Collarbone piercings are a type of surface piercing that can be performed in two ways. The first type is a dermal piercing. This means that a dermal anchor is embedded underneath the skin to hold the jewellery stud in place. The second method is to use a staple bar to pass under the skin, giving two points to the piercing. Most people opt for two studs for collarbone piercing and a popular aesthetic is to have this piercing on the left and right to create a symmetrical design.

While it is more common to have a surface collarbone piercing using a staple bar, choosing a dermal piercing gives you more options for your piercing configuration. Choose a single stud, pair, or trio of piercings to create your own constellation. If you want multiple clavicle piercings your piercer may suggest having them done over a period of time to allow each one to heal in between. Swelling in the area can make it difficult to heal multiple piercings simultaneously.

Does collarbone piercing hurt?

Collarbone piercing pain does vary for each person depending on factors such as pain tolerance but generally many people report that the clavicle piercing is a tolerable pain level. Collarbones are often rated fairly low on the pain scale, as are many types of surface piercing because they don’t pass very deeply under the skin. If you opt for a dermal piercing, this may be more painful and the healing process can be uncomfortable as it involves making an incision in the skin.

What is collarbone piercing called?

Collarbone piercing is also called clavicle piercing which is the technical name for collarbone. The piercing actually sits just below the collarbone but usually follows the angle of the collarbone.

Do collarbone piercings reject?

Collarbone piercing rejection is quite high due to the tension on the skin and the placement of the piercing. It can easily rub against clothing and is often open to the elements. Surface piercings sit fairly close to the top of the skin compared to piercings such as ear lobes which have a single point to go completely through the ear. This puts more tension on the piercing which means that there is a higher chance of it rejecting.

How long do collarbone dermals last?

If you have a dermal collarbone piercing, in time it will naturally grow out but the time that this takes can vary from months to years depending on how your body reacts, how you care for your piercing, and your day to day lifestyle. On many types of dermal anchors, there will be holes in the plate to allow the tissue to heal around the jewellery, helping to keep it securely in place.

Something to remember if you do have a dermal collar bone piercing is that it will need to be professionally removed if you change your mind. This involves creating a small incision to be able to remove the anchor.

How much does collarbone piercing cost?

Collar bone piercing price is usually £40 - £85. The cost of a collarbone piercing is high due to the skill needed to successfully perform this piercing. Instead of focusing on how much a piercing costs, for specialist types of piercing such as the collarbone, it is worth considering the skills and experience of the piercer first. In the long run, this factor is going to be much more significant to the success of healing your piercing.

How long does a collarbone piercing take to heal?

The collarbone piercing healing time will vary depending on the type of jewellery you have chosen. The average healing time is 4-8 weeks for your collarbone surface piercing but it may take longer if you have a microdermal collar bone piercing. Expect to be waiting 1-3 months for it to heal and up to 6 months for the piercing to be fully healed (especially internally).

Make sure to leave in the collar bone piercing jewellery that your piercer used, during the healing time. They may use a longer jewellery bar to allow for swelling so once that swelling has reduced, return to the piercer to have it changed to a shorter bar. This will help to reduce your chances of catching your piercing. The collarbone piercing is fairly likely to catch on clothes given the placement so make sure to consider your outfits and avoid wearing necklaces while healing your piercing. A surface piercing takes commitment and work to maintain so consider your lifestyle and fashion preferences when choosing your new piercing.

The collarbone piercing jewellery that you will need will depend on the type of piercing you have. For surface piercings, you can change to different staple or curved bars, depending on your current jewellery. Our top recommendation is always titanium bars but once your piercing is healed you can consider surgical steel. An easy way to change the look of your piercing is to change the add ons or dermal top of your piercing. There are many designs available with styles such as a range of jewel colours or shapes such as stars. This will prevent you from needing to remove the jewellery bar.

Most collarbone piercings are placed below the collarbone, in line with it. However, the sub clavicle piercing is a vertical version of the collarbone piercing. It is considered a high risk piercing that many piercers are likely to refuse to perform. It involves placing studs above and below the collarbone, passing underneath the skin. It goes deeply through the muscle and behind the bone which can lead to problems with movement. If you would like to achieve this aesthetic then talk to your piercer about the dermal options for collarbone piercing instead.

Collarbone piercing is considered one of the more extreme types of piercing and should only be performed by experienced piercers. This surface piercing has a satisfying symmetrical aesthetic that is easy to show off when paired with the right outfit. This type of body modification is becoming increasingly popular and with expert piercers and high quality jewellery, the chances of being able to successfully heal this piercing are increasing.