I'd wanted my tongue pierced since I was about 12, I had my heart set on a nice shiny titanium barbell in the center of my tongue, until I discovered vipers about two years ago. I fell in love instantly and begged and begged to be allowed to get it done, and the answer was 'no' every single time.
At A Glance Author jen Contact jen@bme.anon When A month ago Studio Metal Guru Location NE England Until...It was my 17th birthday, and I'd been raving about wanting my vipers pierced for ages to my friends, and one of them gave me money towards getting it done. I told my mum why she'd given me the money and she didnt say anything, so i took that as a good sign. My birthday was on a tuesday, and my mum went away for a week on the following saturday.
I booked an appointment for the tuesday after my birthday at half past four. My mum rang me the night before, I decided to tell her about getting it done then. I told her a little white lie about my friend booking the appointment for me as a supprise, and she believed me, and she was okay about it, which shocked me. She said she'd ring me the next day after college. I woke up on the tuesday morning feeling excited and nervous, this would be my first 'proper' piercing, I already had my ears pierced and stretched a tiny bit. I ate about 3 times as much as usual, and kept getting butterflies in my stomach, the time went really fast and before I knew it I was walking through the door of the studio. I was early, i filled in a form and psyched myself up.
I already knew my piercer so I was totally at ease with her, we talked about it and she was shocked that I wanted my vipers as my first piercing, but thought it was a good idea, cause I'll be able to handle anymore piercings I get. She marked my tongue and I decided where I wanted the piercings. I stuck my tongue out ready for the clamps and it wouldnt stop shaking, then my cheeks began to shake too! We laughed about it while I held my face to stop the shaking.
I calmed down and she clamped the right side of my tongue first, I took a deep breath and it was done! Hardly hurt at all, she waited a minute before doing the other side, I took another deep breath and in went the second barbell. It nipped more than the first, but it wasnt too bad. Overall, the clamp hurt more than the needle. I was given an aftercare sheet and we talked for a while, then I went straight to my friends house to show it off! I was buzzing around the next day at college, constantly sticking my tongue out and showing people my new metal. My mum rang me just to listen to my slurring my words, and got me to say 'seven sizzling sausages' and found it highly amusing, I didnt!
It was uncomfortable at first, I slurred my words and found it hard, and quite painful to eat, it was especially hard at college when everyone else was eating, so I just drank freezing cold drinks for about 2 days until i could chew food. After 4 days, the initial swelling had completely gone, it was still a tiny bit sore though. I waited a week just incase it decided to swell up again, which it never. I was really good, and didn't drink for 2 weeks, which was really really hard! I used my mouthwash religiously too, after everything I had to eat and drink, and after every cigarette.
I went back the saturday after having it done, a few days before I was meant to have it checked and get shorter bars. She was a bit wary at first because it'd been less than 2 weeks, but she checked me over and said it had healed perfectly, and they were the quickest healing vipers she'd seen. She used 18mm barbells to pierce me with, and now I've got 14mm blackline barbells, which I love, I could probably do with 12 or 13mm actually, but it doesnt really matter.
Theres only one problem, I already had a small chip in my front tooth, which I've made slightly worse by biting the barbell when fastening the balls onto the bar. But apart from that, I totally love it, and couldnt imagine not having it done!
Oh, and my mum hates it! But shes got no taste...
Now I've got big plans for piercings, and want all my future piercings in pairs, just to match my tongue, beginning with off center vertical labrets, and the top and bottom of my bellybutton when I have the money.