Just over a year ago I got my first piercing. I had never gotten any because I come from the type of family that forbids any form of body mod. I have always liked the idea of piercing, but I could never figure out what to get that could be hidden easily around my family and work. One day I came across BME and saw the pictures of the tongue web piercing. It was a piercing I could get and hide easily at home and at work.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Gina Studio Body Vogue Location Rhode Island So, the next day, I went to the piercing shop a friend had recommended to me, Body Vogue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I headed down to piercer and told her what I wanted. She said OK, I paid, and then into the piercing room. I had read stories online that the tongue web piercing is virtually painless and heals extremely quickly, so I wasn't too worried.
She had me rinse with Listerine first. She then marked my web for placement. When I said placement was good, she opened the needle right in front of me, it made me fell good that she was being very clean. She then placed the clamps on my web which didn't really bother me at all. She then said to take three deep breaths. On the third breath she pushed the needle through, and in a matter of seconds the needle was through with no pain. The ball took a while to get on due to the awkwardness of the area but a few minutes later and I was done. I tipped her and headed home.
For the next couple days my web was sore, but I had no swelling at all. I stuck to eating soup the first day and then after that normal food was fine. Learning to eat with it in was a new experience though. When I ate, my tongue thought my piercing was food and I would end up pulling on it a lot when I ate until I got used to it being there. About a week later it was healed with no pain at all.
I was told after the piercing to rinse with antiseptic mouth wash, not the normal good tasting stuff, after every time I put something in my mouth besides water. I did this for the next four weeks even though it looked healed after the first week, just to be sure.
The only downside to this piercing is that it builds up plaque very quickly. With new jewelry, the plaque tens to take a few days to stick, but after that, cleaning every few days is a must. I have big hands making it near impossible to change the jewelry myself. So, every few months I go back to the piercer and get for new jewelry. I have found that the balls on the curved barbells fall off easily, and with big hands like me it is difficult if not impossible to get the beads back on. So, I recommend captive rings, this way there is no threading to worry about and the chance of the bead falling off is minimal.
After getting the piercing I showed my friends and they were amazed because they had never heard of anyone getting that part of the body pierced. I kept getting the reaction, "You pierced what?" The majority of the people I have shown my piercing think its cool, but there are always the few that think it is gross.
After about six months, I thought about getting my web pierced a second time. I had seen picks of people with it pierced twice so I decided to go for it. I went back to the piercer to get my second one done. The process was the same as the first with minimal pain. I suggest for anyone getting their web pierced for the second time to use the same gauge and ring size in both piercings, it makes it more comfortable to wear. Healing went the same as the first with a small amount of swelling because the second was closer to the bottom of my tongue.
I am now in college, and now that I don't have the parents to worry about, I am debating getting venoms. I've wanted a normal tongue piercing for a while but was afraid I would not be able to hide it well enough. Also, I have a very large tongue web, so unless I get it removed, a normal tongue piercing is out of the question.
I have now had the first one for a year and the second for six months. I have not had a problem with either piercing, and would recommend getting a tongue web piercing to anyone who has thought about getting one, or wants a piercing and can't due to family or work. These piercing are easy to hide, they look great and are virtually painless to get. If you are in Rhode Island and looking to get a piercing, Body Vogue is the nicest and cleanest shop around.