FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the procedure safe?
Absolutely, yes. I’m a fully licenced and experienced tattoo artist working from my own spotlessly clean tattoo studio. I use the best quality single-use, sterile, surgical steel needles and follow best-practice hygiene and safety standards. I only use top quality inks/pigments, designed for permanent medical tattooing.
Do I need a consultation first?
We can usually cover most things via email, so the first time I meet most clients is on the day of their tattoo. If your situation is unusual or you’d like to come in for a consultation to meet me and see the studio first, that’s absolutely no problem, you can contact me here.
I have one real nipple, can you create a tattooed nipple to be a perfect match?
When I’m tattooing family portraits I always strive for a perfect likeness - the same is true when it comes to my 3D nipple tattoos. While scar tissue and radiation damaged skin can sometimes introduce variables, I’m confident I can produce the best possible result for you.
I‘ve had my nipple reconstructed, can I still have it tattooed?
Yes, absolutely. After a nipple reconstruction, you will have a nipple bump but no pigmentation in the area. I can artistically colour the area to give the visual appearance of natural texture and create the right colour for your nipple and areola.
How long do I have to wait between my surgery and getting nipple tattoos?
You need to wait a minimum of 12 months. If scar tissue is still pink after 12 months, it’s still healing and is not suitable for tattooing yet - tattooing over scars before they’re fully healed can result in a poor quality tattoo. It can sometimes take two years for some scars to fully heal and become suitable for tattooing. If you’re not sure, you can contact me here.
Are your nipple tattoos different from those offered by Permanent Makeup (PMU) artists or nurses in hospitals?
Yes. The art of creating realistic nipple tattoos belongs 100% in the realm of creative body art tattoos. Creative artists who specialise in realism tattoos are used to tattooing unique designs on ‘blank’ skin and have spent years learning their craft before they became fully licenced artists.
However, cosmetic PMU artists have usually only learned how to create tattoos which look like makeup. Their equipment is designed to create fine hairs on eyebrows, subtle lip liner etc.. It’s important to use the right equipment to tattoo breast tissue which may be scarred/fragile and to have experience of working with such delicate skin. PMU artists are often not experienced in any of the techniques required to create realistic body art such as 3D areola.
When it comes to nurses doing nipple tattoos, while they always do the best they can with the skills they have, I’d say it’s often clear they don’t have the years of training and experience required to provide the same high quality results you can expect from an experienced creative tattoo artist whose full time job is creative tattooing.
Can you touch up/fix my low quality nipple tattoos which were done in a different clinic?
Yes. If you’re disappointed with your nipple tattoos which were done by an inexperienced practitioner, I can confidently say I’ll be able to do a much better job. Please contact me here to discuss.
Are the inks/pigments used for your nipple tattoos different from those offered by Permanent Makeup (PMU) artists?
Yes, the pigments used by creative tattoo artists and PMU artists are often different. PMU artists frequently refer to their pigments as permanent (as in permanent cosmetics), however they’re often comprised mainly of iron oxides, which are designed to fade over time - so they’re ‘permanent’ in terms of cosmetics, but not really ‘permanent’ as most people use the word.
The result of nipples tattooed with cosmetic pigments are often less than ideal, which is a huge shame when you’ve come so far - the nipple should be the final chapter of your recovery story and it shouldn’t fade over time.
Are the inks/pigments you use for your nipple tattoos permanent and safe?
Yes. The professional tattoo inks I use are perfectly safe and are designed to be permanent. I only use REACH compliant pigments - the EU's REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation aims to protect human health and the environment from the potential risks of all chemical substances manufactured, imported, or placed within the EU.
How long does the procedure take?
Whilst the actual areola creation tattoo procedure takes around 60 minutes per areola, please allow around 2-3 hours or so for your visit. This is so we have plenty of time to allow for consultation, colour mixing, the positioning of the nipples, general preparation and refreshments. Your second/follow up session will be much quicker though. I recommend a minimum of four weeks between the initial tattoo and a follow up session.
Do I need to come back for a second tattoo session?
A follow up appointment is recommended for 3D reconstruction nipple tattoos. This is to allow me to see your healed results and make any necessary refinements to your areola tattoo. Tattooing scarred or damaged skin is a delicate process and it is important the skin isn’t overworked as this can traumatise the skin. Performing two separate tattoo sessions is a more manageable approach and allows the skin the time it needs to heal. During your follow up session, we will have the opportunity to make any adjustments to colour, shape and detail.
Will it damage my breast implant?
No. During the tattoo process, the needle is only going approximately 1.5-2mm into the skin, so will not come in to contact with any implants.
Does it hurt?
If you’ve had reconstruction surgery, it’s common to have reduced (or even zero) sensation in the area, so lots of people definitely don’t need to worry about any pain. If your skin sensation is normal, then you will feel some discomfort while being tattooed (a bit like the feeling of being scratched), but that stops the moment the tattoo is finished.
Can I use numbing cream?
As mentioned above, it’s common to have reduced or no pain sensation after breast reconstruction surgery. Numbing creams are vasoconstrictors so they move blood away from the surface of your skin, making your skin a bit rubbery and making it harder to get the ink into the skin. That sometimes results in more trauma to the skin during the tattoo process - increasing healing time and infection risk. Numbing creams can also result in a less even, more patchy heal for the tattoo.
My preference is always to tattoo without numbing creams because I want your tattoos to be the best they possibly can, but if that’s a deal-breaker, then numbing cream can be used.
Who is this procedure for?
Realistic 3D nipple tattoos are often the final step in the reconstruction process to restore confidence and a sense of wholeness. The service is primarily for:
Breast cancer survivors after mastectomy or reconstructive surgery.
Individuals who have undergone breast surgery or breast reduction.
People with scars, burns, or irregular areolas.
Transgender or non-binary individuals after top surgery (read more below).
Anyone seeking cosmetic improvement in areola colour, size or symmetry.
Is there any aftercare involved?
Yes. I’ll provide you with detailed aftercare instructions and everything you need to ensure optimal healing and colour retention. Aftercare typically involves cleaning and moisturising the tattoo three times per day for the first week, then moisturising 2-3 times per day for the next few weeks.
It’s important to avoid direct sunlight and to not submerge new tattoos in water (such as baths or swimming pools) during the healing process - short showers are fine.
Areola Tattoo Healing Process:
Expect mild redness on the day of your tattoo and if you have normal skin sensation, you may experience mild soreness of the tattoo for the first few days.
The tattoo will look darker and bolder at first, then lighten to its correct colours as it heals and matures.
Mild scabbing/light peeling of the skin after 5-7 days is normal.
To prevent pigment loss and to reduce infection risk, it’s important you don’t pick or scratch your tattoo during the heal.
Most of the healing takes place during the first 1–2 weeks, and the tattoo will usually be considered fully healed after around four weeks.
How long does the tattoo last?
With proper care, and with tattoos done by a proper tattoo artist, (not an SPMU cosmetic artist) 3D areola tattoos can last forever. That said, touch-ups are occasionally needed over time due to natural fading, especially if exposed to sun or certain skincare products.
Do you offer any artistic tattoo design options?
Yes! Some people like to use the opportunity to include creative tattoos such as colour florals - ideal if you have surgery scars you’d like to hide. Other people like to leave the nipple out completely and opt for a creative idea instead. I’m always open to new ideas - the cost will depend on what kind of tattoo you would like and the size of the tattoo, contact me here to discuss.
How much do your 3D areola and nipple tattoos cost?
One realistic 3D nipple tattoo including touch up session - £450
Two realistic 3D nipple tattoos including touch up session - £600
Original areola shape change - please enquire
Correction of areola tattoo done in another studio/hospital - please enquire
Bespoke floral design - please enquire
Other artistic ideas - please enquire
Transgender Treatments
Transgender or non-binary people may undergo sex reassignment surgery or top surgery in order to alter the appearance of the chest area. In female to male surgery, although an areola graft is common, in some cases the graft doesn’t take, or you may choose to opt for no graft and then have the areola tattooed on after surgery has healed. In male to female surgery, implants are generally used which may alter the aesthetic appearance of the existing areola. 3D Areola tattoos may be helpful after top surgery in order to complete the operation.
Female to Male Top Surgery Areola Tattoos
If you have had an unsuccessful areola graft or one which has healed badly I can help to improve the appearance. In many cases, the colour can be restored by tattooing to ensure a more pigmented cosmetic appearance. If you have opted for no areola graft, I can replicate the appearance of a male areola as a permanent 3D Areola Tattoo on bare skin.
Male to Female Top Surgery Areola Tattoos
With male to female top surgery, you may have implants to increase the breast size. This may often mean the areola may appear small in relation to the new breast size giving an unwanted masculine appearance. In this case, I can tattoo the areola to appear larger so that they are more balanced to the size of the new breast.