Piercing is a fairly common procedure. She no longer causes strong bewilderment and ugly thoughts among those around her. But people still have disputes and misconceptions when they hear about piercing of the nipples or genitals, as well as the tongue. Many people do tongue piercing these days. The reasons for this are varied. But before you make an important decision and come to a specialist to pierce your tongue, you need to determine whether this operation is necessary and whether it has contraindications.
The history of piercing
For the first time, residents of African tribes and Polynesia began to practice the procedure of piercing various parts of the body. The Maasai were the first to introduce various decorations into their ears and lips. At that time, it was believed that the larger the size of the jewelry in the body, the greater the “weight” a person had in the tribe.
Navel piercing first appeared in Egypt. Women loved this procedure very much. The presence of a hole in the navel area of the Egyptian woman indicated that she belonged to “high society.”
In Tsarist Russia, sailors preferred to pierce their earlobes and wear voluminous earrings. Such a “symbol” meant that the person crossed the equator or belonged to the Cossack family. Later, starting in the 80s, it became fashionable for rappers to pierce their earlobes.
Nose piercing first appeared in India. The presence of a septum piercing (a puncture of the nasal septum) in a woman indicated her marital status, that is, that the girl was married.
Nipple piercings were done by warriors of Ancient Rome. An earring in a man's nipple indicated his masculinity, courage and determination. Only the strongest and bravest warriors had the right to have nipple piercings. Those with nipple earrings regularly competed in strength and courage. In order not to damage the “decoration”, special fabric capes were worn over the earrings.
The ancient Aztecs and North American tribes first began piercing their tongues. They carried out the procedure consciously, since it was considered a magical rite that helped to reunite with the Gods. The protruding blood on the tongue was considered sacred; it served as a means of calming the Spirits.
These days, piercings have completely different purposes. By piercing various parts of the body, people want to show their individuality, attract attention or stand out. For some, piercing is a way to feel new emotions, to prove to themselves that they can overcome pain and, as it were, move to a “new level of development.”
Other methods of artificial piercing
If desired, you can use jewelry on any part of the body. The method of imitation is selected based on the location of attachment, as well as the duration of wear, the selected clothing and other conditions. A universal way to imitate a puncture in any part of the body is to glue a small rhinestone or crystal using special glue. If desired, you can use any safe glue that is acceptable for contact with the human body. In ordinary places - in the nose, in the lip, in the ears - it is most convenient to use rings of different diameters or a clip-type device.
Tongue piercing procedure
Tongue piercing is a surgical procedure. Although it is short-lived, it can be very dangerous to health, and in certain cases, to life. The procedure is a sharp puncture of the soft mucous membrane of the tongue with the further introduction of a special earring or barbell.
Among the huge variety of “decorations”, the most common are vertical rods cast from medical titanium or steel. In appearance, the earring turns out to be double, that is, it can be seen both from above and, if you lift your tongue, from below.
Another popular type of piercing is the frenulum. This procedure for introducing a frenulum into the tongue is less painless; during the operation, the client releases less blood, and, accordingly, healing of the wound surface occurs much faster.
Other "decorations":
- rings;
- carnations;
- staples.
How much does a tongue piercing cost?
To make jewelry bring joy and not darken your life, go to a salon or medical facility. Many clinics offer tongue piercing services, here is an overview of the cost of the procedure in Moscow institutions:
| Name of institution | Cost, rubles |
| Family doctor | 1 800 |
| Etisel | 2 200 |
| World of beauty | 1 500 |
| Hippocratic Oath | 2 000 |
| EkaMed | 1 500 |
Purpose of piercing
People who decide to have their tongue pierced have different goals. It is widely believed that the presence of an earring in the soft tissue of the tongue improves sexual satisfaction in a partner. Young girls often decide to have their tongue pierced simply to become fashionable. Some people pierce a part of their body in order to show others that they belong to a certain subculture.
Tongue piercing helps people stand out “among the crowd,” to indicate that they are not like everyone else, and to prove their own uniqueness and individuality.
Types of special needles for piercing
Piercing is a popular procedure that involves making a puncture on a specific area of the body where jewelry is inserted.
To carry out a puncture in the skin, various tools are used, among which the main ones are high-quality piercing needles https://pierceandstud.ru/igly_dlya_pirsinga/. Thanks to them, the procedure is quick and almost painless.
Advantages and disadvantages
The presence of an earring in a person's tongue always attracts everyone's attention to him. The corresponding procedure can be treated both poorly and well. But almost always the presence of a puncture arouses interest among others.
Anyone who agrees to have their tongue pierced feels special, different from everyone else. In this way a person wants to show his individuality. And some people decide to get piercings in order to show their decisive character or, conversely, to overcome themselves.
Pros of a puncture
- After the procedure, a person begins to consider himself liberated, courage and determination appear in his character. Anyone who decides to have their tongue pierced “challenges” a monotonous and boring life.
- Tongue piercing is not as noticeable to others as, for example, eyebrow piercing. If necessary, the “decoration” can be removed, and no one will notice the presence of a puncture.
- Improves sexual sensations for a partner. When kissing or performing oral sex, tongue piercing can add additional sexual arousal and add a sense of exoticism to sexual contact.
- After surgery, a long recovery period is required. At this point, you need to follow a strict diet and give up a large list of foods. This restriction helps some people lose weight.
- If all the basics of proper care are followed, the risk of complications is minimal.
- The ability to remove the “decoration” at any time and ensure that the tongue piercing is healed. Thanks to active regeneration of soft tissues, the puncture heals very quickly.
Flaws
- The procedure is very painful. If a person is very sensitive to pain, then it will be difficult for him to undergo such an operation.
- The recovery period, which can “stretch” for several months, also brings a lot of inconvenience. The healing process of the wound surface provokes pain and physical discomfort. It can take from 3 to 6 months before all the unpleasant sensations end.
- Piercing needs to be done only in a specialized clinic or salon, and always by an experienced and qualified master. Many people pierce various parts of the body at home. But in this option, the risk of developing dangerous complications increases sharply. Saving on your own health can cost much more than the cost of surgery in a trusted clinic.
- There is a risk of infection. This often occurs due to the use of unsterile instruments during surgery. The development of infection is not the worst complication of piercing. Complications include hepatitis and herpes. The likelihood of developing complications dangerous to health increases significantly if the procedure is performed by inexperienced or unqualified professionals.
- Tongue piercing almost always damages teeth. This occurs due to the fact that a person has a desire to “chew” or bite the earring. Teeth begin to deteriorate and break for another reason - while chewing food, an unintentional biting of a metal rod occurs.
- If you have a tongue piercing, careful care of your teeth and gums is required. Many young girls and boys, in order to boast about the presence of “decoration” in their mouth, show it off to others who touch the barbell with their hands. All this causes an increase in the number of bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity.
- Development of gum disease.
- The presence of a foreign body in the oral cavity often provokes the development of discomfort - redness of the mucous membrane, itching, the desire to scratch the tongue.
The degree of pain of the procedure
Any operation is painful. And tongue piercing is no exception. The puncture procedure itself lasts a couple of seconds. The patient feels a sharp, but quite tolerable pain. The main painful sensations begin at the stage of healing of the wound surface. The lining of the tongue is highly sensitive, and since this organ of the body is constantly moving, the pain will be excruciating. The discomfort will continue until the wound heals.
It is possible to reduce the intensity of painful sensations. To do this, you must adhere to the following basics:
- The operation should only be performed in a specialized clinic (salon) by a qualified specialist;
- During the recovery period, constantly care for the wound;
- stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages (at least for the recovery period);
- try to talk less in the first days after surgery;
- Avoid eating hot and spicy foods.
Puncture procedure
Tongue piercing is an operation. To avoid complications, it is recommended to carry it out in a specialized salon. Only a qualified doctor can perform the procedure properly. Only a master can determine the optimal place for a puncture, where the risk of injury to nerves and blood vessels will be minimal.
During the operation, sterile instruments and disposable rubber gloves must be used.
Sequencing:
- The oral cavity is treated with an antiseptic. In most cases, patients ask for additional oral anesthesia. Lidocaine solution is used as an anesthetic.
- A special clamp is used to fix the tongue.
- A puncture is made on the tongue fixed with a clamp. The direction of the needle is from bottom to top.
- A metal rod or a “decoration” chosen by the patient is inserted into the resulting hole.
Tongue piercing at home
It is not advisable to do piercing yourself.
To minimize the risk of complications, the following requirements must be met:
- A well-lit place is selected for the operation. There must be a table in the room on which the necessary tools are laid out.
- For the operation, only sterile instruments (clamp, needle, earring) are used.
- The oral cavity must be treated with a disinfectant solution and, if necessary, irrigated with an anesthetic drug.
- For the puncture site, select the part of the tongue located closer to the tip. There are no large blood vessels in this area of the organ.
- The tongue is clamped with forceps.
- A special needle pierces the soft tissue of the organ strictly perpendicular to the surface.
- The bar is threaded. It is recommended to use a catheter to insert the “decoration”.
A catheter is a special device that helps you do piercing at home. Thanks to the catheter, the sensation when piercing the soft tissue of the tongue is less painful.
The catheter is a small needle equipped with a plastic tube. An earring or other “decoration” is inserted into the cavity of the tube. After the puncture, the earring goes into the hole along with the needle. Subsequently, the needle and catheter are removed, and the “decoration” remains in the inner part of the tongue.
How to do your own piercing at home
After everything is prepared and an anesthetic injection is given (by the way, I only gave pain relief once - the pain threshold is high), sit or stand in front of the mirror - whichever is more comfortable for you. Visually mark the location. The lip can be pierced both upper and lower, in the center or on the side. Eyebrow - from the middle to the end. The tongue is independent only in the center; there are very serious veins on the sides of the tongue, they can be seen from below.
Pre-knead the puncture site to drive away the blood. Otherwise, if it leaks, you will be uncomfortable and invisible. Kneaded, disinfected, pierced. If it turns out smooth, insert the earring. Either into a piercing needle or a catheter from the system, or we take out the needle and insert the earring.
How to do a lip piercing yourself at home
In the second case, you can lubricate the tip of the threaded earring with ointment. If it doesn’t turn out smoothly, we try a second time. We twist the earring - congratulations! Done.
Recovery period
The most painful and unpleasant sensations occur during the recovery period. Until the wound surface heals, a person must observe strict restrictions.
On the first day after surgery, the surface of the tongue is very sore and swollen. These changes are normal, pain is the result of soft tissue trauma, and swelling is the cause of damage to lymph flows and blood vessels. The swelling may last for several days.
The wound heals within 2-3 weeks. Complete healing of the wound surface occurs 3-4 months after surgery.
During the first weeks after surgery, you should be careful about your diet. It is important to exclude all spicy, smoked, salty foods from the menu. Dishes should not be hot. It is optimal to eat liquid, fresh, warm food.
Caring for a pierced tongue
The basis of tongue piercing care is the treatment of soft tissues. Every day, twice a day, the wound needs to be treated with antiseptic solutions (Chlorhexidine, a solution of baking soda or potassium permanganate).
For the first 2 weeks after surgery, you need to rinse your mouth after eating. The first days, rinsing is carried out with antiseptic solutions (Chlorhexidine). In the future, you can rinse your mouth with decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, sage, calendula).
Barbell care
For 2 weeks after the tongue piercing, you need to clean the barbell daily with a toothbrush. After this time, it is necessary to regularly remove the “decoration”, thoroughly clean it of surface contaminants and disinfect it in a Chlorhexidine solution.
How to care for a pierced tongue
Care involves treating the wound with antiseptic solutions such as Chlorhexidine, potassium permanganate or soda. For the first 2 weeks, rinse your mouth as often as possible, always after meals. After ten to fourteen days, instead of rinsing with an antiseptic, use a decoction of chamomile or calendula. Do not be overzealous so as not to deprive the natural antiseptic - saliva - of its protective properties. The barbell also requires care. For the first two weeks, brush it with a soft toothbrush. Afterwards, regularly remove the barbell, clean and disinfect it.
Possible complications
If the operation was performed poorly, the tongue will be very sore after the piercing. Signs of an inflammatory process (redness, severe swelling, itching) will begin to develop on the surface of the soft tissues. Healing of the wound surface will occur slowly.
Complications after piercing:
- heavy bleeding;
- infection of the wound surface;
- pain while eating, swallowing or communicating.
If negative consequences develop, an emergency visit to the doctor is necessary. Treatment of the inflammatory process consists of treating the wound surface with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory solutions. Your doctor may also prescribe antibacterial injections.
Contraindications
Piercing is quite popular these days. But tongue piercing is not available to everyone. Before you decide to have surgery and go to the specialist, you need to study the list of contraindications:
- allergy to antibiotics;
- pregnancy period (the risk of infection poses a serious threat to the expectant mother and baby);
- allergy to metals;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- poor blood clotting;
- oral diseases;
- epilepsy;
- some autoimmune diseases (diabetes mellitus, hemophilia).
Tongue piercing is a modern procedure that helps a person stand out among the “crowd.” But before you decide to have a puncture, you need to evaluate all the disadvantages, consequences and dangers of a difficult operation.
Sources used:
- Harden, Blaine. Coming to Grips With the Enduring Appeal of Body Piercing, The New York Times
- A. Stirn (2003): Body piercing: medical consequences and psychological motivations., The Lancet
- Wikipedia material
