There are many places on your body that you can add jewelry to. Your ears, your belly button, your nose, and even your tongue! Have you ever thought about accessorizing your tongue? If you have, this is the right article for you! Are you wondering if it hurts to get a tongue piercing and how you can prevent getting an infection after you have gotten the piercings? And maybe you are even wondering what kind of piercings you can get for your tongue?
Well, you have definitely come to the right place because you will get answers to your questions in the following article. Or maybe you are a parent who is worried about their kid getting a piercing?
There is nothing to worry about! We hope that we can take some of the general worries from you, no matter if you are the one who wants the piercing or if you are concerned about someone who wants to get a tongue piercing.
Getting your tongue pierced sounds a little bit more crazy and dangerous than it actually is. So let us dive right into the topic, shall we?
What is a tongue piercing?
So, what actually is a tongue piercing and how does the piercer get the needle through your whole tongue? The tongue piercings are usually right in the middle of your tongue. Your tongue is the organ that makes sure that you can taste all the yummy things. So when the piercer is getting your tongue ready for the piercing, they will make sure to do it as gently as possible.
Your tongue will be prepared with a mouthwash that will numb your tongue. Then the spot of the piercing will be marked to make sure that the piercer hits the right spot. After that the piercer will fixate your tongue with clamping tongs. With a venous catheter the piercer will pierce your tongue. And even though it might sound like that hurts, it usually does not.
But your tongue might swell which is why you will have to wear a longer piercing for the first couple of days. You can switch that out as soon as the swelling goes down. The piercer will of course put the longer piercing in for you with the help of the catheter.
So how does that sound? Do you want your piercing? The good thing is that the process is quick, does not hurt as much as you might expect, and the piercing will last you a lifetime! It will all be worth it at the end.
Types of tongue piercings
So the most common piercing for your tongue is right in the middle of it. That is the one that most people get, most piercers feel very comfortable with doing, and that you can buy the most tongue piercing pieces for.
However, there are some other kinds of piercings for different spots of your tongue but definitely make sure that you get a piercer who knows what they are doing because you do not want to lose your sense of taste.
There are options of getting a piercing on top of your tongue and even your whole tongue but that is definitely more dangerous than getting a “regular” tongue piercing. Just make sure to inform yourself about the risk before you do it.
There are also different ways to get a piercing. You could either get the tongue pierced horizontally or from the side. There is also the option of getting the piercing on the tip of your tongue with the needle going through until the middle.
It definitely makes sense to talk to a specialist about your options and then go the safest route! You definitely do not want your new accessory to be hurtful or harmful.
How much does the tongue piercing hurt?
Does it hurt to get a tongue piercing? That is probably one of the most commonly asked questions regarding and revolving the piercing for your tongue. Your tongue does a lot for you, so it makes sense to ask yourself if it will hurt or not to get your tongue pierced.
Luckily for you and your tongue you will get a mouthwash that will numb your tongue right before you get the piercing. That definitely helps the process! Your tongue will most likely swell right after and also might stay swollen for a good amount of time, which can be up to a whole week. That does not specifically hurt but it might feel a little uncomfortable and you will need some time to get used to that feeling. But your tongue will probably hurt for a week or so after you got your tongue pierced. After that it might only hurt if you pull on the piercing.
So to conclude the question, if it hurts to get your tongue pierced: not really. Of course, it always depends on the person. If you are super sensitive to pain, it might hurt you more than someone who is not that sensitive regarding pain.
Tongue piercing healing process
We have covered the whole process of actually getting the piercing but how about the healing process? How does that work and what should you probably keep an eye on?
If everything is going well, the swelling should go down within a couple of days. It most likely will not take longer than a week for the swelling to go down. When that has happened you can switch the long piercing for a shorter one! That will definitely make your tongue feel better and more normal already and will also be better for your teeth.
To support the healing you should drink a lot of water. It might generally be a little tough to eat during those first few days, so it might be smart to stick to liquid food like soups. Cool and chilled drinks will help to make the swelling go down quicker. Also, you should not be kissing anyone with your tongue for the first few days and only touch the piercing with freshly washed hands.
It actually takes up to six weeks for the tongue to be fully healed! So you might feel some discomfort for those six weeks until you have fully adjusted to the new piercing.
Aftercare and side effects
What can you do to support the healing of your tongue and what should you not do? And are there some side effects? Those are also questions you probably have and we are here to answer them.
The first side effect is the one we have already mentioned: your tongue will be swollen for a good amount of time. So do not worry if that happens to you! You can drink chilled water to help with the swelling. By the way, aftercare does not stop after those six weeks until your tongue is healed. You have to make sure that you clean your tongue so there won’t be an infection.
You should use a good mouthwash frequently and alcohol and nicotine will not only be bad for your liver and lungs from now on but also for your tongue. You are also not supposed to drink milk or juices for two weeks after getting the piercing to treat your tongue with a lot of care. Also no kissing, no very hot meals, and no touching the piercing with unwashed hands!
If you take care of your tongue in a mindful way it should not come to an infection. If you do feel like your tongue is infected, you should go to a doctor.
Your piercer will get you all of this information as well before you are actually getting the piercing as well.
How much will it cost?
Another big question is: how much does it cost to get your tongue pierced? That depends on a few factors: where are you getting your tongue pierces? Who is piercing your tongue? What kind of piercing are you choosing?
The standard price is around $30. And then it of course also costs money to buy new piercings if you want some variety. But you can find cute piercings for $5 already. So all in all it is not too expensive to get your tongue pierced, especially if you consider that you could technically keep this piercing forever! If you take good care of it and want to.
There are always places that take more than $30 and also places that take less. The one thing that is important when you are choosing the place to get your piercing is that you inform yourself about the piercer. A high price does not technically get you the most experienced piercer and a low price does not immediately give you the worst piercer in the business. Just make sure to do your research before making the step of getting your tongue pierced.
Type of jewelry
But the designs of that one are more versatile than you might think at first! There are simple options with just one color. There are shiny and glittery ones and even some that have text on them. So you could even match your tongue piercing to your outfit! You can buy your piercings at your local piercing store but also in most jewelry stores and obviously online.
A little pro tip: Did you know that it is better for your teeth to get a plastic piercing than a metal one. Who would have thought? But that material is softer, so if you touch your teeth with it, there is less danger of damage than with a metal one. And in most cases nobody will even notice what kind of material you chose. And the plastic ones are usually cheaper too, so you get the best of both worlds!
So, are you ready to start your collection of pretty tongue piercings?
Are you ready for your tongue piercing?
What are you thinking? Are you excited to get your piercing now? What kind of piercing will you get and what kinds of jewelry will you choose?It definitely is an exciting process to get a tongue piercing. Just make sure you research where to get the piercings and that you take care of the piercing after you have gotten it.
Keep your tongue healthy! But if you do that there is not a lot to worry about. Just have a lot of water and liquid food ready for after you have gotten the piercing!
