Lately we have noticed an increase in popularity for the horizontal tongue piercing, also known as the Snake Eyes Piercing. We decided to make a post here to discuss that piercing and why we are one of many shops that do not perform it.

The APP (Association of Professional Piercers) has deemed the Snake Eyes piercing unsafe, and for professional shops, they are the ultimate authority on what we should and shouldn’t do. The reason they’ve deemed that piercing so dangerous is because the tongue is comprised of two separate muscles which the piercing fuses together,causing a couple of different issues: it restricts movement between these two muscles and it kills nerves in them. Due to the lack of range of motion plus localized nerve damage caused by the Snake Eyes, there is a possibility of gaining a speech impediment from the piercing over time.

As an additional detriment to your dental health, the piercing will eventually chip your teeth, wear down your enamel, and cause gum erosion faster than other oral piercings. This is due to the piercing’s proximity to the end of the tongue…just think about how often the tip of your tongue touches the back of your teeth. It’s basically every time you talk.

These are some of our reasons for not offering this piercing. We care about our clients and we care about their health after they come to us, so at Lighthouse Tattoo we will not do anything that could cause someone harm in the future. As a premier shop in the Nashville area, we strive to maintain a reputation of care and discretion. That means that even if it costs us some business, we won’t aid someone in making a bad choice, whether its a trendy tongue piercing or your girlfriends name tattooed on your neck.