Everything You Need to Know About Sternum Piercings
A sternum piercing is a surface piercing placed on the skin over the breastbone, creating two visible decorative ends connected by a staple-shaped bar beneath the skin. This guide covers vertical and horizontal formats, the breathing-and-clothing friction challenge, keloid risk on the chest, pain levels, the 6 to 12 week healing timeline and aftercare.Everything You Need to Know About Sternum Piercings
A sternum piercing is a surface piercing placed on the skin overlying the sternum, the flat bone running down the centre of the chest. A staple-shaped surface bar sits beneath the skin with two decorative ends visible on the chest surface. The most common placement is vertical along the breastbone between the pectoral muscles, creating an elongated symmetrical look down the centre of the chest. Horizontal placements near the collarbones are an alternative that creates a different aesthetic.
Like all surface piercings, a sternum piercing has no natural fold or channel to anchor it. The body recognises the jewellery as a foreign object and will gradually work to push it toward the skin surface. The sternum area is subject to constant movement from breathing, chest expansion and clothing friction, making migration and eventual rejection the realistic long-term expectation for most placements. That said, well-placed sternum piercings with correct jewellery in suitable anatomy can last years.
The sternum is one of the areas of the body most associated with keloid scarring. People with a personal or family history of keloid formation should discuss this explicitly with their piercer before proceeding: the chest commonly produces raised scar tissue after rejection that can be more difficult to manage than marks from piercings in other locations.
Types of Sternum Piercing
Does a Sternum Piercing Hurt?
Most people rate sternum piercing pain at 5 out of 10. The skin over the sternum is thinner than in fleshier areas, making the needle pass through relatively minimal tissue. The procedure involves creating a pocket under the skin for the surface bar rather than a simple piercing channel, which means more tissue manipulation and a slightly longer procedure than a standard ear or nostril piercing. Some tenderness from breathing deeply is normal in the first few days as chest expansion repeatedly stretches the healing tissue.
Initial healing takes 6 to 12 weeks. This refers to the surface wound closing rather than the full internal stabilisation of the bar, which takes longer. Breathing means the sternum expands and contracts hundreds of times per hour throughout the entire healing period. This constant movement is unavoidable and is why sternum piercings require more disciplined aftercare than piercings in lower-movement locations.
| Stage | Timeframe | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory | Weeks 1–3 | Tenderness; possible redness; mild discomfort when breathing deeply; protect from all clothing friction |
| Surface healing | Weeks 3–8 | External wound closes; bar still mobile internally; friction management remains critical |
| Maturing | Weeks 8–12 | More settled; confirm with piercer before any jewellery change; monitor migration signs monthly |
| Long-term monitoring | Ongoing | Check monthly for bar appearing shorter or exit holes enlarging; remove before full rejection |
What Jewellery Is Used in a Sternum Piercing?
A flat titanium surface bar is the only appropriate jewellery for a sternum piercing. The bar must have 90-degree bends at each end so the decorative tops sit flush and vertical on the skin surface while the connecting bar lies horizontal and flat beneath the tissue. Curved barbells, straight barbells and rings must not be used: none of these sit correctly beneath the flat chest skin and all will accelerate rejection. The bar length is measured specifically for each anatomy by the piercer.
| Style | Best For | Size Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat surface bar (initial) | Fresh and healing | 14G, length to anatomy | Only appropriate jewellery; flat profile minimises tissue ridge on thin sternum skin |
| Flat surface bar (healed) | Long-term wear | 14G, same or slightly shorter once healed | Stay lightweight; heavy ends increase downward pressure on surface tissue |
| Decorative tops | Healed placements | Match bar gauge; 2–3mm discs or gems | Keep small; large tops catch on clothing and increase snag risk |
For all body and surface piercing types, visit the Body Piercing Types Explained guide. For every piercing type in one resource, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub.
Book your sternum piercing at OSCO London
Sternum piercings at OSCO London are just £10. Chest anatomy and tissue depth assessed at consultation, implant-grade titanium as standard, full aftercare guidance included.
OSCO London is a professional piercing studio in Northwood, London. Visit the OSCO London homepage to book a sternum piercing consultation and have chest anatomy and keloid history assessed before placement is marked.
How to Care for a Sternum Piercing
Spray sterile saline at both exit points twice daily and pat dry with a clean paper towel. The chest area can be difficult to dry thoroughly: trapped moisture around the surface bar tops delays healing and encourages irritation bumps. Pat dry carefully after cleaning and after showering. A warm saline compress held against the piercing for 3 to 5 minutes removes daily crust without mechanical irritation.
The friction management challenge for a sternum piercing is the most demanding of any surface placement. Cover bra straps that cross the piercing site with a breathable adhesive dressing or soft fabric barrier. When driving, angle or pad the seatbelt so it does not run directly across the piercing. Avoid necklaces that could catch the bar ends. Sleep on your back initially to avoid direct chest pressure. A travel pillow arrangement that keeps weight off the sternum while on your side.
Watch for rejection throughout the piercing's life. Signs include the bar appearing shorter than when first placed, the skin above the bar becoming thin or translucent or the exit holes visibly enlarging. Visit your piercer at the first sign of migration. A sternum piercing removed promptly when migration is detected leaves two small marks. One allowed to fully reject through the skin leaves a visible track scar across the chest that is much harder to conceal.
For a complete guide to every body and surface piercing type, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub at OSCO London, covering all placements from sternum and nape piercings through to ear cartilage and lip piercings.