It can be damaged much easier than normal skin and sometimes if not careful in the application of the tattoo, the pigment is more likely to lighten or even fall out of the skin completely during healing.ĭo you tattoo other things other than nipples? I still do regular tattooing and as rewarding as it is to see a beautiful tattoo on a happy client, it just doesn’t compare to the look of joy on a woman’s face when she sees herself in the mirror for the first time after tattooing nipples on her. I say this because working on scar tissue is completely different than working on healthy skin tissue. I reworked her tattoos, correcting colour, adding depth, texture and shadows to give it a more realistic and natural appearance and she was extremely happy with the results! I spoke with her during the healing once and after the healing to make sure everything healed well, colours held up and the results remained, which happily they did. Who was your first client? The first client I had was a woman in her early 30s who drove up from southern Ohio to have her existing nipple tattoos reworked by me. In closing he told me he felt that him and his partners clients would be well served by me and he would be referring them to me in the future. I explained that I use only Fusion Tattoo Pigments because they are all natural organic pigments which are also vegan friendly. I explained what I do, that I have 27 years of experience as both a professional tattoo artist and business owner, I showed them my portfolio and studio. Bernard was also a part of the team who did the first successful face transplant so needless to say I was very nervous meeting him. I met with Doctor Steven Bernard of the Cleveland Clinic and his assistant Jaquie Frazee. His wife later set up a meeting between myself, her surgeon and his assistant that went very well. He persisted each visit telling him more and then showing him before and after photos of tattoos I had done and before too long he was opening up to the idea. I would always make sure to take time to sit and talk with each client before hand to make sure they were completely comfortable with both myself and the process before starting anything.ĭo hospitals ever refer patients to you? Yes, it all started with my friend talking to his wife’s surgeon, saying that I would be better suited to do her tattoos, at first the doctor seemed uninterested. I was shocked to find out just how many people this was affecting and that many of the women were so young. The only stipulation I put on it was that I expected to take anonymous before and after photos which most had no problem with. I had no shortage, almost right away, of women who contacted me looking for help and most of them already had been tattooed by medical professionals unsuccessfully and really wanted them to look natural. When I had done enough of these drawings that I considered successful I then started to advertise for breast cancer survivors, that I could tattoo for free in order to gain some experience. I worked with slight shadows and light sources to give them the most 3 dimensional appearance I could. I began drawing different types of nipples, sizes, shapes, textures and colour ranges to see what looked most realistic and what fell short. How did you perfect the technique? I started to research it and found some other artists doing them, with very few artists doing them well. So my friend called me and asked if I would do them for her when the time came and of course I said I would be honoured. He proceeded to show them a portfolio of nipple tattoos done by medical professionals that looked like peach or salmon colour circles but not anything close to what a real nipple would look like. The doctor explained about nipple reconstruction, where they attempt to create the nipple again or at least a bump of skin for lack of a better term and then have the nipple and areola tattooed to look more natural. How did you start tattooing nipples? For the past decade or so, most of the tattoos I did were portraits or photo realism of sorts… so when a friend’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, they went to see the doctor together. How long have you been tattooing? I started tattooing professionally in 1988, working at a local street shop before doing a bit of travelling and guest spots around the country and then opening my own shop in 1997. It is a private custom studio, not open to the public. We talked to Ron to find out more about his experiences helping women to regain their confidence after breast cancer.Ĭan you tell us a bit about your studio? I own Sacred Tattoo in Wickliffe Ohio, just east of Cleveland. Often his clients have had re-constructive surgery or are unhappy with the options offered to them by medical practitioners. 45-year-old tattoo artist Ron Antonick creates nipple tattoos for women who have had breast cancer.
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