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| Dear Yahoo!: |
| How safe is tongue piercing? |
Carol
Grantville, Pennsylvania |
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| Dear Carol: |
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When performed by a qualified studio, tongue piercing is pretty safe. The Yahoo! Tongue Piercing category features a handful of very helpful sites including Notes on Tongue Piercing, which features a nifty list of what to look for in a studio. To sum up: - Find a friend who's had their tongue pierced and ask them to recommend a studio.
- Visit the studio. Ask to look at their photo portfolio. Does the studio seem sterile?
- Ask if they use a hospital grade autoclave, which uses high pressure and heat to clean instruments.
- The piercing shouldn't be done in
a tattoo room, or an administrative office.
- The staff should all be vaccinated against hepatitis-B.
- The staff should be friendly and willing to answer all of your questions.
- All the needles and jewelry should be kept in sterilized packages.
- Health certificates should be clearly visible.
It usually takes four to six weeks for the piercing to completely heal, but your tongue will swell dramatically during the first couple days. Fret not -- apply ice and drink plenty of water. Don't smoke, don't kiss, rinse with warm salt water, and avoid spicy foods. After you've completely healed, you won't notice the piercing at all. It's true. Of course, any time you have minor surgery, complications are possible, as
this news article reminds us. You'll have to decide for yourself if the rewards outweigh the risks.
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