Nipple & Areola Tattooing Can Be an Important Step for Many Breast Reconstruction Patients
Every year, your favorite businesses, websites, and social media pages turn pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. While I fully support any organization making an effort to spread awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research, sometimes certain efforts lose sight of what this month is all about: supporting those who have gone through one of the scariest experiences of their lives, helping women who are reclaiming their identity after remission, and doing what we can to further education and research to minimize others going through the same thing.
As a board certified plastic surgeon, I’ve frequently written about breast reconstruction after mastectomy—and how this procedure has helped so many women feel more like themselves. This year, I want to share information about an important yet oft-overlooked aspect of emotional healing after breast reconstruction: nipple tattooing.
What is nipple tattooing?
Nipple tattooing is a service offered by a growing number of tattoo artists who are helping women achieve a more natural look after breast reconstruction. Women who choose to have breast reconstruction are often eager to feel whole and look like themselves again—and realistically-pigmented areolas and nipples can be an important final touch that is not often talked about in public.
Experienced plastic surgeons can provide wonderful results with reconstructive surgery, helping patients achieve a look and feel that greatly resembles their natural breasts. For patients who did not have a nipple-sparing mastectomy, surgeons will sometimes also reconstruct a nipple mound with realistic contours. We do our best to create a breast and nipple that look as natural as possible—and then a skilled medical tattoo artist can provide the color that brings the results to life.
In contrast with typical tattoos, the medical tattoo artists’ goal is to delicately pigment the area for a natural appearance. They first take time to listen to every patient’s personal preferences for size, contrast, and coloring, and then carefully choose pigments to match the patient’s skin tone. Skillfully done areola and nipple pigmentation can help women feel like their reconstructed breasts are complete.
Nipple tattooing in Richmond, VA
My Richmond breast reconstruction patients are lucky to have an incredible, awarding-winning tattoo artist right here in town. Amy Black is not only a skilled artist, she is also the founder of The Pink Ink Fund, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance and education to women interested in post-mastectomy and reconstruction tattooing.