire, UK Monday and Tuesday of that week I went round asking people what they though I should get done, it was a tie between lip, tongue and anti tragus. I decided on the tongue, and asked my rents what they thought. My Dad hates piercings and my Mum wasn't to keen, but my mum said if that's what I wanted, then I should get that. We agreed that it was better that lip piercings in the sense it was less visible. On the Wednesday me and two friends get the bus into Aldershot. As we're walking up towards Under the Skin, I begin to panic, and tell them I'm just going to get my ears done. We get to the studio and when the guy asks what I want, a moment of madness causes me to blurt out that I want my tongue done, "5 minutes" he says and wanders off.
I was really scared by then, shaking etc. He comes back and gives me a form to sign and I pay, then he calls me into this little room and gives me some mouth wash and then sprays numbing stuff into my mouth "keep that for 2 mins" and walks off to get the needle and bar. Across from me is a guy getting a HUGE tattoo on his chest, by now my mouth is completely numb.
After 5 minutes of my sat there with my mouth getting number and number, Paul, my piercer, comes back and gives me a paper towel "in case you drool" and then tells me to stick my tongue out as far as it will go. He grips it with his thumb and forefinger, and then sticks the needle through my tongue. I'm not being tough or anything, I really did not feel it! He turns round to get the bar and I'm left sat there with a four inch needle stuck through my tongue, my friends watching in disbelief. He puts the bar in and gives me some more mouthwash. I'm not sure if I bled, I didn't feel it if I did.
I look at my piercing in the mirror...I loved it already! We walked down to buy some mouthwash like Paul said I should, and then we went to KFC and bought a drink so I could use the cup to get lots of ice! We caught the bus back and I walked round college showing my tongue to anyone and everyone I could. A lot of people asked me to say stuff with "s" in, and I could say them perfectly.
The next morning I woke up and my tongue was swollen and sore, and I ate mushed up cereal and soup all day. The next day was the same. By Saturday the swelling had gone down, though I was still eating soup. This was the worst time, I work in a shop, so lisping uncontrollably didn't help, but I endured. It was then that I wanted to take my piercing out.
I noticed that the piercing wasn't straight, but realised this was because of the vein through my tongue. I know it sounds weird but it looks cool though, looks like it's an off centre piercing, without doing as much damage to my teeth.
Now its 3 weeks on and I've just changed to a smaller midnight blue bar, I could have done it before, but I decided to leave it just in case. I love my piercing, I think it's really pretty, and I only know two other people with their tongues pierced, so it feels kinda original (although I know its not!) and they both have centre piercings, and mine doesn't look central. My boyfriend loves it, and that's just as well, seeing as he told me to get it done!
People are always confused when I tell them it's only my second piercing, they think you should build up for a tongue piercing, but I went straight from ears to tongue!
The only trouble is the only information on the Internet is from America, where the procedure is different, I was expecting my tongue to by dried and clamped and stuff, and it wasn't. All I can say is read up about piercings, go to a good place and happy piercing!