Process
There are several methods used to split tongues; cutting with a scalpel, cauterizing and tying off. It is performed by oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, body modification practitioners or done oneself, but only oral and plastic surgeons are licensed. Before splitting with any method, some choose to have a well-healed tongue piercing where the back end of the split is intended to be. This ideally prevents the tongue from healing forward from the back of the cut, which would result in a split that is not as deep as desired.
When using the scalpel method,the tongue is cut down the middle with a scalpel and each half is stitched or sutured along the cut edge. This helps prevent the sides from healing back to each other and also achieves a more rounded and natural look. In some cases the scalpel is heated to provide a cauterizing effect, limiting bleeding.
Cauterizing can be done with a cautery unit or an argon laser. Both burn the tongue in half which closes off blood vessels, preventing much bleeding. If an established tongue piercing is not used as the back end of the split with this method, the tongue has a higher tendency to heal and the procedure must be done again to achieve the depth desired.
The tie off or fishing line method is done by the person themselves. Fishing line is tied through an existing tongue piercing to the tip of the tongue and tightened. When the line has cinched through the tissue and become loose, it is cut out and a new tighter line is placed in to continue the cut. This slower process allows the tongue to heal as it is being split, negating the need for stitches or cauterization to control bleeding as blood loss is limited. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to split the tongue this way depending on the individual's pain tolerance and determination.
The tongue generally heals in 1–2 weeks, during which time the person may have difficulty with speech or their normal dietary habits. Splitting is reversible but the reversal is even more painful than the tongue splitting procedure.
Read more about this topic: Tongue Splitting
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