A surgically recreated nipple will be the same color as the skin surrounding it, and it won’t have an areola. Medical tattooing embeds pigment in the nipple and the surrounding area to create the realistic appearance of a nipple and areola. Or, if the patient has decided not to have surgical nipple reconstruction, tattooing can create the illusion of a nipple and areola on flat skin.
Two types of tattooing may be done to create the nipple and areola:
- The most common method of tattooing performed in medical offices is to give color to reconstructed nipples and areolas. In this traditional form of tattooing, a vibrating probe is used to drive add pigment into the skin.. While it’s the simplest form of medical tattooing, there are some drawbacks. The colors available are limited, several tattooing sessions may be needed, and the tattoos tend to fade over time.
- 3D tattooing is the most advanced form of medical tattooing today and is done by professional medical tattoo artists. It can be used to permanently pigment the reconstructed nipple and to create the look of the areola. For women who decide not to have surgical nipple reconstruction, 3D tattooing can provide the illusion of nipple projection on flat skin.
In 3D tattooing, oscillating needles are used to embed pigment in the skin. There are a number of advantages to 3D tattooing. A large range of colors is available, usually only one session is needed, and the tattoos seldom fade.
The Friedman Center has on-site and off-site resources available for state of the art medical tattooing. Tattooing can be done in our office, or we can refer you to an artisan medical tattoo professional. Some women choose to have other images, like flowers or stars, created at the nipple site to celebrate their recovery from breast cancer.