There was a time when I used to get the piercing itch every other minute – there was nothing like feeling the clamps and the needle. I lived to feel the jewelry going through my skin, but I was running out of places to be pierced and still be able to maintain my job.
At A Glance Author piercedjenny IAM piercedjenny When Five years ago Artist Jeremy Studio Artistic Impressions Location St. Catharines I already had my tongue pierced at this point, but I wanted more. I thought it would be neat to add my venoms, because it was new, and different, and more importantly: I could get two done at once – double the pleasure for me!
I called Artistic Impressions, and spoke with Jeremy, who told me to come down and he would do it. I have never made an appointment for any piercing but my hood piercing, and he has always managed to find the time. I will always be eternally grateful that Jeremy understands the piercing itch.
I headed down there after I had lunch, bringing a juice box with me. Having already had my tongue pierced before, I felt I knew exactly what to expect. When I got there, we went through the permission forms, and I explained that I wanted 12 gauge on both sides. This was good to go, as Jeremy had the appropriate jewelry, and I just had to wait for the autoclave.
Sitting waiting was an experience, listening to guys try to get their girlfriends to pierce their tongue because it would be "hot" or watching people squirm as they looked through the portfolio which included adult piercings. Watching people's reactions made me smile, because I was that person prior to getting addicted to the feeling.
Then it was time.
I went into the back with Jeremy, and got comfortable while he set up his tray with the clamps, and the lube, and the jewelry, and the gloves. Jeremy is always meticulous, and changes his gloves repeatedly throughout an experience.
Jeremy tucked a "drool cloth" in the top of my shirt, and prompted me to stick out my tongue. He dried it, but then I was a dumbass who put my tongue back in my mouth. He laughed at me, and we went through the process of drying it again, and marking it. At this point I can feel myself beginning to anticipate what came next, almost like my body was humming. I don't know if you can relate to the feeling, but it's the one you get after being on a treadmill or other exercise equipment for an hour, and then taking a break. Endorphins, I'm sure.
While Jeremy quickly changed gloves, I stuck my tongue out as far as I could. When I felt the clamp first on the left side of my tongue I wanted to smile, but couldn't. (Too much hardware in my mouth at that point!!) As quickly as the clamp was on, the bar was through my tongue. Jeremy took the clamp off right away and then put it on the other side of my tongue. I think it was done so quickly so that it wouldn't begin to swell. Again, change the gloves, pierce, and insert jewelry. Quick and easy, right?
The drool cloth was a bonus, because only once it was all over was I conscious of the fact my mouth had ran like a faucet, even with all of the extra swallowing. The cloth was soaked, but I didn't care. I jumped up to look in the mirror at my tongue, which felt incomplete without the center bar in it. As I reached to grab my purse so I could put it back in, I got really lightheaded, and sat right back down. I had brought a bottle of water, so I sipped that while Jeremy showed me the needles, broke them, and placed them in the disposal unit.
He sat and talked to me and made me feel like the lightheadedness happens all the time, and tried to quell my embarrassment. I admit that I was really embarrassed only because I had had SO much pierced without this ever happening. While we were talking he ran me through the aftercare, reminding me to call if I had any questions, and reminding me to come back to shorten the shafts in 2 weeks' time.
I felt ready, and stood up. I tipped Jeremy $20, and went to pay for my piercings. Jeremy always says I tip too much, but honestly, he gives me better service than any other service-sector employee ever has, and I feel compelled to reward it. I left, smiling, but feeling these piercings were "different" somehow.
And let me tell you... different is exactly what they were.
When I had my tongue pierced originally, I was eating real food right away. I didn't really swell, and I didn't do anything about "normal" aftercare other than the Listerine rinses. With my venoms, I could barely swallow without wanting to cry, and only drank water and had almost cold broth for 3 days. At that point I added bananas to the equation, and had to choke them down. I was using Listerine after each "meal" and when I brushed my teeth. I have never smoked, so I didn't worry about carrying the bottle around with me. I was upset because this "swelling", so normal to other people when pierced, had never happened to me.
Even at the six-day mark, my tongue killed in such a way that nothing I did helped. I swallowed Advil – nothing. Midol, which normally reduces inflammation, and again - nothing. I took to using Ambesol just to numb it for a few seconds so that I wasn't thinking about it. The swelling hadn't really reduced at all, and so I called Jeremy.
He said it was likely just the trauma of two piercings, but to go so he could check them out. Of course, I did... feeling like a schmuck the entire way. I had NEVER had to be babied or worried about my piercings, because the LITHA (Leave it the Hell Alone) healing method had always worked. When I got there, he recommended to maybe put smaller jewelry in my center tongue piercing (it was a 0 ga) to reduce pressure, but that they looked fine (just really swollen).
I took out the center bar, and right away it was like relief for my tongue. I had a 4 gauge bar at home, so I put that in. Within hours, I felt I could swallow without pain, and wasn't cursing the piercings.
The next day I was able to eat cereal, and spaghetti for dinner. A few days after that, I put the 0 ga back in, and my tongue stayed normal. I did put in different jewelry at that point, because I bit the barbells twice and damaged my teeth.
The venoms only lasted about five months before I took them out. I loved them, but I love my teeth more. Maybe I'm just a spazz, but I was constantly biting on them and having to fix my teeth. BME lists this as a risk, and they aren't kidding. My dentist is STILL working on me to take out my center tongue piercings, but he's ok for the moment with this compromise.
I would still tell anyone to pierce their venoms, if they were willing to risk teeth-damage. I think they are sassy as hell. Just don't forget to tip your piercer, and to contact them with any questions.