Isle of Wight tattoo artist draws nipple on her mother after she beat breast cancer

Some daughters give their mothers flowers on their birthdays, others take them to a spa. 

But Lisa Nutter received a much the more unconventional gift from her daughter – a new nipple.

The 56-year-old, known as Lil, had battled breast cancer for two years and undergone a mastectomy and recontruction of her right breast removed.

Though she was overjoyed to be free of the disease and happy with her new breast, she was left lacking a nipple.

So, her tattoo artist daughter Angelica, 23, came up with the plan to design one, to make her feel more like herself again.

And on Lil’s birthday Angelina tattooed a life-like nipple and areola – the ring of skin around the nipple – on to her mother’s breast – an event they both described as emotional.

Angelica Nutter, 23, tattooed a new nipple on her 56-year-old mother Angelica’s breast for her birthday. Angelica had her right breast reconstructed following a two-year battle with cancer 

Angelina tattooed a life-like nipple and areola – the ring of skin around the nipple – on to her mother’s breast in an event they both described as emotional. Pictured, before and after

Lil said: ‘It was such a lovely gesture and actually quite an emotional experience for us, after everything we had been through.

‘The diagnosis was a huge shock. I’d had no symptoms, no lumps I could feel and suddenly I was being told I had cancer, which had already spread.

‘It was a really scary and difficult time, but my family were by my side throughout and we always tried to find the humour in each day.

• Is YOUR child’s lunchbox making them obese? Typical lunches…
  

  The breakfasts of champions: Olympic medalists reveal how…
  

  First time mother dies just 10 WEEKS after giving birth…
  

  Student loses her entire EAR after a tiny mole turns out to…
  

She continued: ‘When I lost hair because of the chemotherapy, my husband Jon shaved it all off and Angel painted it my bald head for one of her art projects.

‘Laughter and their support is what got me through it all, and this was a really special thing for us to be able to do together.

‘I had got used to life without two nipples but I do feel more even now. Although, I don’t think I’d have let a stranger do it.’ 

MEDICAL TATTOOS AND MICROPIGMENTATION 

Micro-pigmentation is a procedure to create or enhance the image of an areola and nipple for patients who have undergone breast reconstruction. 

The pigment is applied by a hand held machine. 

This uses sterile needles that make tiny holes into the surface of the skin allowing colour to be introduced to create shading. 

These needles are only used once.

Some of the risks of the procedure include not achieving exact colour match with the existing areola and/or nipple and scarring.

Other risks include slight spreading of colour outside the areola, uneven pigment colour, infection, allergy to pigments used and flattening of the nipple.

The service is available at some NHS hospitals. 

Source: East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Angelica said: ‘It was a really tough time when mum had cancer and our main priority was making sure she knew we were there for her.

‘At times I did feel quite helpless when I saw her going through all that, so it felt great to be able to do this for her.

‘She’s let me tattoo her hand and her wrist before, but I knew this was much more significant and I was actually quite nervous.

‘But I’d researched a lot into it and we’re both really pleased with the end result.’

Lil was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 after booking herself in for a mammogram at St Mary’s Hospital in Newport, Isle of Wight.

Women aged between 50 and 70 are invited to screenings every three years as part of a nationwide NHS programme.

She said: ‘I got a letter in the post saying I needed to have one as a routine procedure and so I just went along.

‘I’d had no reason to worry. But I was called back for further tests and then I was told I had a cancerous lump and the cancer had spread.

‘It was hard to process, but even after I was diagnosed the lump was so small I couldn’t feel it.’

She had the 1.6cm lump removed and began treatment soon after in a bid to completely destroy the disease and prevent it spreading elsewhere.

Later, she had a mastectomy in which her entire right breast was cut away.

Lil was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 after going for a mammogram. She underwent a mastecomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy which caused her hair to fall out

Said said: ‘It was a very difficult time but Angelica came to a lot of my appointments with me and my husband Jon and son Leo were there for me throughout, too. We all stuck together.’

Angelica said her mother told the family about the diagnosis straight away. 

She said: ‘We were worried but we just wanted to be there for her.

‘It’s not an easy thing for anyone but we tried to make her laugh to help her get through it.

Having her husband Jon, 54, and daughter Angelica’s support helped her beat her cancer

‘We used to call her “The Turbanator” because she always had these turban scarves on her head and I painted her bald head for my art project.

‘She felt laughing about it was a big help. She coped amazingly.’

Lil later had her breast reconstructed using fat from her stomach and adjustments made to her existing breast to make them symmetrical.

But she was still left without a nipple.

‘I was really nervous as I drew it out but it looks great and I’m so pleased she’s happy with it,’ Angelica said of her mother’s tattoo 

It was then she and Angelica first began discussing micro-pigmentation or medical tattooing.

This involves creating or enhancing the image of an areola and nipple for patients who have undergone breast surgery with reconstruction.

The service is available on the NHS at selected hospitals, but wasn’t available at Lil’s local hospital on the Isle of White.

In light of this, Angelica started researching and offered to do it for her mother’s birthday in May.

She said: ‘I’d suggested a floral design on her breast or something but mum just wanted a new nipple, so that’s what we did.

‘I was really nervous as I drew it out but it looks great and I’m so pleased she’s happy with it.

‘It’s something I’m definitely going to look into doing more of.’

Lil, who now has yearly check ups to check the cancer hasn’t returned, said: ‘It was the best birthday present I could’ve asked for.

‘It’s made me feel more like me again.’