While body art has become widely popular in recent years, but its roots go back to ancient times. Whether you talk about tattoos, scarifications, scalpellings, and piercings, body art has gained remarkable fame in mainstream cultures. However, when it comes to the styles that enhance the beauty and creates a definite statement, many people opt for piercings. It not only gives a bold look but also bring a modern feel to the face. Let’s dig the history to know more!
The History of Tongue Piercing
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If you dig down the Aztec and Maya cultures, you’ll find various illustrations depicting priests with a pierced tongue. In some artwork, you may see them piercing their tongue and blood passing through rough cords; such art pieces used to articulate extreme pain or suffering. While there is little evidence regarding the reasons and associations, many historians believe that tongue piercing was the part of their rituals. Furthermore, priests pierced the tongue to honor their gods.
Besides it, piercing has a long history, but it’s all associated with religious and sacred practices. Mesoamericans including Aztecs followed this practice and other perforations to offer their deities. Moreover, Asian spirit medium practiced tongue piercing as a part of providing to their gods and proof of trance state.
In addition to that, in the early years of the 20th century, many Western carnival artists adopted many sideshow tricks from fakirs. They practiced such tricks in different shows held in America and other European states. You will be amazed to know that those tricks also include tongue piercing; it was the first time the style introduced in Europe.
When it comes to modern societies, tongue piercing has been the long term part of some cultures. Permanent piercings have been the part of the resurgence of perforations in these contemporary societies. In the 1990s, people seeking for unique body art embraced the surgical steel barbell style jewelry, invented recently back then.
In the early years of the 1980s, the ease of availability of different jewelry associated with various styles of piercings evolved. Over the years, a vast variety of piercing styles has innovated. The most exciting thing is that almost all styles are far likely to add enchanting and baffling looks to the wearer’s feature.
When it comes to the first contemporary piercing, the style originated from Gauntlet, which is the first ever professional body piercing store in America. However, it was formerly in Los Angeles, California. Elayine Angle was the first professional piercer who received the award of Master Piercer by Jim Ward. Not to mention, Jim Ward is the body piercing pioneer, and he is the man who laid the foundations of Gauntlet.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that tongue piercing is not gender specific; there are various mesmerizing ideas of tongue piercing are available for both women and men.
Snake Eyes Piercing
As one of the most common types of snake piercings, snake eyes piercing has become a popular choice for many people. Also, know as tip-of-tongue piercing, this particular style imitates real snake eyes. Specifically, your piercer will perforate the tongue’s front horizontally. In other words, if you get snake eyes piercing it will seem like snake’s eyes are staring out.
Opting for Snake Eyes Piercing?
Due to the unique aesthetics it brings to facial features, many people choose snake eyes piercing. In addition to that, this specific style to adorn a body is becoming very trendy. On most social media platforms, you’ll find tons of imaginative and mesmerizing piercing ideas. However, if you want to have a unique yet bold piercing, there is no better idea than getting snake eyes piercing.
Nevertheless, when it comes to finding the best piercing shop, you must do thorough due diligence and extensive research to choose the perfect piercer. If you’re wondering about how it’s possible to determine who’s the best and who’s not, there are several ways to evaluate that. For instance, you can ask for a referral from your friends and acquaintances. Besides that, you can read the reviews, see the testimonials, and review piercer’s portfolio.
For you, we have gathered some of the most fantastic piercing ideas so that you can choose your favorite style right away.
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What does it take to get a Snake Eye Piercing?
It’s no secret that snake eyes piercing are a quite complicated process because the jewelry goes through the horizontal length of your tongue. Not to mention, it’s a straightforward and hassle-free process for a skilled and proficient piercer. Generally, when you go for a tongue piercing, your artist will
First, examine your tongue. In this way, they will get to know whether your tongue can bear the strain and stress of the perforation.
People who have a thinner tongue can’t tolerate the pain and cons of tongue piercing, precisely the one snake eye piercing cause. Therefore, if your tongue is thin, you can’t get snake eye piercing. When it comes to procedure, snake eye piercing entails a quick method, especially when an experienced does that. After poking hole, the piercer proceeds to place in a curved or straight barbell; the selection depends on the shape or structure of your tongue.
However, the jewelry piece is not of an exact size that fits your tongue; your first barbell will be longer than the actual length. This way, you will easily manage any swelling or inflammation that’s likely to occur during the healing process. After a couple of weeks when your tongue is somewhat healed up, your artist will remove the current barbell and re-insert the other piercing jewelry of your choice.
Note that, the tools and instruments to use in the procedure must be sterile properly to avoid any infection or contamination. If you’re thinking how long snake eyes’ piercing take, it’s just a matter of seconds. As compared to other body art procedures including tattoo, piercing takes a while, and there will be slighter pain.
More about Tongue Piercing
Like other amazing body arts, piercing is an incredible style that adds an aesthetic statement to your beauty and gives you more captivating looks. The procedure includes explicitly piercing of the tongue in different ways. So that, when you op n en your mouth, it will seem a stud is sparkling out. It’s not the end as there are so many mind-blowing ways for tongue piercing. Let’s explore some common types of piercing.
Midline Tongue Piercing
If it’s going to be your first piercing ever, you must choose midline tongue piercing. As the simplest piercing, midline tongue piercing perfectly suits on the newbies. If you’re thinking about the method, a small stud will pierce through the midline of your tongue. As it’s painless and affordable, this single perforation is the most popular piercing.
Tongue Web Piercing
Typically, tongue web piercing is not what you’re thinking: a tongue piercing. Rather than that, tongue web piercing includes perforating under your tongue. This kind of style allows you to use a variety of jewelry- from rings to barbells; you can choose the one that best suits you. Note that, tongue web piercing is less painful and heal fast as compared to other snake piercings.
Venom Piercing
If you’re interested in facial piercings, you probably have come across various styles for tongue perforation. Among those, the style that gives more bold looks is venom piercing. It’s a double tongue piercing where the professional pierces two symmetrical holes on each side of the tongue.
So, if you’re thinking to get venom piercing, you must have similar jewelry to add beautiful yet confident flair to your features. If you’re wondering about the procedure, the venom piercing method is not much different from the midline tongue piercing. It’s there will be two perforations in venom piercing instead of one.
Frowny Piercing
Like its name, it’s more like a funky, trendy style. Similar to frenulum piercing, frowny perforation is about piercing and placing a ring between the lower gum and lip. It’s a kind of piercing that comes under the two styles; tongue piercing and lips perforation. Not to say, frowny piercing requires a quite simple and painless procedure. Furthermore, if you’re planning to get a frowny piercing, remember that it will look beautiful with a delicate silver ring.
Surface or Scoop Piercing
Surface or scoop piercing is a horizontal perforation; your artist will pierce and insert two studs on the surface of your tongue. Believe or not, surface or scoop tongue piercing is one of the painless piercing styles. This factor is probably because the stud doesn’t go through your tongue tissue. Instead, the professionals do it on the surface. Combined with barbell types, surface or scoop tongue piercing can look wonderful.
Multiple Piercings
Also known as double tongue piercing, multiple perforations are a perfect choice for enthusiasts. However, it’s important to mention here that such piercing type is not suitable for the ones who are getting piercing for the first time. So, whether it’s the third time or more you’re piercing, you can choose for multiple piercing.
You can get two or more holes on your tongue, whether aligned in the middle of your tongue or each side. If you opt for multiple piercing, make sure to use jewelry of different materials and colors. In this way, your multiple-pierced tongue will look more catchy.
Uvula Piercing
Well, uvula piercing is not a tongue perforation, but it’s the rarest body modification. Introduced in 1994, this piercing type includes placing a ring or studs deep in your mouth, between tonsils. It’s a very complicated procedure and thus need an expert to carry out the method without any complications. Most professional piercers use lidocaine to curb the gag reflex. Nevertheless, uvula piercing can cause serious health issues. Therefore, you must think twice before getting uvula piercing.
Aftercare Tips
Generally, your snake eye piercing will take 4 to 8 weeks to heal. However, you need to keep in mind that you will have to take extra care of your perforated tongue during this period. The good thing is snake eye piercing can heal quickly as compared to the other piercing types. You still have to follow some caring tips to avoid any infection or hassle.
- Make sure to eat soft foods during the first week
- Keep your head lifted while talking to decrease the swelling
- If you find difficulty in eating and speaking, rub an ice cube to lessen the pain
- Avoid drinking alcohol during the healing process, or else it can create health complications
- To ease the pain or swelling, gargle with salt water at least 4 to 5 times daily
- Make sure to rinse your mouth after eating to avoid the food particles trapped on your piercing
- Do not eat spicy foods and make sure not to smoke
Want to Know About Lips Piercing?
The ancient cultures, including Precolumbian ones of South America, have great historical importance related to lip piercing. Back then, lip piercing was known as Tembeta and practiced by many people. Among them, African tries were the one who largely practiced lips piercing. They used to wear large decorative discs or plates, typically in the lower lip. In modern societies, lip piercing has become more common over recent years.
Nuba tribe of Ethiopia and Dogon of Mali were the only two tribes who practiced lip piercing with the ring. Among them, lip piercing was a religious ritual and highly practiced as a part of offerings to their Gods.
Apart from its history, tongue piercing and lips perforation are the two common types of piercing. The reason for discussing the historical significance of lip piercing is that if you choose to combine these two popular styles, you would have in mind its importance- association with religious rituals.
In Conclusion
Now that you have a plethora of information on tongue piercing, specifically snake eye piercing, you will have a better idea about perforations. Furthermore, with the ideas shared above, you can now easily opt for an eye-catching style that suits you best. Just make sure to take extra care of your pierced tongue after the perforation.
