For years I had always wanted my tongue pierced but due to strict parents I was never allowed to get it done. I then began to loose interest when it was beginning to look like a possibility to get it done as everyone was getting them and I wanted something different. After having to take my surface bar out of my forearm I was looking for something new to fill my piercing void. After some thought and a random dream I came up with the idea of three different tongue piercing to make it a little more unusual to the regular tongue piercing everyone else has.
At A Glance Author Hannah Contact Hannah@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Sandi Studio Body Cult Location Adelaide, Australia This is where my tongue piecing experience begins... At first I got my webbing done which was by far the least painful but most awkward to have done. As there isn't much for the needle to go through it was like nothing had happened but getting those tiny little balls on was incredibly hard. I will never try changing them as it is such an awkward place to get to. After a day of that I decided that I would get a normal tongue piercing and also a vertical one done at the same time. This was to achieve having a row of three balls on the top of my tongue and a triangle of them on the bottom.
I went into Body Cult to see my piercer Sandi who after much effort managed to convince me that I should only get one done and experience the pain of a tongue piecing before getting a horizontal one. She also thought it would be best to allow and swelling that may occur to go down first instead of inflicting twice the amount on my tongue at once. This was done and didn't swell much but took about a week for me to start talking normally. At first I had a little bit of trouble eating but only due to biting the bar. I was still able to eat anything I wanted but it just took a little more concentration and effort. The next day I had the bar down sized and eating was no longer a problem At the same point this was also the most painful piercing I have had done which wasn't expected after having a few surface piercing. I have had two on my forearm, one on the back of each ankle and one on the back of my neck.
Sandi had informed me that she thought I was a little bit crazy for wanting to go through with the horizontal piercing as she had heard/read that most of them take about 6 weeks to heal and most people take them out quite fast due to the pain. She spent effortless weeks telling me it was a bad idea but if I really wanted it she would do the piercing for me.
I went in to get it done quite scared as I was expecting the most excruciating pain and worst recovery yet, thanks to Sandi's attempt of talking me out of it. I sat down, had the place marked and unfortunately swabbed (doesn't taste good) and clamped. Before I knew it the needle was through and I didn't feel a thing, I thought Sandi was still lining it up. She put the Bioplast bar in, which we had agreed would be best to allow for swelling and movement and I could trim down at a later time. My tongue bleed a small amount but no where near as much as the vertical tongue piercing. After a cup of cold water the bleeding had stopped. The experience was all over, it looked fantastic and I felt great. I didn't have any problems with eating, in fact I walked out of the shop had a smoke and began to eat. I did almost everything thing wrong. I smoked, ate hard food, went out drinking and didn't use mouth wash or anything similar to keep it clean. Yet all was good.
As I was about to leave the state I got a curved titanium bar to put in after it was healed. Due to it not swelling and no pain I was able to down size and put that bar in only about 6 hours since having it done before going out to show it off. It has become quite a talking point and although my friends think I am insane they also think it looks very cool and everyone likes it very much. All that build up about the longest healing time and pain all for nothing. I'm always happy to prove everyone wrong and that's just what i did. Two days later and everything is going well, I have no swelling or pain and I love my new mouth full of balls.