Mastectomy Tattoo: A Beautiful and Poetic Alternative to Plastic Surgery
 | Flowers and Birds Mastectomy Tattoo: Tattoo Artist is Lisa Doll, the owner of Rose Red Tattoo in Ellicott City, MD...Her client, Nicole O'Hara, who designed the tattoo, decided to leave some scars visible. |
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Source: (Rose Red Tattoo)
A couple of weeks ago, I heard a story about mastectomy nipple tattoos on NPR's All Things Considered. I had never heard of nipple tattoos before. I remember a long time ago, hearing a story about a woman who managed to save her nipple before her mastectomy and later having a plastic surgeon reattach it.
After Nicole O'Hara was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29, she had a double mastectomy. The surgery left her with scarring that she decided to cover with an artistic tattoo. Source: Rose Red Tattoo; Text: Meredith Rizzo/NPR
In the All Things Considered story, Nicole O'Hara, a young woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer, decided to have a double mastectomy, unfortunately her nipples could not be saved. After the surgery, her doctors gave her the option of having her nipples reconstructed with tattoos added to mimic the color of natural nipples. She didn't like the look of reconstructed nipples: instead of re-creating what she had lost, she decided to do something more artistic.
 | Video by NPR YouTube Four years after her surgery, Ms. O'Hara designed a tattoo, with the help of a friend, and took it to Lisa Doll, the owner of Rose Red Tattoo in Ellicott City, MD. Doll specializes in tattooing over scar tissue. |
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At first O'Hara had wanted an ornate tattoo that included a pocket watch, but ultimately she decided to go with a simpler image that included plants from her garden–a spray of apple blossoms, bluebells, heather, and garlic.
O'Hara: "It's a reminder that yes, I got through it. I made it."
Source: All Things Considered
Listen to the All Things Considered radio story here...
 | Another Rose Red Tattoo client: Yellow Rose tattoo...For links to non-profit organizations that may cover the costs of covering any cancer related scar, go to the Rose Red Tattoo website. |
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Source: Rose Red Tattoo
These tattoos are beautiful!
I just started following you! Thanks for the post!
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Thanks for the comment and the follow. I knew the minute after the NPR story started playing that I had to do a post about. I've never been into the tattoo sub-culture, but I find this aspect of tattoos and tattoo art very touching.