Two Days After:
At A Glance Author EMK Contact EMK@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Brian Studio Piercing Experience Location Atlanta, GA I've chickened out twice getting my tongue pierced. One time, I was in the studio, ready to go, and couldn't go through with it. Today, however, I made up my mind to finally bite the bullet. I knew I wanted it and I knew I'd enjoy it, so there was no reason to put it off any longer. I was still out for the summer and didn't have to work for at least another week. All things considered, it was now or spend the next six months wishing I'd done it. I met up with the same friend who accompanied me for my nose and helix piercings a little over a month ago. She drove me to the studio and fortunately there were only 3 people in front of us, none of whom were actually being pierced.
It didn't take long to pick out my jewelry. I knew I wanted something that would blend in pretty easily with my tongue. I settled on a magenta bar with a simple ball. I also picked out jewelry for my tragus which I would have done at the same time. I would be pierced by Brian again and he explained everything very calmly and completely. I had a good bit of adrenaline pumping when I walked back into the piercing room, but I was sure I wanted this. When I told him I'd chickened out several times before, he told me that if I really wanted it, it would help the entire process, not just the actual piercing. I appreciated the reassurance.
He sat me in a dentist's chair and had me reclining to start. Brian showed me the sterilization strip and then began to clean himself up. He cleaned my tongue, teeth, and lips with a very foul tasting cleanser. It also had the (unintended) side effect of slightly numbing my tongue. He explained that Listerine often doesn't get all the bacteria living in your mouth and this very meticulous wipedown would be a bit more thorough. Now the real anticipation began. He gently aligned my tongue with his hands. He doesn't believe in clamps and I'm grateful for it. I think that might have made me want to jump out of the chair. He had me start to take deep breaths and on the third round, he pierced me. It was definitely painful, but not as much as I might have thought. My jaw actually hurt more from how tense I was rather than my tongue which had just had a needle put through it. He snapped the jewelry in place and gave me a few minutes to collect myself before he let me stand up and walk to the mirror to look at it.
It was a bit farther forward than I would have expected, but I liked it. I felt empowered having it done. I'd finally done something that truly intimidated me. It didn't bleed much, which was a bit surprising. There was a little bit of blood around the top ball, but it stopped very quickly. He then did my tragus and I was on my merry way. I had a host of care instructions. Use an electric toothbrush and no toothpaste or mouthwash. Brush after every time you eat. Avoid things with live cultures and very spicy food as it will irritate the piercing, especially in the first two weeks. I also need to go back in 2 weeks and have my post changed. I'm looking forward to it already because this long one is quite cumbersome.
The swelling showed up the next morning. It was definitely swollen, but it didn't inhibit my speech much at all. Drinking really cold liquids helps a lot. I've been carrying around cold water pretty much the entire time. It's hurt more than any other piercing post piercing. Most stop hurting within a few hours, but this one is pretty much sore all the time. I know it'll get better, but it's definitely a bit discouraging. I've been taking plenty of Tylenol and hoping that it'll improve as it heals. I've managed to eat about three meals and not feel like I'm starving to death. Trying not to bite on the barbell is more difficult than I thought.
If you're thinking about getting your tongue pierced, go for it. Be prepared to care for it and be responsible. If you're worried about your speech, practice reading out loud to yourself. It really helps. Brian said a speech impediment is often a result of tissue damage or just being self conscious. I was surprised to hear that, but I've had very little trouble with my speech. An infection in your mouth is no fun, but a nice shiny can be a lot of enjoyment for years to come.
One Month After:
It has healed wonderfully. I went over the weekend for my checkup. I currently don't need a shorter bar, which is fine. I haven't had much trouble with this one since the swelling went down. I'm eating and drinking fine. I occasionally bite it when I'm eating, but not nearly as much as I used to. I'm very happy with the results.