What you should know about 3D nipple tattoos

If you need a mastectomy to treat your breast cancer, there are various reconstructive techniques that can be used to restore the shape of the removed breast. For many women, nipple restoration is the final step of this process and helps them close a painful chapter of their lives. Here’s what you should know about 3D nipple tattoos.

The procedure
3D tattoos offer a realistic-looking and less invasive alternative to nipple reconstruction surgery. In order for the tattooing to work well, the breast tissue must be healthy and not show any signs of inflammation. As such, you may need to wait up to a year after your mastectomy to get a 3D nipple tattoo.

Using oscillating needles coated with pigment, a tattoo artist or medical esthetician will create an image of a nipple and areola on the reconstructed breast. The size, placement, and color of the tattoo can be customized to give it as natural of an appearance as possible. While this is a permanent solution, the tattoo can fade as the skin regenerates and touch-ups might be necessary.

Alternatively, tattooing can be used to complement nipple reconstruction surgery by adding color and creating an areola around the new nipple.