Piercing guide › Tongue and frenulum › Snake eyes
With snake eyes, a curved bar goes horizontally through the tip of the tongue. Two balls are visible, looking like eyes.
I always discuss snake eyes in detail beforehand, because the piercing restricts the movement of the tip of the tongue.
A curved bar made of Bioplast or titanium to ASTM F136.
Pain and healing are guide values from my practice, because too few studios give reliable figures. The piercing itself is moderate, but the swelling afterwards is very unpleasant. The mucous membrane has a good blood supply, so the wound closes quickly at the surface. Inside, however, the channel is under constant tension from speaking and swallowing; it often never really settles, grows out or causes permanent damage to the teeth. In the professional piercing community, snake eyes is therefore considered a high-risk piercing. If you want snake eyes, we'll talk about alternatives such as the venom first.
Many piercers advise against snake eyes on principle: the bar connects two halves of the muscle that move separately when speaking and eating. That keeps the channel under constant strain. On top of that comes the risk to teeth and gums.
Tissue in the mouth heals quickly because it has a good blood supply. In return it swells noticeably in the first few days. Rinse after eating with clear water or an alcohol-free mouthwash. Smoking and alcohol slow down healing.
How to care for the piercing in each phase is explained in detail on the Care and aftercare page. The short version for the mouth: rinse after eating, don't play with the jewellery, have the initial bar shortened in time.
When to get help immediately
Pain and healing time are guide values, averaged from information given by piercing and tattoo studios. Where the figures come from. Everyone feels and heals differently.
Want snake eyes or have a question about them?
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