Areola Repigmentation (Nipple Tattooing)

Sometimes scarring from a periareolar implant incision or areolar reduction can result pronounced loss of pigment in the nipple area. These white areas may not look good. Some women also would like to enhance the look of their normal nipples if they feel they are too pale. Both situations can be fixed with areolar repigmentation, or nipple tattooing. Tattooing can also be used to recreate or help rebuild a nipple that has been lost due to mastectomy.

Micropigmentation is tattooing done to mimic the look of a healthy area of skin or, in this case, the areola. It can replace or enhance color to the skin and looks natural if applied by a skilled technician. The process uses hypoallergenic pigments that are implanted into the very top layers of the skin with a tattoo gun or pen. Make sure that micropigmentation of your areolae is what you want. Although tattoos can be removed, it isn't an easy or quick process.

As with all cosmetic procedures, you should ask about the background of the person who is doing it. How long have they been applying micropigmentation? How many procedures have they performed? Ask to see their certificates of training, and their tattoo license, if one is required by your state. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard. A technician can learn from a video course.

Look through the technician's portfolio of recent photos of their work. Make sure that it is his or her work. Ask to speak to clients personally. Ask if the technician offer anesthetic and what types. A nurse, not a technician, should do an anesthetic injection.

If you are having scar tissue from breast augmentation repigmented, ask the technician about their experience with scars. Most scars are thicker that unblemished skin and the pigment may look different than what is desired.

Avoid alcohol, aspirin, and vitamin E for at least a week before your areola tattooing procedure. These can cause you to bleed during the procedure, which can disrupt the final outcome.

Before starting the tattoo, the technician will put on latex or vinyl gloves and inspects your skin to make sure you have no cuts or broken skin. The area is either swabbed with alcohol or sprayed with an antiseptic solution or both.

Tattoos are applied by using a small electric device (a tattoo gun or pen) with a 1 to 14 needles that implant the colored pigments. The needle bar moves up and down really fast, forcing the needles into the superficial and middle layers of the skin, implanting the pigment. The speed and power is controlled by a foot switch or pedal, much like a sewing machine.

A single needle (sometimes a micro-needle) is used to make a very fine, delicate line. A row of needles (from 4 up to 36) is used for shading and more dense areas. The end of the needle tube is dipped in a small amount of ink. The technician guides the machine over the skin and the needle(s) move up and down, penetrating the skin and implanting the pigment. Excess pigment and some blood may ooze out from the puncture wounds and the technician will wipe them off periodically with an absorbent disposable towel.

The level of pain varies from person to person and also depends on the tattoo site. You will feel tender and you may be a little sore afterward.

When the technician is finished, he or she applies a layer of antibiotic cream over the tattoo and you are instructed to wash it no more than twice a day with mild soap and water and apply antibiotic cream as needed. Leave it exposed to the air so that it can begin to heal but keep the area moist until the healing is complete. It takes about a week (usually seven to ten days) for a tattoo to heal. Until then, you should not apply cosmetics over the area and no peroxide!. You'll bubble the healing skin and ink away. Don’t pick at any scabs or flakes.

Treat your new tattooed areolae as you would treat a cosmetic surgery scar. Do not expose it to direct sunlight for at least two weeks. You may get sunburn or changes in pigment. Use sunscreen like it's going out of style. Do not go swimming, hot-tubbing, or soak the treatment area in the bath.

If you are prone to keloids or hypertrophic scarring you may develop scar tissue at the treatment site.