Tongue piercing is one of the most popular types of piercings among modern youth. It is spectacular, exacerbates sensations with a kiss and oral sex, is almost invisible. The procedure itself is not complicated and relatively painless, but a violation of technology can lead to disastrous consequences. In the article we will talk about types of puncture of the tongue, popular jewelry, care and possible consequences, give advice on choosing a master and consider the process of the procedure.
A bit of history
The language piercing culture has been known since ancient times. Tribes of South America, Australia and Africa practiced ritual punctures to expel evil spirits and worship gods. The most respected members of the Aztec tribes pierced the tongue with a thorn, collected blood and burned it as a sacrificial offering to the gods.
In modern culture, piercing is not sacred, but a tribute to fashion and desire to stand out from the crowd. The puncture of the language began to gain popularity in the early 1990s in the wake of punk rock and the Gothic subculture, and later went to the masses thanks to famous actors and singers.
Pros and cons
Before deciding on a similar modification of your body, you should weigh all the pros and cons of puncture the tongue. Let's start with the good points:
- Looks sexy
- helps stand out from the crowd;
- increases the severity of sensations during a kiss and oral sex;
- quick and relatively painless procedure;
- the healing period is shorter, unlike other types of punctures;
- easy to hide;
- a small bonus for those who want to lose a couple of extra pounds: during healing you will have to eat only liquid food.
Disadvantages of tongue piercing:
- you can catch an infection if the master neglects sterility;
- severe swelling of the tongue after a puncture and a painful healing process;
- impaired diction during the healing period;
- there is a risk of damage to large vessels and nerves in the tongue, which can cause a violation of taste and diction;
- poorly fixed parts of the jewelry can be swallowed or inhaled;
- prolonged wearing of metal jewelry in the tongue spoils the tooth enamel;
- excessive salivation is possible.
Types of Tongue Piercings
What types of piercings are there?
- Vertical. The most common puncture. The hole is made vertically, right through or to the left of the bridle. The decoration “rod” is suitable for this type.
- Vertical double. Similar to the previous one, but two holes are made along the tongue or symmetrically. The second option is dangerous because there is a high risk of hitting large veins.
- Horizontal. The name speaks for itself: a puncture is made across the tongue. Such a piercing looks very impressive, but there is a risk of jewelry rejection. Due to the weight of the earring, the puncture channel can stretch and “push out” the earring over time. It is not recommended to make a horizontal puncture close to the edge of the tongue. Suitable decorations "bar" or "bananas."
- Puncture of the surface of the tongue. It has two varieties: upper and lower. The top is more prone to rejection. For this type of decoration is suitable "banana".
- Puncture of the tip of the tongue. Not a very common variety due to the high risk of tooth damage. You can do it anywhere on the perimeter of the tongue. Suitable jewelry: ring and banana.
- Bridle puncture. The most inconspicuous of all types of tongue piercings. It is done on a bridle under the tongue. Due to the physiological characteristics of the structure, it is not suitable for everyone. Popular jewelry: ring, horseshoe, banana.
Contraindications
You can not puncture the tongue with the following diseases and physiological conditions:
- any kind of piercing is prohibited for minors without the consent of parents or guardians;
- infections of the oral cavity;
- bleeding disorder;
- diabetes;
- epilepsy;
- neurological and mental illness;
- exacerbation of chronic ailments;
- pregnancy;
- fever;
- allergic to antibiotics.
It is important to weigh all the pros and cons of such a manipulation.
What is dangerous puncture of the tongue?
Despite the fact that a puncture in the oral cavity heals relatively quickly due to the disinfecting properties of saliva, there is a risk of infection if the technology of the procedure is not followed or sterility is neglected. Possible damage to blood vessels and severe bleeding, which can only be stopped by suturing. An inexperienced master can hurt the nerves, which will lead to a loss of taste sensitivity and problems with diction. A negligent attitude towards the sterility of the procedure increases the risk of contracting herpes, hepatitis and HIV.
Even with a correctly made puncture, there is a risk of rejection of the jewelry. Metal earrings damage tooth enamel and contribute to the appearance of cracks and chips in 14-21% of cases. The risk of gum disease and loosening is increased. Also, cases of swallowing or inhaling parts of jewelry are not uncommon, which requires surgical intervention.
Jewelry selection
Classical horizontal tongue piercing involves the use of two "barbells" of different lengths. For the healing period of the puncture, you will need a long piece of surgical steel, titanium, gold or other non-oxidizing material. The main thing is that the decoration should be completely smooth, it should not additionally irritate the wound, be long, put pressure on the swollen tongue. After healing, you can replace the decoration with a shorter option. There is a wide variety of original wrapping with enamel, rhinestones, drawings. To reduce the risk of damage to the enamel on the teeth, you can use jewelry made of plastic, acrylic or silicone. Rings, horseshoes, and bananas of various sizes are also suitable for piercing the tongue.
Preparation
If you decide to puncture the tongue, start by looking for a wizard. Check out the works of masters and reviews. The selected salon must have a license to provide such services, and the master must have a certificate of piercing courses. Make sure that the specialist uses a sterile disposable tool, and that all the necessary disinfectants are available. A professional will inform you about all the possible risks of the procedure. In no case do not pierce the tongue at home or with a dubious master. An inexperienced piercer can damage a nerve or vessel, and to eliminate the consequences of an unsuccessful puncture you will have to consult a doctor.
Eat your favorite food, because in the next 4-6 weeks you will have to follow a diet without salty, spicy and acidic foods. Alcohol will also be banned. Any ailment is an occasion to postpone a visit to the master in order to avoid complications during or after the procedure. Immediately before visiting the salon, thoroughly brush your teeth and tongue.
Procedure
Before the procedure, the master will tell you in detail about how the operation will take place, and about the care of the tongue piercing after the puncture. You will need to rinse your mouth with a disinfectant solution to reduce the risk of infection. Next, the master will put on sterile gloves and prepare the tools. The next step will be the markup. The master will take into account the physiological features of the structure of the tongue so that you are comfortable wearing an earring. If the puncture is made too close to the tip, over time, due to the severity of the decoration, it will stretch and the decoration will fall out.
If the puncture is located closer to the root of the tongue, then the decoration can rub the sky. After marking, the master will fix the tongue with a clamp, with a needle and a catheter he will make a puncture. This is quick and relatively painless due to the fact that the tongue consists of smooth parallel fibers and the needle passes between them. If you have a low pain threshold, you can ask the master to do local anesthesia. Then insert a long earring with the expectation of swelling of a fresh puncture.
After it is all over and you become the proud owner of a tongue piercing, the wizard will once again remind you of the proper care for a fresh puncture, tell you how to handle a tongue puncture and give a reminder.
Care
To increase in size and hurt after a puncture, the tongue begins after 1-2 hours. The farther from the edge the puncture, the stronger the tumor will be. The first 4 hours you can’t eat, and then you can only eat liquid or puree foods. Prohibited alcohol. Spicy, salty, and sour foods are not recommended because they will irritate the puncture. It is necessary to rinse mouth with chlorhexidine 3-5 times a day, as well as after each meal.
To brush your teeth with caution or temporarily switch to mouthwash. The brush must be boiled in a soda solution before each use. Refrain from kisses and other contacts.
How long does a tongue puncture heal? Subject to all recommendations, edema will disappear in 3-10 days, but 4-6 weeks will pass before complete healing. After that, replace the decoration with a shorter one. You can do this yourself or contact the master from whom you did the piercing.
Complications
The main consequence of the constant wearing of the piercing in the tongue, even with the correct procedure and successful healing, is damage to the tooth enamel. You can protect your teeth by replacing a metal jewelry with plastic, acrylic or silicone.
The consequences of a puncture of the tongue by a layman:
- violation of diction;
- loss of taste sensitivity;
- nerve damage;
- severe bleeding due to damage to large vessels;
- infection of the wound;
- blood poisoning.
The neglect of recommendations for caring for a fresh puncture also has consequences in the form of infection of the wound, soreness and swelling. The temperature may rise. Bad breath, a strange color of the tongue - an occasion to run to the doctor.
Reviews
Judging by the reviews of the owners of such a piercing, a puncture made in the salon by an experienced master does not cause complications and quickly heals. Most note swelling of the tongue and problems with diction. About 10% of people were forced to remove the earring due to inconvenience in professional activities. Some were forced to refuse to wear jewelry due to the developed infection. However, it is worth noting that most reviews of the puncture of the tongue are positive.
Tongue piercing is a relatively painless procedure, but can have serious consequences if an inexperienced master makes a puncture. Such piercings heal faster, but care recommendations should not be neglected. The decoration in the tongue looks sexy and aggravates the sensations during the kiss. In addition to the classic bar, you can insert a ring, “horseshoe” or “banana” into the tongue. To avoid tooth damage, it is recommended to wear jewelry made of silicone or acrylic.