How to Pierce Your Own Tongue

Tongue piercings have become increasingly popular over the year. Of course, the idea of having a pierced tongue is met with mixed reviews, as with many other things in life. No matter why you are interested in a tongue piercing, it is advised that you should always seek a professional for your body piercing needs, and more so in the case of a tongue piercing. In spite of the recommendation, here is the information you need to be able to pierce your tongue on your own. What you read here should be enough to convince you never ever to do it yourself. Pierce at own risk.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sterile location to perform piercing with large mirror to help you see
• 2 pairs of rubber gloves
• Oral antiseptic
• 14 g. sterile piercing needle
• 14 g. 5/8-inch sterile barbell (length essential)
• Piercing clamps
• Body ink marker

1. Research the piercing in all aspects to be sure that you are well educated before you begin. Pay special focus to any information that will help you decide placement for the piercing, and indicate aftercare instructions. You should hold off the piercing until you are confident in your knowledge and ability to understand the procedure.

2. Measure your tongue to ensure that it is long enough to accommodate a piercing without risking damage. Look at the bottom of your tongue to see the particular layout of your veins. Do not attempt any sort of piercing that may hit any of the veins. If you have any doubt, stop here, consult with a professional and move on from their suggestions.

3. Prepare the area for the procedure by ensuring that all equipment is located within reach, and is still sealed in sterile packaging. If anything is not 100 percent sterile, touch it while wearing a pair of rubber gloves to ensure that you do not gather any on your hands. Wash your hands, and use another pair of gloves for the piercing process to ensure complete sterility.

4. To cleanse your mouth and prepare it to receive the piercing, rinse with an alcohol-free anti-bacterial antiseptic. If you do not have an alcohol-free option at your disposal, you may safely dilute an alcohol-based solution. The important part is to consider that the alcohol is not good for the piercing or its preparation.

5. Use a body ink marker to mark the desired placement. Remember, you should aim for center placement in the area between the tip and where the base of the tongue connects to the base of your mouth. Inspect the bottom of your tongue to once again make sure that no veins will be harmed. Adjust your placement slightly forward or backward if you see that you will safely avoid harming veins but if there is any doubt in the safety of your placement, stop here. Consult a professional for advice and proceed based on their suggestions.

6. Open the needle and barbell and keep it close by for easy access when you are ready to use them. Do not let them roll or move around, as this will prevent them from staying sterile. Do not touch them again until the point where insertion of the jewelry occurs.

7. Clamp your tongue to assist in holding it steady during the piercing. Line up your marks in the center of the clamp top to ensure that your angle and positioning is correct. Look at the bottom of your tongue once more to make sure that you are still not going to harm any veins.

8. Now, with your needle in hand, lift the bottom of your tongue and pierce upward to make sure that you do not hit veins. If you pierce from the top down, you may not hit veins, but you run a higher risk as you are unable to see the exit point. Push the needle through the marked area on the bottom.

9. Insert the barbell into the end of the needle, and in a quick motion, push through. This will remove the needle and leave the barbell in place. Secure the ends of the barbell tightly, in order to prevent them from coming lose. Remove the clamp. You're done with piercing your tongue.

Tips & Warnings

• Always seek professional piercing options in place of your own, especially in cases such as a tongue.
• Care for your piercing by rinsing your mouth with the oral antiseptic after each meal.
• Eat soft foods for a few days to help as your mouth makes the adjustment to the foreign object.
• Refrain from smoking and drinking during the healing process (4 to 6 weeks). If you do, clean after each cigarette and frequently while drinking.
• Some tongues are not possible to pierce in the traditional straight manner; some require a crooked technique that would not be visible to others, and some cannot be pierced at all. The presence and placement of many veins, and a major artery will affect whether or not it can be pierced at all. It is the potential risk of hitting these veins that makes self-piercing so much more dangerous than professional piercings.
• It is absolutely necessary to use a 5/8-inch length barbell as the initial jewelry. This allows the tongue to swell. Anything shorter may create problems.

Resources

• Tongue Piercing Experience

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