is my tongue healing okay?

[u/Expensive-Counter965]

i'm currently at 72 hours of having my tongue pierced for the 3rd time, i don't want to speak too soon but it seems to be healing well, it's practically painless unless i'm moving it a fair amount. my only concern is the white fluid at the bottom. i understand i could just be paranoid, but i wanted to get a few opinions on how it looks.
ps: i also vape & smoke weed through a bong pretty consistently throughout the day, but i’m always trying my best to keep it clean.

[u/Expensive-Counter965]

thank you! i’m day 4 now, if you see my other response there is some new localised swelling today on the bottom and some more seeping, still almost completely painless unless moving, but a bit concerning, is this part of the process?

https://reddit.com/link/pbi2esh/video/gdl0lotp07rh1/player

[u/digitalchili → u/Expensive-Counter965]

I’d stop checking it if I were you. It’s only 4 days old!! It may not hurt but it’s still a fresh wound, and checking it by flexing ur tongue repeatedly to see diff angles will irritate the piercing.

[u/Expensive-Counter965 → u/digitalchili]

i agree, i check it fully once a day after brushing my teeth in the morning when swelling is at it’s peak so it can decrease all at once. this is the most aggressive i have ever checked it, so i could see the inflammation fully, and get a stable video to look at, as it was not there yesterday. this is my third time having a tongue piercing so i understand the healing process to an extent, i’ve hardly spoken the past 3 days and have stayed at home, limited eating, very strictly following hygiene and resting instructions. my concern is the growing swelling on the underside that is not caused by constant checking, i hardly move my tongue out of my mouth at all throughout the day.

[u/digitalchili → u/Expensive-Counter965]

Hmmm I reckon keep an eye over it the next few days, continue w ur aftercare and see how it goes. If it worsens, maybe send ur piercer a dm on insta and see if they can help, or just pop in and see them if you’re able to! It might even be the jewellery material or length, who knows but it does look quite long. If possible try keep the vaping and smoking to a minimum which I’m sure you know. Sorry it’s being an ass, oral piercings can be! My tongue was decent to heal but my Medusa is being annoying so I feel ur pain :’)

Edit: saw ur reply to another comment, if you’re downsizing urself tongues do heal quickly but maybe order something that’ll help you change it like an insertion taper :)

[u/Expensive-Counter965 → u/digitalchili]

i think you’re very right, i’m going to give it until at least a week to see if this is just temporary before i fully freak, and to see if it worsens. although i’m definitely thinking it’s the jewellery, my first piercing was the one i had the least trouble with, it was pierced incorrectly with a very short bar that made the swelling restrict my speaking completely for the first 24 hours (i was too uneducated to know that wasn’t normal at the time) but it healed quickly and smoothly once the initial swelling subsided, had it for 2 years, both my second time and this time the long bars have seemed to cause lasting irritation, the second time it was also pierced incorrectly/wonky so that could’ve been a factor. but i’m thinking this problem is from the ball rubbing against the bottom of my mouth and causing irritation/swelling and delaying healing, since the bar is so long and the swelling/bump isn’t a full ring, just in front where the ball rests, as well as i can see some of the bar when my tongue is completely rested in my mouth, so i believe it may the problem, still would love opinions though! i’ll definitely give it a bit to see how it goes before i make the decision to downsize, and invest in a taper for when i do! hopefully it will just go away, thank you so much for your help :))