Tattoos restore confidence after mastectomy
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Grace Suffell, a 25-year-old from Shropshire, England, regained confidence after receiving nipple tattoos following a double mastectomy and chemotherapy for breast cancer.
She discovered the option of hyper-realistic nipple tattoos from tattoo artist Lauren Delarge, who is based in Telford. The Lingen Davies cancer support charity fully funded the procedure for Suffell, as it does for other residents of Shropshire, Telford and Mid Wales.
Delarge has been a tattoo artist for 15 years and now specializes in recreating nipples and areolas for people who have lost them due to cancer surgery. She customizes each tattoo during a consultation, either matching a remaining nipple or creating a pair. Delarge was motivated to offer this service both by her grandmother’s experience with breast cancer and a desire to help people overcome the emotional impact of losing nipples.
Suffell noticed a lump in her breast shortly after her 25th birthday, leading to a diagnosis of cancer and the need for both chemotherapy and a mastectomy. Doctors recommended the mastectomy to ensure any remaining cancer cells were removed. Now in remission for almost a year, Suffell said the tattoos helped her feel like herself again and visibly improved her posture, according to her mother.
Delarge also works with the Nipple Innovation Project to extend this service across the United Kingdom.
