Ive had a GT since I was a baby, now 24. It used to be a full tounge "map", but now I usually see just like these stripes around the edge of the tip of my tounge in white, usually more noticable in the am. I also have the crack down the middle of my tounge as well as what look like cuts all over my tounge if I fold the tip of my tounge under the rest of my tounge and bite gently on the middle part. I was also told it was rare. Since I have never really had more then a little sore spot once in awhile, which I assume all people have at some point or another, Ive always been proud of my "rare" tounge. I brush my teeth and my tounge so there is no yucky food or drink residue(like milk) so I just have these clean white lines... Back in school it was a clean white map. Everyone thought it was cool. And Id freak guys out by showing them how my tounge "split". My friends eventually used me as like a cool specimen to show other people " Look at her cool tounge, it looks like a map". Nobody thought it was gross. So I never was self consious about it. I feel bad for any of you that have pain from their GT, since I embraced mine. I wish you all could have had the same positive expirences. So anyway, I did at some point hear from my mom, who worked at the pharm company Merck, that in their library it mentioned there MAY be a link to cancer, but nothing is rock solid. I figure Im not going to worry about it till when or if I get it. Good luck to the rest of you. My advice is that unless you have some discomfort from it, dont try to hide it, let people know you think its cool. Especially to those why are younger, still in school. The more people see you like your rare tounge and arent bothered by it (especially if you really are) the cooler they will think it is. Or at least they wont get a big thrill teasing you because of it. And to the girl who was worried if a guy would notice it when kissing, Ive never had any complaints, and both of my boyfriends were long term and they knew about it. ; )
I thought that I would add a little to the comments here. Our son has a large smooth spot that will appear on his tounge from time to time diagnosed as geographic tounge, it will cause a mild irritation that causes tongue chewing. As near as we can tell it seems to be a type of food allergy. It will without fail flare up most types of food dyes such as yellow #5 and red#40. A few preservatives may also be a culprit. He will also get puffyness around the eyes and will exhibit 'ADD' like behavior. Sugar and most unprocessed foods are a safe but we've had to resort to label reading.
Elimination dieting has worked very well for him so far.
I'm not a medical professional, but I am someone who suffers from the same thing. I've had a geographic tongue since I was a young child. I've been to doctors and to date I've only been prescribed ointments that coat the tongue. This doesn't give much relief. I also get mouth ulcers which too cause a tremendous amount of pain. It hurts to talk, and it hurts to eat. So, if you by chance received a solution to your problem, I'd certainly appreciate it if you'd share if with me.