Sternum Piercing

Thinking of getting a piercing on your chest and making it further attractive with a ring? Read on and know all about Sternum Piercing before you actually go for it.

What is a Sternum Piercing?

Sternum Piercing is a kind of piercing or perforation made on the sternum. Sternum is the breastbone or the flat bone that unites with the clavicles and the first seven pairs of chest ribs. Sternum Piercing is made horizontally or vertically over the sternum.

Sternum Piercing Information

You will have to choose jewelry, if you do not take along one of your own choice. The actual piercing process begins after you choose an ornament for yourself.

You should mention which type of piercing you want to go for – a vertical Sternum Piercing or a horizontal Sternum Piercing. You have to show where you want to get the piercing done. The piercer will mark the entry and exit points of the needle with a surgical pen and then clean the area with an antibacterial solution to prevent at a later stage.

Sternum Piercing is a surface piercing and does not involve perforation of the flesh. The needle will pass just over the flesh. Once the needle comes out, the jewelry will be inserted into the holes and fixed.

The piercer will once again clean the area to remove any trace of blood. The skin region will be washed once more to prevent infection. The professional will provide you with aftercare instructions and will probably hand you over a brief manual consisting of all the necessary directions.

Sternum Piercing Jewelry

A Sternum Piercing is usually decorated with a surface bar, having two 90 degree bends. Two metal balls are placed on both ends of the bar. Surface bars are available in different kinds of metals such as steel, niobium and titanium. Titanium Surface Bars are usually recommended as they are less likely to give rise to skin allergies.

Barbells are also recommended for Sternum Piercings. Teflon and tygon barbells are quite flexible and are typically used by many piercers.

Sternum Piercing Healing Time

With proper care and cleaning, a pierced sternum may heal completely in four to six weeks. However, an infection or other complications such as rejection or migration can delay the healing process.

How Bad Does A Sternum Piercing Hurt?

In Sternum Piercing pain is very much like any other kind of body piercing. Any kind of Body Piercing involves perforation of the skin surface as well as the underlying tissues in some cases. This usually involves perforating blood capillaries which results in a little bleeding. Naturally, any body piercing is painful though the amount of pain depends on the region of perforation.

It ultimately depends on how much pain you can bear. Some people have higher pain tolerance than others. You can go for Sternum Piercing if your pain threshold is high. Sternum Chest Piercing involves a fair amount of pain.

How Much Does A Sternum Piercing Cost?

Picture 1 – Sternum Piercing
Source – knink

The cost of Sternum Piercing depends on where you get it from and the price of the jewelry you choose. Sternum Piercing prices usually involve the piercing charge as well as the cost of jewelry. Surface bar piercings can cost you anywhere between $50 and $90. Sternum Cleavage Piercing can get you charged anywhere from $100-$150.

Sternum Piercing Risks

Picture 2 – Sternum Piercing Photo
Source – photobucket

Sternum Surface Piercings can involve a fair amount of complications. These include :

Rejection

In case of an improper Sternum Piercing, the skin may reject the piercing and push out the jewelry. In Sternum Piercing rejection rate is very high. Carrying out Sternum Piercing in an improper way often leads to rejection.

Many people have the bad habit of tugging or playing with their jewelries after piercing. This further injures the just perforated skin region and makes the body push out the jewelry.

Rejection can also happen if the metal used in the jewelry is found to be incompatible with the skin.

Migration

In some cases, the entire pierced region may shift from its actual position and settle somewhere else on the nearby skin surface. This is known as migration.

Infection

In Sternum Piercing infection is one of the major consequences. Lack of good cleaning and care may invite germs and dirt over the pierced region. This leads to bacterial infection of the pierced area. The entire region becomes red and inflamed in such cases. In severe instances, pus-filled vesicles may arise over the area and release discharge at a later time.

Sternum Piercing Aftercare

Sternum Piercing aftercare usually involves saline washes and avoiding injury to the region.

Saline Wash

Make a saline solution with a tsp of sea salt and 8 ounces of water. Take away the jewelry from the pierced spot. Soak a cotton ball with a small amount of this solution and press against the pierced region for 5-10 seconds. Throw it away and repeat the process with a fresh cotton pad. Continue this for 5-6 minutes.

The salt water Sternum Piercing care session should be carried out at least twice every day. This should last for about a month and a half after the piercing session.

Avoid Physical Injury

Try to avoid any activity that might injure your pierced spot. Do not tug your jewelry or play with it. This can also injure the area and give rise to complications like rejection, migration or infection.

If you want to get a Sternum Piercing, get it done safely from a reputed professional studio. There are lots of amateur people out there who come cheaper. But is preferable that you opt for professional services. A few bucks mean nothing where your safety is concerned. A properly done piercing will let you enjoy the process and leave you with a smiling face.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_piercing

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sternum-piercing.htm

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/sternum-piercing.html

http://bodypiercing.ygoy.com/2010/06/27/what-is-a-sternum-piercing/