Derbyshire salon launches breast cancer tattoo service

A Derbyshire salon is offering a brand-new semi-permanent 3D nipple tattooing service for breast cancer survivors.

Cosmetic and Beauty Therapist Dawn Barlow, who works at Hair & Beauty at Slimming World, in Alfreton, is launching the service after being diagnosed with breast cancer and having a mastectomy in 2018. She is now offering one free treatment per month to those who may be struggling to afford cosmetic tattooing.

When a mastectomy is carried out, many women not only lose their breast, but typically also lose some of their breast skin and nipple, too.

Dawn, 56, who has nearly 40 years of experience in the beauty industry, says: “I thought having reconstruction surgery would be the final piece of my journey. And while I was recovering well, I knew something wasn’t right – I just didn’t feel like myself. I’d lost my confidence and small things like looking in the mirror didn’t feel the same. Getting the tattoo changed everything for me. I felt complete and whole again – like me.”

3D nipple tattoos are real tattoos, applied with needles that insert pigment into the skin. An experienced nipple tattoo artist can create an amazingly realistic image of a nipple that appears to have physical dimension but is really flat to the touch.

Dawn continues: “My friend also went through treatment for breast cancer and felt the same way I did. Surviving cancer and learning to love your body again is a complicated process – so I thought anything I could do to help would be really rewarding.

“I had already been quite interested in cosmetic tattooing, so my friend’s experience as well as my own really gave me the push I needed. I started training in 3D nipple tattooing and medical tattooing and haven’t looked back since.”

The salon will be launching the service in February. Dawn says: “Getting a 3D tattoo is often expensive. A cancer diagnosis can take a toll on not only your body but other aspects of your life too, especially your finances.

“That’s why I’m really looking forward to launching this service at our salon. Deciding to have such treatments is a really personal choice, but I found it to be such a huge part of my healing process. I really want to help anyone else who’s been through the same thing.”

The state-of-the-art salon, which has been serving the local community for 23 years, is based on site at Slimming World’s Alfreton head office and open to the public. The team strive to keep up with the latest trends and techniques, extending their range of products and services, and prides itself on hosting a warm and friendly environment where clients can be pampered and made to feel extra special.

Hair & Beauty at Slimming World, has a five-star rating in the Good Salon Guide and is open to the public and has free parking on site. To find out more information about Hair & Beauty at Slimming World or to be considered for a free appointment call 01773 546382 or email salon@slimmingworld.co.uk by Friday 25^th February 2022.

PICTURED: Cosmetic and Beauty Therapist Dawn Barlow at Hair & Beauty at Slimming World.