Doctors warn of the 'dangerous consequences' of having a split tongue at birth, from nerve damage to haemorrhages and breathing difficulties, to slurred speech and language changes.
People may not be able to breathe or swallow the new fashion statement
Sometimes these procedures are performed illegally by unqualified people
Experts have said that the law should be changed against this and the practice can be regulated
Doctors have warned that the tongue-splitting craze puts people at serious risk of bleeding, infection and nerve damage.
The procedure, which involves cutting out a tongue similar to that of a lizard, has become a global phenomenon in recent years.
However, despite its popularity, experts believe that many people who undergo body modification are painfully unaware of the long-term health risks.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE UNDERGOED BODY MODIFICATIONS TO FIT THEIR FORKED TONGUES TO GIVE THEM A LIZARD END - DESPITE THE HEALTH RISKS Despite the risks
Specifically, they cite a number of 'horrendous consequences', including bleeding, infection, nerve damage and the inability to breathe or swallow.
They also say it can cause tooth decay and painful gum damage.
The warning is part of a joint statement published by the Faculty of Dental Surgery, the Royal College of Surgeons and the British Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.
Celina Masters, from the Royal College of Surgeons' Faculty of Dental Surgery, said dentists had seen the 'horrendous consequences' of these procedures.
It is very important that people understand that they are at serious risk of significant blood loss, infection, nerve damage and inability to breathe or swallow.
The truth is that nerve damage and the inability to breathe or swallow are just two of the complications. Following a recent Court of Appeal order, anyone who offers tongue slicing in England and Wales may now be doing so illegally.
Meanwhile, BAPRAS chairman David Ward added: 'A reputable surgeon would not undertake the procedure, as the procedure involved, both at the time of the procedure and in the long term, there is no medical reason to do it in England and Wales.
Patients undergoing surgery for cosmetic reasons often undergo a preoperative assessment, including a psychological evaluation, but tongue-splitting professionals lack the training and skills necessary for such an assessment, leaving consumers at great risk.
After the recent Court of Appeal ruling, anyone who offers to split tongues in England and Wales may now be doing so illegally.
The Faculty of Dental Surgery, the Royal College of Surgeons and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons have condemned the practice.
Splitting the Tongue: The Process
The incisions go about two-thirds of the way up and down the middle of the tongue. Then each half is stitched along the cut edge.
This prevents the tongue from re-healing, which is the natural instinct of the human body.
The tongue usually heals in 1-2 weeks and training is reversible, but corrective surgery is rare.
However, the uncertainty surrounding the legal status of tongue splitting exists because it is not covered by existing law.
This means that the extreme procedure is basically unregulated, they say.
Practitioners who perform tongue splitting in England and Wales do so illegally under the law.
There is an urgent need to clarify the law in other parts of the UK.
Despite the legal debate, demand for the tongue-splitting procedure may continue.
The first reported case of tongue splitting dates back to 1996 when a 19-year-old American body piercer, Dustin Allor, performed it on himself.
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