Tattoos help breast cancer survivors heal
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Fifteen years ago, tattoo artist Amy Black got an unusual request: Could she ink a realistic-looking nipple?
Why it matters: That question came from a breast cancer survivor who'd undergone reconstruction. The answer was yes, and the results were life-changing — both for the client who loved the tattoo and also for Black.
- Black, whose studio is in Richmond, built a new specialty in mastectomy tattoos.
- The niche is perfect for her unique background: She studied fine art oil painting with a focus on anatomy.
The big picture: Black's mastectomy ink "used to be 90% nipple tattoos," but now she sees an increasing number of survivor requests for decorative art, often on flat chests.
- Designs often include florals, nature elements and mythical creatures, she says.
- Birds are especially popular. Black has tattooed phoenixes, peacocks, herons and hummingbirds.
- Some clients opt for tattoos along scar lines; others get ink from the shoulder to the opposite hip, Black says.
What we're hearing: Planning a tattoo post-surgery felt like "getting the last word on the way my body looks," breast cancer survivor Kim Bowles tells Axios.
- Bowles chose pothos vines and gladiolus flowers — symbols of resilience, strength and honor — to adorn her chest.
