Snake Eye Piercing: Risks, Care, and Healing Process

Snake eye piercings are one of the tongue piercings, which are made horizontally below the tongue. This type of piercing has therefore been associated with being very extreme, painful and having a higher risk than other oral piercings.However, there are some factors to be considered here as in all the other forms of tattooing, professional placement, and quality aftercare will leads to good healing and an excellent form of self-ornament. Snake eye piercings may seem to be complex piercing that may need a lot of information to be understood, but with the help of this guide you will have the basic information that you need about this type of piercing.

What is Snake Eye Piercing?

Snake eye piercing is two of them made horizontally in parallel lines under the tongue, 10-14 mm (1⁄2 inch) from the tongue tip. This gives the appearance of two piercings under the tongue shaped like horizontal snake eyes which is why it is called so. Snake eye piercings are one of the oldest types of body piercing that began in the 1970s.

What Are Different Snake Eye Piercing Jewelry Ideas?

Snake eye piercings should always be pierced with two separate barbells, and therefore any jewelry placed in this type of piercing should be a barbell. The bars depict features of the room that enable swelling and drainage during the initial healing process. Piercing studs must be made from good quality surgical steel or titanium. First-time barbells are usually 16g 7⁄8 inch or 14g 1 inch bars. In the course of healing, one can option for ornamental ones, circular ones or curved barbells in order to achieve different appearances. Jewelry length may require modification by the piercer during the healing process as swelling subsides.

Is Snake Eye Piercing Painful?

It is true that snake eyes tongue piercing is among the most painful piercings one would ever want to undertake. This area contains much blood supply and nerves, which cause severe and stabbing pain during and after the process of piercing. However, pain is temporary at the time of piercing and after that it turns into a mild pain. If necessary, pain medication can be an effective way of managing this aspect of the condition.

How to Determine the Duration of Healing for Snake Eye Piercings?

Snake eye piercings involving rings going through the tip of the tongue, may take about 4-6 weeks to heal at the beginning. That is why it is necessary to follow the recommendations of your piercer to let the piercing heal and minimize the chance of getting an infection. This include rinsing the mouth with an oral salt water several times a day and avoiding foods and drink which are spicy, acidic, hard or very hot in temperature since they may cause irritation to the piercing.Avoid smoking, consuming alcohol, engaging in oral sexual activities or coming into contact with the piercing.

There are some side effects that patients may experience during the time of healing and they include swelling and discomfort. If only the area is red, throbbing, painful, or pus, or if you have a fever, consult your piercer or a doctor regarding the possible infection. The snake eyes, if taken proper care after the surgery, should recover completely within a time period of 6-8 weeks.

How Much Does A Snake Eye Piercing Cost? 

The snake eye piercings when done professionally, and by an experienced piercer, will cost you between $40 and $80 for a set of piercings. This includes the price of the jewelry, which is often expensive and has to be surgical steel and/or titanium, equipment sterilization charge and the price charged by the piercer for his/her time and experience. Tongue piercings which have additional ornamentations, beads or other accessories could be as expensive as $150 or more.

Do not re-apply those studios that deliberately offer incredibly low snake eye piercing in the hope that you fall for those fake low prices. When getting body modifications, one cannot be looking for the cheapest service provider around. Make sure your studio has strong accreditation, positive client testimonials, an autoclave available for sterilization, and needle-opening processes to observe directly.

This means that paying just a little bit more really does significantly reduce your chances of facing complications in the future.

Snake Eye Piercing Infection: How to Identify It and What to Do

Symptoms of infection in a new snake eye piercing may include: swelling beyond normal, pain that is more than normal discomfort, red skin, heat and/or discharge from the piercing site, bleeding or pus leak and, possibly fever. If you think that you are infected with the piercing, consult with your piercer regarding the treatment. Don’t take off the jewelry yourself because this will result in keeping the infection contained and continuing to worsen. Your piercer may suggest you use oral or topical antibiotics. More serious infections may require hospitalization for IV antibiotics or other surgical interventions like wound drainage.

This helps to avoid contact with the bacteria while healing, and thus avoid getting an infection when healing the pierced area. Leaving in jewelry during the whole first healing period allows a wound to heal and close in a safe and contained manner. Symptoms like increased pain, redness and discharge mean it is infected and needs professional attention.

Snake Eye Piercing Aftercare

Aftercare is therefore important especially for snake eye healing. Some of the dangers that are related to oral piercings are as follows: there is a higher possibility of getting an infection that would result from the piercing. One should use an antibacterial alcohol-free mouthwash of a rinse to help wash after any meal, or any time one takes snacks.Smoking should be stopped, alcohol and spicy, crunchy or acidic foods should be avoided in the first stages of healing. Reduce jewelry size after 6-8 weeks of wearing. If there is severe pain, swelling or signs of infection, the individual must seek the services of the piercer.

Snake Eye Piercing Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros

• Unique self-expression
• Edgy, rebellious aesthetic
• Translates into other various oral piercings

Cons

• Increased vulnerability to infections and harm
• Severe initial pain
• Long healing of 6+ months
• Stuttering during the healing process
• Hence, it has a higher chance of being rejected.

Snake Eye Piercing Risks factor:

Compared to the oral piercings through gums or lips, the tongue piercing involves comparatively less risks, the snake eyes are relatively more dangerous than the tip or central tongue piercing. Risks include:

• Tooth Damage – Jewelry wearing on teeth leads to cracking and enamel erosion in the long run.
• Gum Recession – They wear the teeth and jewelry friction can result in gum lines.
• Infection – Introduction of oral bacteria to fresh wounds leads to painful infection.
• Rejection – It is estimated that as many as fifteen percent of tongue piercings are rejected by the body during the healing process.
• Speech and Language Problems – Patients may experience momentary speech loss and swelling during initial times.
• Nerve Damage – This is one of the risks that come with having piercings done at a deeper level because one might end up hitting the nerves or the blood vessels.

Why Are Snake Eyes Piercings Illegal In  Some Places?

Cultures and perceptions towards tattoos and piercing also differ from one country to the other. In some of the socially conservative countries such as the Middle Eastern regions, body piercings of any type are banned or restricted.

Some US states such as Illinois and Delaware have prohibited tongue splitting on ethical grounds, and they often include group oral piercings in the law. Some of the concerns raised include the risk associated with the practice as being perceived to be extremely high, effects on the young persons, and comparison to practices regarded as outlawed such as female circumcision.

However, in most Western regions, snake eye piercings are legal for consenting adults in the event that it was done professionally by a qualified piercer. Cultural perceptions of body modification remain in the process of evolving, and people become more tolerant of modifications.

The Final Takeaway 

Snake eye piercings give lovers of body art an opportunity to afford a risky style statement. However, their levels of difficulty, dangers and their looks cause fascination and controversy. However, snake eyes as body piercings, if done right and cleaned properly, will not cause any infection problems and can be a statement of identity as well. This is due to their structure and design, they are not for first timers and demand a bit of time and effort during the healing process. For those who want to look rebellious and are ready to take that risk then snake eye piercing can become a symbol of who they are.