FANCY SHMANCY
Permanent Makeup Clinic

Surgical procedures on the breast can create a scar if they require an incision at or around the edge of the areola. The scar that is left is called a peri-areolar scar. Some breast surgeries also create a vertical scar from the nipple through the lower portion of the breast that may need to be camouflaged. The following are breast surgical procedures that may create a scar: Breast Augmentation or Enlargement (Augmentation Mammoplasty); Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty); Breast Lift (Mastopexy); and Male Breast Reduction (Gynecomastia).

In your consultation you may wish to bring photos of how your nipple(s) previously looked. Along with a clear explanation of your goals, this will help us plan for your procedure. During the consultation, areola or nipple tattooing will be explained to you and how you can care for your skin as you heal. Areola tattooing is completed in a process very similar to a traditional tattoo. For the treatment, a small handpiece will be placed on the surface of your skin. The handpiece holds the pigment for the recreated nipple. As it passes over your skin, the handpiece will inject small amounts of the micropigment beneath the surface of your skin. It will do this in a rapid motion, delivering small amounts of the pigment several hundred times per minute.

You will leave with surgical dressing covering the tattoo site. You may experience some redness on and around the recreated areola, but this will be a short-lived side effect. Following your treatment, the pigment may appear darker than you anticipated, but it will fade substantially as you heal.

Anesthesia is not necessary for areola or nipple tattooing. A topical anesthetic will be given to assure your comfort. An ice pack applied to the treatment site can also have a soothing effect.

Areola tattooing is a relatively quick procedure. A single nipple can often be completed in about one-two hours, but some treatments take longer.

The tattoo pigments used for your areola tattooing treatment are long lasting, but that does not mean they will last forever. If fading occurs, you may wish to return for a follow-up treatment. The process for touch-ups will be similar to the initial treatment but may be shorter.

Paramedical nipple tattoo for areolas is recognized and might be covered by your insurance plan. Don't hesitate to contact Liana directly to find out more. The initial one-hour consultation is required before any medical tattoo booking.

These procedures help improve the appearance and self-esteem of both women and men who have undergone breast surgery. Areola Repigmentation techniques can “create” an areola after breast reconstruction, minimize the appearance of scars, or restore an areola to a more natural looking color and shape. Areola Repigmentation may also be called Areola Tattooing, Areola Micropigmentation, Areola Pigmentation, Areola Recoloring, Areola Restoration, or Areola Simulation.

Repigmentation to the areola or areola portion of a breast can be performed with a Paramedical Tattooing procedure. This service is often requested as part of a breast reconstruction after a mastectomy and requires advanced education, training, and experience by a Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional.

Our artistic passion and drive are the restoration of the areola and nipple pigments. Nothing means more to us than being able to restore a sense of “wholeness” back to a breast cancer survivor. We can re-create a 3D nipple tattoo and areola with custom-blended and shadowing effects are used to create a natural look.

The procedure typically takes 1 – 2 hours for unilateral and 3 – 4 hours for bilateral.

The areola is part of the human breast in both women and men. It is a circular area of skin around the nipple that is often darker and thicker than the surrounding skin. The areola plays a key role in the aesthetic look of a breast. Since a woman’s self-image can depend on the appearance of her breasts, a missing areola can be psychologically devastating. A woman can survive breast cancer after undergoing a mastectomy, and she can regain her figure with a breast reconstruction. However, she may not feel “complete” without an areola. A woman can become emotionally distressed from a scarred areola as well. A man’s self-esteem can also be lowered by the appearance of his chest and breasts. Areola tattooing provides the “finishing touch” after breast surgery. Patients feel the tattooing process helps them during the last part of their recovery to look complete and feel “whole” and “normal” again.

We have a complete assortment of hypoallergenic areola pigment colors. We will work with you to select a color or colors that look the most natural for you. For scar camouflage or unilateral areola recreation, we recommend a spot color test before the actual procedure is performed. A patient’s skin tone and body chemistry will affect the healed color of their tattooed areas. Therefore, the spot test is the safest way to determine the formula for the closest color match to an existing areola. The color spot test is scheduled as an individual appointment. It should be completed 4 to 6 weeks before the actual tattooing procedure to allow for healing and color stabilization. Once the spot is healed and the color is evaluated, the areola tattooing sessions can begin. You should also keep in mind that a simulated or scarred areola will probably need more than one tattooing session to achieve the best-looking result. We use the latest state-of-the-art equipment and highest-grade pigments for all of our procedures. We offer four different pigment brands, each with their own specialized line of shades and formulation to be specifically used for areola and breast tattooing. This ensures you receive the best looking and longest lasting results.

This procedure is for patients who have had breast reconstruction after a mastectomy or lumpectomy. Cosmetic tattooing techniques and color pigments are used to create the appearance of an areola. For a unilateral mastectomy patient, this process helps the reconstructed breast to match the natural breast. For patients with bilateral breast reconstruction, both areolas are recreated. Areola complex simulation can be achieved with or without a nipple button created by the surgeon.

Many breast operations require one or more incisions at or around the edge of the areola, which may produce scarring. The most common peri-areolar scars are from breast augmentation or reduction surgeries. A scar’s appearance can be softened, blended, or reduced by tattooing the areola scar using corrective pigment camouflage techniques.

The color of an areola can be darkened, balanced, or enhanced with tattooing. The process helps women who have discolored or lightened areolas after breastfeeding or patients who have had areola graft surgery. Patients with skin discoloration disorders (e.g., Vitiligo) can also benefit from areola tattooing. Also, individuals who have not had breast surgery but are self-conscious about their areola color or size (too light or too small) may choose this procedure to adjust their appearance.