Bizarre! California woman explains why she got her tongue split; opens up about life after modification
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Apr 17, 2023, 4:44 PM IST43-year-old Amber Lane, a resident of California, has revealed how getting her tongue split helped her cope with her medical condition.
Body modifications refer to the intentional alterations of the human body, often for aesthetic or cultural reasons. This practice has been around for thousands of years and has taken many forms throughout history, from piercings and tattoos to more extreme modifications such as scarification and surgical procedures.
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Body modifications can be a way for individuals to express themselves and their identity and connect with a particular community or subculture. However, they can also be a way to rebel against societal norms and expectations or to challenge the traditional definition of beauty and perfection. However, a woman in California, United States, recently underwent a bizarre modification of splitting her tongue into two, which was her way to cope with pain!
43-year-old Amber Lane has revealed how getting her tongue split helped her deal with her physical condition and, as a bonus, has sexual benefits. The retired paralegal has been deemed medically handicapped since 2014 and is afflicted with a number of illnesses, including Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
CPRS, a general term for excessive and protracted pain and inflammation accompanying an injury to an arm or leg, dominates Amber's body and is excruciatingly uncomfortable. Amber seeks activities that offer her a sense of control over her body and things that enable her to manage her pain levels. She said this is why she chose to get her tongue split in an exclusive interview with the Daily Star.
"I had initially looked into piercing my tongue with another piercing – I already had it pierced – but I had come across a picture of a random person with a split tongue and fell in love," Amber told Daily Star.
"I decided right then and there to do my research. My first question was can I put it back together? The answer is yes! I found my artist and waited a year for my appointment. My initial split closed a little so I waited another year for my artist to come back to California and we did a resplit," she added.
Amber's taste buds changed when her pancreas was removed due to recurrent medical concerns. This resulted in food being extremely salty at times and not tasting anything at all at others. She could taste many more foods after having her tongue split, and her mouth is no longer very salty.
"If I put two different candies in my mouth, I can taste each flavour on each side, it's a bit hard to describe how your brain comprehends it. It's definitely a weird feeling at first but you get used to it," she added.
Unsurprisingly, Amber has received various reactions from her friends and family. It's safe to assume they're at least interested in the technique.
"My mum asked me if I did it for sexual reasons and I laughed and said no. I explained it’s my way of coping with my pain and then she completely understood," Amber stated.
She added, "I had one family member tell me they felt sad for me but once I explained it, they too understood it. Another family member said it was gross at first but kinda badass at the same time. People either love it or hate it. I love to freak people out with it sometimes. Needless to say, my husband loves it…"
Amber claimed that most strangers are rendered speechless when they respond to her. She is likewise unconcerned with what other people think of her body.
"They don’t know me or my story therefore they don’t really know what to say. I had my best friend's sister call me a little vampire and another person thought it was the coolest thing ever. I think it really depends on the person or their interests," she explained.
Amber added, "I wish I wouldn’t have waited so long to do it. I think I was scared of what others would think but also I was trying to find myself. One thing I definitely learned was don’t be scared of others’ opinions."
Amber doesn't have any other physical modifications, but she would like to. Her priority is ear modifications, but she is still completing her research because of her physical constraints and the lengthy nature of the procedure. She will look for the ideal artist once she knows how long she can sit still.
"If I know my limitations, then I need to look for something my body can handle and it’s not hours' worth of modifications. The tongue takes half an hour from the time you walk in to brush your teeth to the time you walk out; it could even take less time," she explained.
Also read: Watch: This toilet burns poop into ash; viral video surprises social media users
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