This service creates the appearance of a hyper-realistic areola and nipple after mastectomy. Using advanced tattoo shading techniques, we tattoo what looks like a real nipple and areola on the reconstructed breast, and the result looks three-dimensional. Your results are fully customized to you, ensuring a natural-looking shape, size, color and placement, and it is often the final touch after reconstruction surgery. An excellent option for unilateral or bilateral mastectomy, with or without nipple sparing.
Post-mastectomy 3D nipple and areola tattooing is a highly specialized form of tattooing for people with complete or partial loss of the areola and nipple. Using advanced tattoo shading techniques, your artist creates the appearance of a hyper-realistic nipple and areola on the reconstructed breast. The result is two-dimensional but looks very real, and many clients tell us it is the finishing touch that finally makes their reconstruction feel complete. Every detail is decided between you, your artist and, where relevant, your surgeon's recommendations.
It can be done on one side or both, with or without nipple reconstruction, and it is fully customized to your anatomy in shape, size, color and placement. Scarring and scar tissue are not prohibitive. Every appointment is in a private area, with a thorough consultation first. Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act your health insurance may reimburse the cost, and we provide the superbill you need to file.
We require 6 months after surgery before completing the tattoo so the skin is fully healed, or sooner with your doctor's written approval. If you have not had a mastectomy, but your nipple and areola are scarred, discolored or uneven after another breast surgery such as augmentation, reduction or a lift, see Areola Enhancement Tattoo instead.
As the skin heals, the pigment stays, and the nipple and areola are yours every day.
Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act, your health insurance may reimburse the cost of post-mastectomy nipple and areola tattooing. We don't bill insurance directly, but we are credentialed to provide superbills, and many clients receive partial or full reimbursement. How to request reimbursement.
Please read our before you arrive instructions so you come in ready. Our 3D areola tattoo aftercare instructions explain how to care for the area and what to expect each day of healing.
Natural results don't happen by accident. They come from skill and technique, refined over thousands of clients. Six things we do at every appointment make the difference:
Pigment is placed in the upper layer of the skin: deep enough to last, shallow enough to heal soft. Reconstructed skin can be thinner or scarred, so depth matters even more. At the proper depth the color lasts without oversaturating, and it softens evenly over the years instead of spreading or changing color.
Your artist takes the size, position and projection from your reconstructed breast, and matches your natural nipple and areola when present. The design is drawn on and shown to you in the mirror. Nothing starts until you approve it.
Areola color is mixed from your skin tone and undertone, and matched to your natural areola when present. Highlights and shadows are mixed separately and shaded in so the nipple appears to project from the breast. We keep close track of your formulation, so any touch-up or refresh matches, even years later.
Your artist works at a high machine speed with a whip technique, which layers pigment softly in fewer passes. Less trauma to delicate or scarred skin means minimal scabbing and itching while you heal, and a softer result.
We take a conservative approach in session one and finish at your touch-up 6 to 12 weeks later, if it is needed. That ensures every area healed consistently and gives you the opportunity to adjust color or definition. The touch-up is included in the price.
We use only pigments and needle cartridges manufactured in the USA, and we have refined what we use over thousands of appointments to the products that deliver the most natural, longest-lasting healed results. Every cartridge is single-use and disposable, discarded after your appointment.
Kendra and Lizzie perform all nipple and areola tattooing at KNS. Each has thousands of hours of tattooing experience, with exceptional skill in shading, design, symmetry and technique. More than 8,000 clients have had permanent makeup at KNS, from all 50 states.
Our artists have 25+ years of combined experience and do permanent makeup full time. As a team, we are constantly improving our craft: every week we review client cases together to develop best practices, study where to improve, and hold ourselves accountable to the natural, healthy healed results we promise.
Most clients report little to no pain, partly because reconstructed and post-mastectomy skin often has reduced sensation. We also use a topical numbing cream.
We require 6 months after surgery so the skin is fully healed, or sooner with your doctor's written approval.
Yes, once the skin has fully healed. Radiated skin can hold pigment differently, so we go over it at your consultation and plan accordingly.
Tattooing adds color, shading and detail to a reconstructed nipple so it matches your other side, or both sides match each other.
No. Scarring and scar tissue are not prohibitive factors. We plan around them at your consultation.
The tattoo is permanent. Like all tattoos it softens over years, and a refresh every few years keeps the color and definition, depending on your skin and how it retains pigment.
Often, in part or in full. Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act, post-mastectomy nipple and areola tattooing may be reimbursed. We give you a superbill with the codes your insurer needs. See how it works.
Due to privacy concerns, guests are not allowed in the procedure area. If you bring a guest, they will need to remain in the waiting area.
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