A 3D tatoo to be reborn after breast cancer

A 3D tattoo, the same type that is normally used for semi-permanent makeup, to redo eyebrows, lip contours or eye liner.
This solution has been tested at the Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso for breast areola reconstruction on 169 women following a mastectomy.
A minimally invasive dermopigmentation intervention, which allowed the post-operative reconstruction of the areola-nipple area of the breasts, giving patients back their original and harmonious appearance as well as, psychologically, a return to normal that greatly helps the process of acceptance.
Another small battle won against breast cancer that, in Italy each year, affects one in ten women.

The Treviso medical study 

The experience covered a period from 2010 to today and included a pool formed by the director of the operative unit of radiotherapy Alessandro Gava, the director of Breast Surgery Christian Rizzetto, the director of Plastic Surgery Giorgio Bern and the tattooist of LILT (Italian League for the Fight against Cancer) from Treviso, Rita Molinaro. They completed 309 operations and the experience was published in the journal Annali of the Italian National Institute of Health, which followed its progress, step by step. Following the monitoring stage, feedback questionnaires were utilized, which favoured this new medical technique.

3D tattoos

In Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso, an internationally renowned medical tattooist completed the tattoo.
She inserted small colour pigments under the first layer of the dermis of the breasts of these women, who were thus able to get back an appearance that is very similar to before the mastectomy, (removal of one or both breasts due to the presence of a tumor).
The dermopigmentation in fact, is a reconstruction that allows a harmonious and identical aesthetic result to reality.
It is not very invasive as it is carried out with a very thin needle, as is the case for the reconstruction of eyebrows or the redrawing of lips.

The harsh statistics

In Italy there are about 50,000 new cases of breast cancer every year.
About 35% of women affected by the disease undergo mastectomy surgery.
Following the surgery there is normally breast reconstruction, which is an important moment in the psychological and social recovery of a woman who has had to fight breast cancer.

Numerous studies show that women who have undergone mastectomy operations continue to experience a psychological discomfort even after much time, and that the reconstruction of the areola-nipple area is closely related to the degree of patient satisfaction and  acceptance of their own image significantly increasing the reconstructive result.

Article from “Metropolitano.it ‘ 29/12/2020
https://www.metropolitano.it/dermopigmentazione-ricostruzione-areola-mammaria-tumore-al-seno/