I should have just titled this hub "An Illustrated Guide to Boobs", because at first glance, that's what it appears to be. I assure you, however, that it is not all about cleavage, although it is about a piercing that is generally placed in or around it. Clearly one of the sexiest types of piercings available today, a sternum piercing (which is not surprisingly also referred to as a cleavage piercing) is a surface piercing placed directly in the center of the chest in the actual cleavage. Like all other surface piercings, it runs the risk of being prone to rejection if it is not done by a proper piercer using a specialized surface bar.

Please note that a standard straight barbell is the absolute worst piece of jewelry you can use. A titanium or stainless steel surface bar is considered to be the best option, although some places also use flexible jewelry. A surface bar is shaped like a staple. It goes into the body at a ninety-degree angle, tightly changes direction, travels under the skin at a consistent depth, then exits the body also at a ninety-degree angle. Generally speaking, flat areas use the staple-shaped bar whereas other, more curved areas, use an L-shaped or slightly W-shaped piece of jewelry.

When looking at the photos below (which, to be fair, include a photo of a MALE sternum piercing) keep in mind that a little redness around the entrance and exit points of the piercing is normal at first. Some redness is to be expected but will go away in time if you leave it alone and let it heal. But rejection of surface piercings is common. Rejection occurs when the body tries to heal itself by pushing out the foreign object it's detected in it's skin. Your body is naturally designed to repel anything that it thinks doesn't belong. This happens in much the same way the body would expel a splinter. All piercings, not just surface piercings, run the risk of rejection--and it's a risk you have to be willing to take. You might lay down $90 or more for a surface piercing that in the end will leave you with no metal and a small, red scar in a very noticeable place. That being said, don't go for a surface piercing if you're not okay with the possibility of this negative outcome. Most surface piercings fail NOT because they're impossible to heal but because they are done by inexperienced and incompetent piercers. BMEZine recommends going to a piercer who can show you actual pictures of healed surface piercings.

There are really only two types of sternum piercings: vertical sternum and horizontal sternum. I'm sure some people tend to get creative, as humans are prone to do when given license with their own flesh--I saw a back of neck/nape piercing that used a variety of curved and jeweled barbells to form the shape of the constellation Orion. Unfortunately, I was only able to uncover one original sternum piercings of that sort: it's the second picture shown down under the horizontal sternum piercings section. So if you've got one, please feel free to share it here!

If you're thinking about getting a sternum piercing, God speed and good luck! A sternum piercing is a beautiful adornment that perfectly accents a woman's natural assets.