Among various body piercings, tongue piercings are said to heal the fastest. So read on to find out what to expect, step by step in your tongue piercing procedure so that you can go with confidence. Here is what your piercer will do:

You will be seated in a chair with a paper towel under your chin;

You will be asked to rinse your mouth with a special mouthwash;

Your piercer will wear a pair of gloves and unpack the sterilized piercing needle;

You will be asked to stick out your tongue

A clamp is applied on your tongue to numb the pain and keep the tongue in the right position;

The spot where the piercing will be done on the tongue is marked;

When you are ready, the piercer will quickly pass the needle through the marked spot. This is over in seconds.

Immediately, the barbell is slid through the piercing. This barbell is longer than the regular size to allow space for swelling.

The next step in tongue piercing procedure – screwing on the ball on the tongue ring’s shaft. It’s usually done under the tongue to reduce the chance of losing it and swallowing it!

Your piercer will give you instructions about how to take care of it!

While some people claim that the clamps and the piercing are painful, it is mainly a matter of each person’s tolerance for pain. So when you go for your piercing, you will probably find that it is not as painful as it was made out to be!

You might be advised to eat well before you arrive for your tongue piercing procedure since it might a little difficult to handle food due to the swelling. You will be also advised to drink cold beverages. Chewing on ice also helps to bring down the swelling.

The good news is the tongue heals very quickly with the proper care. Your piercer will ask you to gargle after each meal or snack to avoid infection. In a couple of weeks your tongue piercing procedure will be a thing of the past and you are likely to be healed completely.

And yes – don’t forget to contact your piercer if you notice anything unusual!