Thinking of getting a snake eyes piercing? You’ll need to be brave. These piercings look dope but they can cause quite a few complications. But first, let’s make it clear exactly what this piercing entails. A snake eyes piercing refers to a tongue piercing done in two areas at the front of the tongue. A barbell runs horizontally through the tongue to connect the two piercings. They look like two snake eyes staring out when the mouth is open, hence the name.
WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT
Make sure you find an experienced piercer who practices a high level of hygiene and who is able to answer all your questions. The individual will mark the piercing sites using a surgical marker to ensure precision. Next, they will clamp your tongue in place to avoid hitting a vein and then pull a hollow needle through it. The jewelry will then be pulled through. Typically, a 14-gauge curved or straight barbell is used.
HOW PAINFUL IS IT?
Typically speaking, this piercing doesn’t hurt that much and is often described as biting the tongue. However, it should be taken into consideration that pain thresholds differ among individuals. Certain people can be more sensitive in this area and might find this piercing more painful than others.
COST OF SNAKE EYES PIERCING
Some high-end shops don’t offer snake eyes piercings because of the risks attached to it. When you find one that does, the cost will be somewhere between $30 and $70 including the cost of the jewelry. If you opt for fancier metalware, the cost can go up.
HOW TO CARE FOR A SNAKE EYES PIERCING
Aftercare is very important for any piercing but especially so for snake eyes. Your piercer should give you a list of instructions which you should follow if you want to avoid infection. One key rule is to never touch your piercing without washing your hands. This is a sure way to introduce bacteria. You also need to rinse your mouth with sea salt water every time you finish eating. All you need is hot water a small amount of sea salt to make the rinse. Just make sure it cools to a comfortable temperature before you use it. You can also buy a ready-made aftercare spray from the pharmacy.
Brush your teeth as usual but you may want to avoid minty flavors which may burn. You definitely should not use mouthwash and you should also stay away from spicy foods.
BEST AFTERCARE PRODUCTS
In order to ensure that the piercing heals at a rapid rate, it’s important to use a few aftercare products. These products will help keep the tongue area clean, which is ideal for any new piercing. Some of these products have been created to help the piercing heal and prevent any infections from developing.
RECOVERY ORAL PIERCING AFTERCARE SEA SALT MOUTH RINSE
This product is safe to use on any new piercing, including tongue piercings. It helps keep the area clean while promoting quick recovery. All the ingredients used in this mouth wash are vegan friendly and alcohol free.
These ingredients include:
- Sea Salt- which is an excellent natural ingredient that helps keeps new piercings healthy.
- Peppermint- which keeps the mouth feeling fresh and helps mask bad breath (from blood, after a piercing)
- Purified water- which allows the area to be free from any dirt or germs.
*It’s important to avoid any mouthwash that contains alcohol, this can drastically affect healing.
X-PRESSIONS EXTRA STRENGTH LIQUID SWABS
X-Pressions extra strength swabs are a great buy because of its antiseptic properties. This product has been dermatologically tested and is safe to use on tongue piercings. It’s hassle-free to carry around and its easy application makes it all the more convenient.
The anti-bacterial and antimicrobial properties in these swabs are excellent and help to keep piercings healthy. There is no sodium or alcohol used in X-Pressions swabs which prevents any irritations.
To use these liquid swabs simply break off the end of the swab and allow the medication to flow onto the piercing.
*Contains 24 swabs.
SALT AND DISTILLED WATER
In case you haven’t gotten any of these products, you can create your very own mouth rinse at home.
Simply mix together 1 teaspoon of salt in half a glass of distilled water. Stir up the mixture to ensure that the salt has completely dissolved and set aside. Rinse out the mouth with this mixture a couple of times a day (after eating, drinking or smoking). This will ensure that there isn’t a buildup of particles that can enter the piercing.
When rinsing the mouth with salt water swirl the liquid around in the mouth for 20 seconds before spitting out. The benefit of doing this is to reduce inflammation and any irritations.
*Try rubbing ice on the area after gargling to help soothe away any pain.
ORAL-B ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH
It’s vital to keep all areas in the mouth clean, including the teeth. Use a gentle toothbrush with soft bristles to help clean out the mouth. Brush around the teeth to remove any food particles after eating and use toothpaste that does not contain any whiteners. Be sure to brush around the piercing and also on the jewelry to remove any plaque that might have formed.
HEALING TIME
Healing could potentially take up to two months and during this period there will be some swelling. Smoking and drinking could also slow down the overall healing process, so it’s best to cut down to help speed up healing.
Use the suggested aftercare products to help with healing and remember to always keep the mouth clean. Prevention of aftercare could potentially slow down healing time and result in more serious risks.
COMPLICATIONS AND RISKS
Snake eyes can cause a number of problems including damaged teeth, gum erosion and migration of the piercing. You can even develop a speech impediment. That’s why it’s important to make sure you really want this piercing and to choose a reputable individual to perform the procedure. Infections in the mouth are particularly dangerous and they are likely to spread. You need to be aware of the signs of infection.
Your tongue will be a bit swollen for a week or so after the piercing. If the swelling does not go away after seven days or becomes more pronounced, you should see a doctor. Similarly, some pain is normal for a few weeks, but it seems to be getting worse, you may have an infection.
Red lines coming out of the piercing site also indicates that something is wrong, and you need to get to a doctor. The infection could already be spreading to other areas of the body. You should be even more concerned if you have started to develop a fever. If your tongue is discolored (green, purple or black), this means a serious infection has developed. Your doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics and schedule a follow-up visit.
CONCLUSION
Snake eye piercings can be intimidating because of the risks involved. However, many people love them because they are bold, daring and quirky. If you have your heart set on getting one, you need to choose your piercing professional carefully, and follow their instructions to the letter.