Hey everyone! (: My name is Robin, I'm 14 years old (but please don't use my age to discredit this whole essay) and I just pierced my tongue web.
At A Glance Author Robin Contact Robin@bme.anon When It just happened Artist I did it myself Studio My bathroom... Alright, so I'd been wanting a piercing on some place besides my ears for a long while now (I have 00g ears and second 18g piercings right above them, I'm planning on getting my industrial done soon as well) but of course my parents wouldn't allow it. I thought I was completely out of options until my friend pierced her tongue web.
The minute I saw it, I was sure I wanted one. It looked great, and I'd never seen anyone else that had one. However, I was positive that my parents wouldn't let me, so I forgot about it for a few months. But, wouldn't you know it, I noticed hers again, and when we started talking about it, she mentioned that she had done it herself and said that it was really easy. My mind was made up! I went straight home and started to read every webpage on it that I could. I found out that they heal extremely fast and are easy to hide. I tried asking my parents just one more time, and when they said no, I barely even argued since I knew I was just gonna do it myself anyways.
Next day, I went to the mall and used the last of my money to buy a 14g curved barbell (8mm long). My plan was to use a big safety pin that I had at home, and to soak the jewelry and pin in a bleach-water mixture and then boil them for an hour, since I don't have a way to properly sterilize anything. However, when I got home, I realized (after looking for half an hour) that I had no idea where the big safety pin was. Too late to turn back now! I decided to use an 18g one from my room. After I had sterilized my jewelry and pin to the best of my ability, I brushed my teeth for 10 minutes and then rinsed my mouth out with saltwater. Then came the part I had been waiting for: the piercing!
I wasn't nervous at all, just excited. The initial piercing was super easy; I pulled my tongue back to bring out my web as best as I could since mine is barely there, and then just shoved the safety pin through. I had a bit of trouble getting it through the skin on the other side, but when it was through, it slid back and fourth easily. I tried unsuccessfully to jam the jewelry in using the safety pin to guide it, but I kept losing the hole. It was then that I realized that there was NO WAY I was gonna get the 14g jewelry through. Dejected, I gave up for the night, promising to try again tomorrow after buying a 14g barbell.
Since Monday was the next day, I went to school, planning to mooch money from my friends to cover the $18 cost of the barbell. No such luck! My friends have apparently realized by now that I never pay anyone back, and they refused to give me any money. Bummer!!!! Guess I would have to wait until Friday when I got paid.
But that night, right before I got in the shower, I found myself prodding at my webbing again. What the hell, I thought, I'll do it now and leave the safety pin in, and then buy a barbell as soon as I can. Since I had pierced my webbing 4 times the last time I tried, it was sore, but I still got the pin through pretty easily (although it looked a bit crooked when I un-suctioned my tongue off the roof of my mouth, I kinda liked it like that). I was so happy!! I showered and went to bed.
The next few days were uncomfortable, to say the least! Eating was a HUGE pain with a safety pin in my mouth, since it kept getting caught on my front teeth when I was chewing. I accidentally bit it too many times to count, and after a while I pretty much just gave up on eating anything solid since food got stuck in it so easily and it was so hard to chew. This is the one thing I would change about my piercing: BUY THE PROPER JEWELRY BEFOREHAND! WALKING AROUND WITH A SAFETY PIN IN YOUR MOUTH IS A PAIN IN THE ASS! Lisp-wise, I had a little bit of trouble talking, but not enough for anyone (including my parents) to mention it. A few words gave me trouble, but I learned to avoid them after a few minutes of practicing. For rinsing, I carried around a little bottle of the completely wrong kind of mouthwash and rinsed after I ate everything. Another thing to make sure of! Be positive that your mouthwash has no or low alcohol in it, since alcohol is not good for a healing piercing and won't really do much for keeping your mouth clean. (I probably should have been using a seasalt mouthwash, but as I have mentioned many times, I'm super broke).
After two days of having it in, I almost had enough money to buy a barbell. Thank god, because my safety pin was getting plaque build-up on it! I decided to dull down another one and change it that night. It was a little bit painful to get the pin unlatched and out of my mouth, and I immediately started freaking out that I was gonna lose the hole. Then I got the new pin back in with no problem (which I hastily disinfected by soaking in my 8% alcohol mouthwash) and latched it.
FINALLY, me and my boyfriend got the money to get the barbell. I was so happy! We went to the mall right after school and bought a 16g eyebrow barbell that was 10mm long. After work, I went home and immediately put it in. Getting the barbell itself in wasn't the problem at all; I didn't even have to use my safety pin to guide it. And then I had to screw on that damn bead. I was trying to pick it up to put it in and ...I DROPPED IT! Freaking out, I took all the rugs off of my floor and shook them out, and then scoured the floor for my teensy-tiny silver bead. Just when I thought all hope was lost, there it was! Without disinfecting it at all, I began trying to put it in.
After forty-five minutes of trying, I was getting frustrated. It's just so damn tiny and hard! I decided to use my opposite hand to put it in, and it worked on the second try. Weird, but I couldn't care less... my beautiful barbell was in! As soon as I put my tongue down, it felt sooo much better then the safety pin. It was barely even there, compared to that giant hunk of poorly made metal! I rushed upstairs to shove my face full of food.
I've had the barbell in for almost a day now, and I must say, I absolutely love my web piercing. I've already inspired my best friend to do hers (she put her bellybutton barbell in it...*sigh*) and some of my other friends are thinking about doing it too so that we can remember each other next year when we go to different schools. All in all, even though this piercing was a hassle and I barely ate for three days, it was so worth it! I recommend this to anyone looking for something easy to hide, although it might be a better idea to get a professional to do it for you!! (:
Happy piercing!