October 2021, Spa

Areola Tattooing

October 1, 2021 | by Rose Beauchemin

A gratifying and profitable aesthetic healing service to add to your menu

There are few procedures that you can include in your spa menu that will deliver the elated joy, gratification, and revenue that post-mastectomy, areola tattooing will bring you. This life-changing procedure, for both women and men, brings back familiarity and confidence that was soulfully missing from their lives.

Most often, there are tears shed when they first see the mirror reflecting this familiarity, but they are tears of sheer joy. The first seconds they may appear stunned and suddenly their surgical scars are no longer their focus. Instead, these amazing nipples and areolas are boasting with realism and staring back at them.

These moments are overwhelming for everyone in the room. It may be a husband, wife, friend, mother, or sister, possibly one being a survivor, sharing this intimate moment of relief. Their loved one has returned, appearing whole. You have become part of her aesthetic healing and there is nothing that compares to this.

This tattoo can represent a variety of emotions for these clients. It may be a finality, the representation of their femininity or masculinity being returned, or a celebratory end to the long and arduous journey they have traveled to get to this point. You have truly changed a life!

However, we have merely scratched the surface of this long-term relationship between a practitioner and the client. Breasts and Brows become synonymous when offering areola tattooing. This is due to the lack of density in their brows and lashes, following chemotherapy. Undoubtedly, this client will ask the practitioner to tattoo their eyebrows.

Tattooing eyebrows will lead to a lash enhancement (tattooing between eyelashes) in order to establish a color balance between the brows and the eyes. A woman may even ask for some color added to her lips.

Every time this client sees the practitioner, they see someone that has helped restore them to new normalcy and they are feeling much better about themselves. They will share stories of how they now shower at the gym and undress in front of their significant other.

Areola tattooing is an art form and is not as complicated as it appears. It is created by simultaneous contrast (dark against light). With a seasoned instructor, a practitioner can perform these magnificent procedures in just two days, following primary training.

The question that comes up, again and again, is why is areola tattooing considered an Advanced Class with Advanced Techniques? That is because there is much to learn regarding the various cancers. In the consultation, they must be asked about their original diagnosis and the practitioner needs to understand them.

Did this client arrive with medical clearance? This is a must in NJ and other states but adds a layer of safety for any practitioner. Did this person have radiation, chemotherapy? Did the radiation cause a contracture? (This is where the burn from the radiation pulled the skin and repositioned the implant).

”This life-changing procedure, for both women and men, brings back familiarity and confidence that was soulfully missing from their lives.”

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How was this breast mound developed? There are various types of surgeries offered, today, that create a more realistic mound. This tissue may have come from the person’s back, belly, inner thigh, buttock, or chest skin stretched, using an expander. The practitioner must understand these surgeries prior to approaching this canvas in order to achieve the best results. The use of sterile inks and sterile pigments, made in the US, are most popular.

If there is a concern about the number of men and women that will need this service, sadly, the numbers are significant. Based on current incident rates from the most recent SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 12.9% of women born in the US, today, will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives. This means that 1 in 8 women have a chance to be diagnosed.

Although this SEER Review was based on the statistics from 2015 through 2017, assuming the numbers would remain the same, this is an enormous number. Men are at .13%, on current rates, which reduces his chances to 1 in 800 being diagnosed with breast cancer.

In another recent SEER Report, the risk of a woman being diagnosed during the next 10-years, starting at the following ages, is as follows:

Age 30……..0.49% (or 1 in 204)

Age 40……..1.55% (or 1 in 65)

Age 50……..2.40% (or 1 in 42)

Age 60……..3.54% (or 1 in 28)

Age 70……..4.09% (or 1 in 24)

These risks are averages for the whole population.

How to Do a Step-by-Step Areola Consultation

Client Intake Form & Pre-Procedure evaluation

Review of medications and other health issues

Medical Clearance

Check your state’s regulations. It is a requirement in New Jersey. Strongly recommend regardless of state regulations in the event of a complication, you will have done your due diligence.

Hear their Story

Allow the time to hear about their journey. Understand the type of cancer they had and their treatments.

Evaluate

Listen closely to hear if your client/patient is emotionally ready for this procedure. Some people are still too traumatized.

Know your Canvas

Understand the various surgeries and where the tissue originated that you will be working on.

Discuss Color and Size

Place 2-4 pigment colors on their declotait and allow the client/patient to select the most familiar.

Design and Shape

Have them stand and draw the appropriate areola size (approximately 4cm), using the Staedtler circle tool.

Draw on Brows, Eyeliner , and Lips

Following chemotherapy, eyebrows will often become scant. Drawing eyebrows on can be quite exciting for these survivors. I find most clients/patients are ready for this makeover.

Offer a discount for breast cancer survivors on any of the permanent makeup procedures

Aftercare

Explain verbally, how to take care of the tattoo following the procedure and give written instructions, as well. Let them know they may require a touch-up appointment.

Length of consult

20-30 minutes

Cost of Procedure

350.00 to1500.00 for bilateral

Length of Actual Procedure

1 to 2-hours

Take note if referred by a physician

Send a thank you card and only with client/patient written permission send before and after photos of the areola tattoo, once completed.

The ROI (return on investment) compares to none, and your business will have a loyal client for life and able to be introduced to other products and services.

Participate in the Beau Day of Hope Event

No formal studies have been done to know how long the average woman or man waits to have their areola tattoos performed. Experience has shown that it is about 3-5 years.

These women will say they could not do one more thing following their reconstruction. Most will no longer have insurance coverage or there is so much red tape involved, they just can’t do the work to get this procedure paid for.

Once a year, practitioners from around the globe, have joined in this mission to service as many of these people as possible. You may even choose to invite other artists to join you. A light lunch can be served with refreshments, and it is recommended to plan as far out as possible to announce your participation of this day. Many women going through life, undone, and can be taken to completion on your Day of Hope. We are amazing strength in numbers.

Investment: 100 hours, 6-day Primary Training……..5,000.00 to 9,000.00

2-Day Hands-On Areola Training……………2,500.00 to 5,000.00

Cost of service:

Areola Tattooing……..Bilateral……..350.00 to 1,500.00

Areola Tattooing…….Unilateral…….300.00 to 800.00

Eyebrows………500.00 to 1,500.00 (depending on techniques offered)

Eyeliner ………..500.00 to 1,500.00 (depending on the width and design)

Taking the minimum on a bilateral case……………1,300.00 for 1 client

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