Mastectomy Tattoos in Bangkok

It may come as a surprise for many of you to learn that in the USA alone, over 230,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year.

Of this number, around 40,000 will sadly die, but on the positive side, almost 200,000 will survive. In fact, at the latest count, it was estimated that there are 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the USA.

So if you are one of the unlucky ones to have had this most dreaded of diseases, at least you know you are far from alone.

What is a Mastectomy?

Mastectomy is the surgical term for the removal of one or both breasts, either in part or completely. The procedure is usually carried out in order to remove cancerous tissues. The surgery is sometimes restricted to just removing a cancerous tumor and the surrounding area in an effort to preserve the main part of the breast, and this procedure is referred to as a lumpectomy.

The traditional medical solution to the onset of breast cancer was to remove the entire breast. These days, with modern techniques available, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, doctors try to save as much of the breast as possible and partial breast removal is a real option in some, but by no means all circumstances.

At the other end of the scale, an increasing number of women are opting to have double mastectomies as a preventative measure where there is an unacceptably high risk of the patient developing breast cancer at some point in their lives. Others may opt for a double mastectomy, after being diagnosed with breast cancer in a single breast, to prevent further cancer developing in the unaffected breast later in life. In some extreme cases, even some of the chest muscle will also be removed.

So the situation we find today is that survivors of breast cancer who have had mastectomies may be left with anything from the partial removal of a single breast – sometimes just a small lump or a maybe a single nipple – to the complete removal of both breasts.

Some women opt for reconstructive breast plastic surgery, while others prefer to leave their bodies unviolated by plastics or synthetics.

But there is one thing that all sufferers from mastectomy will have in common – visible, unsightly scars in the areas of their breasts.

The role of Tattooists

Being diagnosed with cancer, and undergoing a mastectomy is one of the most demanding, painful and frightening experiences for any person to go through. When all is said and done, not only have they suffered physical torment of the highest order, but they will also have undergone a huge assault their state of mind.

The bodies that mastectomy patients are left with after surgery will heal over time, but their self-respect and mental state may never heal, as they now carry disfigurements and scars that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Happily, more and more women are discovering that there is a solution to these scars that doesn’t involve them hiding their breasts from view or undergoing expensive plastic surgery. In any case, plastic surgery will never totally cover the scars and can involve even more scarring.

A whole sector of the tattoo industry is now devoted to changing these scars from something ugly into something truly beautiful, and in doing so has given thousands of women back their self-respect.

Artists, such as we have at ALL DAY Tattoo in Bangkok, have come up with creative and amazing designs that can change your ‘area of devastation’ into a true work of art – something that you would be happy to show to your loved ones and even the world in general.

No longer do mastectomy sufferers have to grimace every time they see their bodies in a mirror. With the application of creative tattoos, they can take back control of their bodies- reclaim them as it were – and once again be proud of themselves.

This is even true of patients who are terminal. By changing their scarred bodies to something beautiful, it gives them something lovely to look at during the short time that they have remaining on this earth.

An experienced mastectomy tattoo artist will not only be highly skilled and creative in the designs he suggests but will also be totally empathetic to the patient.

They appreciate that their client has gone through a terrible and highly emotional ordeal and they will patiently work together with them to produce a beautiful and satisfying result.

Popular Mastectomy Tattoos

For those who have been fortunate enough just have a single nipple removed, cosmetic tattoo artists are able to ink areolas and nipples, using 3-D techniques that make the area look like the genuine article.

Although this isn’t something we do at ALL DAY Tattoo, it is something you can look into further with more cosmetically focused artists.

At the other end of the scale, women have had a double mastectomy and no reconstructive surgery can have a full chest tattoo that announces to the world that they have a new and glorious body.

Clever tattoo designs can effective hide scars on reconstructed breasts and help the person to look sexy and beautiful again.

Not sure what sort of designs may work for you? Here are a few suggestions that will assist your deliberations:

• For obvious reasons, flowers and flowering plants and floral arrangements are often used as they provide much scope for attractively covering up scars. Flora such as forget-me-nots, dandelions with their scattering seeds, cherry blossoms representing eternal life, roses on a vine, cardinal wildflowers (lobelias) and so on are all used to great effect.
• The phoenix is also popular as it represents rebirth or regeneration, and some lovely phoenix designs of blue and green can be inked over a badly scarred breast. Or maybe a glorious peacock or an eagle with wings stretched across the entire chest where the two breasts once were.
• Others go for something like a skeletal lizard to cover the scars, or maybe two Celtic circles in the form of a double knot to cover two removed nipples.
• Some may prefer fairies or butterflies or birds, all strategically placed to cover ugly scars.

The choice of designs is only limited by your imagination. As you can see from the above examples, variegated and wandering, unstructured designs tend to work much better than straight lines.

We, at ALL DAY Tattoo in Bangkok, will be delighted to discuss your ideas and maybe we can throw in a few more of our own suggestions into the pot after we have seen you and your ‘canvas’.

Click the button below for your absolutely free, no-obligation consultation with one of our specialist artists at ALL DAY Tattoo.