Collarbone Piercing

Body art, in terms of tattooing and piercing, has taken a new form in the last few decades. For the younger generation people, ear piercings and nose piercings have become mainstream. And in the search for newer types of body piercings, came along piercing in the tongue, lip, eyebrow, nipple and belly button (or navel). One such new cool look trend is collarbone piercing. Being relegated as the most difficult and painful kind of surface piercing, one should take this particular piercing very seriously and should research on it, before actually going for piercing.

An Overview

Piercing in the clavicle is basically a rare and difficult type of body piercings, meaning to insert needle in a skin area that is neither concave nor convex. Thus, this procedure involves traversing along a flap of skin rather than completely passing through a body portion from one end to another (like in ear). It should be done by a qualified piercer, who has in-depth knowledge about the anatomical parts. Following are some important aspects of collarbone piercing that you may prefer knowing about this extreme body piercing:

Preparation
Before actually piercing, the chest area is sterilized and the piercing site is determined first. The piercer then marks the exact piercing points on either side of the bone, preferably at the center of the clavicle. By estimating the clavicle size roughly, a suitable surface bar or barbell of correct length (about 3 inch) is selected. Once these preparatory steps are done, the piercer proceeds with the piercing procedure.

Procedure
As the name signifies, the needle is sewn in one side of the collarbone, passes beneath it and then comes out in the other side. Thus, the exit points of the piercings lie on either side of the clavicle. The jewelry is attached to the needle and as the latter is pushed out gently, the bar replaces the needle. Likewise, the other clavicle is pierced. It is to be borne in mind that collarbone piercing jewelry should be strictly of the bio-compatible type. Know more on effects of body piercing.

Aftercare
Collarbone piercing pain may be very severe. After all, it is the deepest surface piercing performed at present. After the procedure is over, one should strictly abide the after care tips of clavicle piercing. Do not touch the jewelry for the first few days after piercing or as prescribed by the piercer. Always keep the pierced area clean by wiping with saline water. This will also quicken the healing time of the piercings. Usually, it takes about 6 week or more to heal completely.

Complications
Another factor to be considered is complication associated with clavicle piercing. As expected, rejection of the jewelry by the body is the most common risk accompanied with this piercing. The jewelry is like a foreign object that the body tries to expel by pushing to the surface. Other complications include infection and scarring. Needless to say, the pierced sites should not be irritated at any cost, either by hair strands or clothing. Otherwise, it may lead to swelling and increased pain.

Cost
Coming to the cost, it is expensive (about USD 100 - 150) in comparison to other forms of body piercings. The actual cost may vary according to the studio facilities, piercer charges and location. Despite the cost, pain and risks involved with clavicle piercing, more and more youngsters go for collarbone piercing to flaunt that 'cool' look.

I hope I have cleared all your doubts related to this rare type of surface piercing. Since this piercing procedure is quite risky, talk to experienced piercers and take time to decide whether you really want to get it done or not.