Breast Cancer: With a nipple tattoo back to normal?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Around 72,000 women are loud "breast cancer Germany e.V." Affected annually - around a quarter less than 50 years old at diagnosis.
Who has completed the therapy and has defeated the cancer, often still has the process of breast building in front of him. The last step is the nipple reconstruction. There are now tattoo artists who help the women. Because after a reconstruction often unsightly scars are left behind, which makes the self-esteem of many women disappear.
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With flowers, twigs and ornaments on the chest, the women fight back into life
David Allen from Chicago is one of the tattoo artists. He wants to give the women a good body feeling by tattooing flowers and ornaments on their breasts. "The symbols of calm, unstoppable change and growth are figuratively transported through the flowers. This fits in with the situation women are currently in. After all, are they on a journey away from cancer back to life, Allen said to The Jama Network. His tattoos are reminiscent of the works of the French painter Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
So that the artist can empathize well with women, he leads long discussions with them in advance. Only then can he design exactly the right tattoo. Allen, by the way, only uses patterns that could later be adapted and enlarged? if the breast needs surgery again.
Check out the elaborate tattoos on his Instagram profile!
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Interview with the tattoo artist Andy Engel
The tattoo artist Andy Engel from Kitzingen has specialized in tattoos after an operative breast reconstruction.
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: A woman is cured of breast cancer. When does your work start?
Andy Angel: When the build is complete and the chest has healed. We are planning a healing phase of at least six to nine months. Then the women come to me for a preliminary talk. In most cases, there is scarred skin where the tattooed nipple is supposed to go. A challenge for me, because scars do not take the colors properly. Even with an artificial structure of the nipple forecourt, it can be difficult. The tissue usually comes from the eyelid - this looks realistic, but is not easy to tattoo. It is very sensitive, swells, blushes and bleeds quickly.
How much time do you have to plan for a nipple tattoo?
For the session she has to plan for one and a half to three hours per nipple. That depends on the individual case. After six to eight weeks, the customer should then come for a follow-up.
Andy Engel has been tattooing photorealistic images for 20 years. Since 2008, he also takes care of breast cancer patients.
© Andreas AngelHow many women come to you for a nipple tattoo a year?
I do not actively advertise these tattoos because I am booked two to three years in advance. But since it is a matter of the heart I do these services in my free time. There are about four to five women a month to me.
What costs do women have to expect?
Per nipple, we charge 750 euros plus VAT. The costs are taken over 99 per cent by the health insurance company.
How did you even come to offer nipple tattoos for cancer patients?
A longtime customer became ill with breast cancer and she wished me to tattoo her nipples. I realized what that meant to her. Normally I only tattoo photorealistic pictures, because I did not have a hard time with a nipple.
Before the tattoo ...
© Andreas Angel
... after the tattoo
© Andreas Angel
