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Lucy Thompson - Tattooist, Artist, 3D Medical Tattoo specialist areola and Nip Charity Founder
24 Plays11 months ago
Lucy Thompson is a highly skilled tattooist, artist, and 3D medical tattoo specialist who has dedicated her career to helping breast cancer survivors reclaim their confidence and sense of identity after surgery. Specialising in 3D areola tattoos, Lucy’s artistry goes beyond aesthetics; her work restores a natural look for those who have undergone mastectomies, creating lifelike areolas and helping individuals reconnect with their bodies.
In addition to her tattooing work, Lucy is the founder of the Nip Charity, a nonprofit organisation that offers breast cancer survivors free 3d nipple tattoos to help their healing journey. Through her charity, Lucy advocates for greater awareness of post-surgery options.
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Transcript
Introduction to Lucy Thompson and Her Work
00:00:12
Speaker
Today, we talk with Lucy Thompson, an artist changing lives with her 3D areola tattoos, helping survivors feel whole again after surgery. We explore her journey, her inspiration, and the incredible impact of her work. Hello, Lucy.
00:00:32
Speaker
Hi Phil. How's it going? Really good, thank you. Hello Lucy, sorry. I do apologise. How are you? It's fine, it's all good. I'm really, really good. Can't complain, really. Yeah, things are busy, crazy, but really good, yeah. Crazy busy is is is excellent. so um so Do you want to introduce yourself?
The Birth of a Charity: Improving Tattoo Standards
00:01:00
Speaker
So my name is Lucy Thompson. I'm a medical tattoo artist and I'm the founder of the UK's first mastectomy tattoo charity, the Nipple Innovation Project. um I started this charity eight years ago to offer an alternative to the current and basic semi-permanent fading nipple tattoos offered in hospitals.
00:01:23
Speaker
So we offer 3D realistic nipple tattoos through a directory of artists and who've had experience tattooing and our tattoos are designed to be realistic and not fade away. the The ones that the NHS do, is that actually are they outsourced to tattoo studios?
00:01:45
Speaker
No, so currently, and historically, they're actually done by ah practitioners in hospitals. It's usually nurses or surgeons. and Yeah, they are put on to us. And then they are sort of said told that they're okay to go and tattoo. We are experienced tattooists of some sort.
00:02:08
Speaker
No, no, no, they they have no previous tattoo experience um and they are put on a two-day car. So to to give a comparison to that, to become a tattoo artist, you have to do a two-year apprenticeship before you can tattoo healthy skin, because sort of scam is very, very challenging. um So that's kind of where I saw a bit of a flaw. and ah My own auntie had had ah a hospital tattoo,
00:02:35
Speaker
um It was a very traumatic experience for her. she'd had um She was in great pain during the process, there was a lot of blood, it was pouring down her body, it scabbed up and then it kind of faded away after a few months and that left her unable to look at her breast for 10 years. um And i as and a tattoo artist and and an empath, I was really disturbed by her story um of how she felt for so long after having breast cancer and overcoming that and feeling that she couldn't look at her own body. I was really just like, why? Why? why a testation That's on top of the actual scars and and potential kind of, you know, the new normal that a breast cancer survivor kind of like has to deal with.
Ensuring Quality and Training in Medical Tattooing
00:03:27
Speaker
And also because obviously I've self heard stories about about women who
00:03:31
Speaker
they they literally will not show their body to anyone after surgery so yeah I mean that that's that's that's horrific so is your network so you're not doing all the work you're out you're kind of outsourcing it to trusted tattooists is that up and down in the country is it Yeah, so um because of the current standard, we we've set a new standard for our charity and what we do is we take on people with proven experience. As as as tattooers, we kind of vet them as a committee. We ask them to send us the work fresh and healed so we can assess it and because we need to make sure the standards being set. We also need to make sure that the healed results are consistent with their fresh results. We really
00:04:18
Speaker
The quality is imperative and it's something that we cannot, we we just cannot, there's no room for error with that, like we we've set this standard, and we we ask everyone to work to the same standard and if they're not there we will support them with that but the the main thing is that they have experience tattooing to start off with.
00:04:40
Speaker
so who am So to to become like and are is it an accreditation that you offer to tattooists essentially? Kind of, we didn't want to, because it's really difficult because there's actually no regulation within tattooing. So we just ask people to meet the standard we've set because people can people from different backgrounds have different skillsets, they pick up things differently. However, I have started an academy, I've opened a training academy now, so I can teach people with tattoo experience um to work to learn the standard that I i worked on. and if the chip
00:05:17
Speaker
with that, um ah which it that is accredited, so we're trying to get which way lots of people signed up to us, so that means that we know they've had the thorough education, we know that they've been through the whole process, the tattoo process, and with the we know that they understand the psychological importance of these tattoos, how but how important it is that they have to be done safely, because again through the hospital tattoos I absolutely believe that the people doing the tattoos in hospitals are well-meaning and they're doing these with the best intentions. and But because of the lack of experience, they often overwork the skin, they cause further scarring on top of the scar tissue, which can leave the skin almost untattooable. And I've seen that hundreds of times, unfortunately. And that has a really negative impact on someone's mental health, self-esteem, how they can, like you say, accept their bodies after after what they've been through. so um
00:06:13
Speaker
Well, I mean, so that almost has the complete opposite effect of got of the reason to get it done. Yeah. Actually adds more trauma and yeah patience. that's That almost defeats the object. Yeah. So how long does is your, you say you've got a course, how long does that take? Is that longer than two days? Yeah, it's spread out over about six months. ryan yeah Okay. So that gives it a comparison with the NHS. But um not and you know obviously the the aim is not to criticise the NHS necessarily, they're working within a tight budget in time and and you know it's it probably would have been given to somebody that was doing another job and it's on top of there.
00:07:00
Speaker
they gifting job So you know the thing is, I'm not criticising the NHS, but obviously it gives it a bit of weight of how important it is. Because of course the yeah the end result is to is to have a person walk out of your you know walk out the tattooist and be more confident, happier.
00:07:20
Speaker
Yeah, of course. and So we've recently had some really exciting news which was really groundbreaking for us.
Collaborations with NHS and Expanding Services
00:07:28
Speaker
We've actually partnered with a local NHS trust who we we've connected with and they've asked us to take over the service because the surgeon was actually doing the tattoos. She's seen my work over the years. ah We had a meeting, she actually said, look, I just don't have the time.
00:07:46
Speaker
to commit to this. It takes up my time as a surgeon, I have to do it in theatre, it takes up a lot of resources and it's just not it's not viable, it's not something and we can't produce the results that you do and then the fade away because the pigments are designed to work out the skin. She was like it just doesn't make sense so when we had that meeting with the chief medical officer he was like yeah come on like this is a no-brainer, this we need to make this work so we're really proud that announced that we've made that that first partnership connection and the goal now is to roll that up out to other trusts now that we can be seen as a trusted and partner within the NHS. Yeah, that'd be amazing. Yeah. So
00:08:31
Speaker
I suppose the um I mean all right so as your talk as you're obviously we've had we've had a bit of a conversation um a few messages and as you're talking about going through the process I'm kind of like visualizing because I haven't gotten obviously I've just got a scar on my left hand side and you said oh let's let's kind of rectify that but I don't know I just kind of like I still I think obviously for men and women it's just a completely different thing.
00:09:03
Speaker
um i still And this isn't to criticise people that want nipple tattoos because I was offered it at my, um it was one of the last um sessions I have with my consultant and they actually said, oh, do you know, do you want to look at the nipple tattoos? So I mean, I assuming, you know, I'm assuming the same system will be in place. It'll be like, and then with those practice, but I still, I don't know. I'm not, I'm not there at the moment. It's not, yeah not a priority for me, but I totally, I totally get why, oh you know, a woman would, would want to do that.
00:09:46
Speaker
um Have you done many, ah you know, as your tattooist done many, man? Yeah, I've tattooed a couple of men and I wanted to talk about this because it's it's just as in important. and The men, the two men that are tattoo free men, but two of them One, it was like polar opposites, one of them, he'd said that he'd only told his wife and he hadn't told any of his friends. He was quite ashamed of his experience because he really felt like he shouldn't be in the breast cancer ward the whole time he was getting treatment.
00:10:20
Speaker
and because he didn't have a nipple there he felt really self-conscious and he felt it brought up conversations that made him feel uncomfortable and embarrassed which was absolutely heartbreaking um and so he was quite desperate to have a nipple there so he didn't draw attention because obviously men are socially allowed to be topless so it was more obvious and and then on the other side I tattooed a man who He was an amazing man who's done a lot of sort of advocating within our local community to raise awareness for breast cancer. He was like, I didn't know that this man could get it and and he comes from um a different, he's used an Asian man, so for an Asian man to talk about something, breast cancer,
00:11:05
Speaker
Like, it was really bold of him to do that, but it was really inspiring to meet him and to do that tattoo for him. And the two, like, polar opposites of them, too. It was quite crazy. And we've heard of other men that have had treatments through the the charity as well. Others that have said they've not to told friends or family at all because of shame. And that's just so heartbreaking to hear because anyone with a tissue can get breast cancer. So.
00:11:33
Speaker
i I mean, obviously like you're gonna get even fewer men just statistically. And then you may for the same reason of people men not even wanna discuss it might not even think about getting it or be offered it. um I suppose really suppose it is reassuring that the and NHS, cause I'm guessing at some point the and NHS didn't offer nipple tattoos. Is that quite a recent thing?
00:12:01
Speaker
I've been offered around for maybe like the past 15-20 years I think. I don't think it's something that was always offered but yeah.
Innovations and Awareness in 3D Nipple Tattoos
00:12:10
Speaker
think you have Have you ever had someone, have you ever seen a 20 year old, a 15 year old nipple? a Yeah well there's nothing left.
00:12:20
Speaker
over there, there's nothing, there's barely anything left over and and people from that from the older generation, they've kind of just, because they don't go back for checks that often, they don't think to ask, they don't know that anything else is available, so they just think oh well this is it this is how I'm going to have to live now and you know it's not quite lisa ah and at least I'm alive and but it's it's like no we we need to have these discussions so people especially like you that have been living without a nipple for so long know that this is available to you. Well see the one thing you were saying then was kind of you were hinting that the person 20 years ago would have been quite old but obviously now with my awareness that I've kind of seen with my own eyes there'd be a lot of
00:13:09
Speaker
younger people who would who would definitely get a tattoo and obviously they might need a new 20 years time when they're like in their 50s because obviously there's this men and women in their 20s being diagnosed. would they is that Is that potentially a thing or is that is that that what nipples you do fade?
00:13:31
Speaker
They will fade slightly over time, just like kind of all tattoos do, but they'll never fade appear like they do in hospitals. um It comes down to so many different types of variables. um But no, the tattoos that we do, they're done with permanent pigments, permanent techniques, they are designed to last. So yeah, if people, I've tattooed, I've tattooed people recently, younger people, like you say, and then they said, well, actually, my mum had breast cancer like 20, 30 years ago, and she'd been in her 70s. And they've then said, can you help my mum? Like she's seen my nipples tattoo and she's like, oh, I would really like one. And that's been really, sees people that are from an older generation, come and get a tattoo and then come back and
00:14:22
Speaker
excited and confident again it's really nice. I mean it what ah I must admit because i've I've seen a few nipple tattoos in real life and the people are like they're very proud to show them off. They're like whipping about and I'm like all right okay.
00:14:38
Speaker
i So no but which is a good thing because it's just body confidence after after surgery isn't it at the end of the day which is which has got to be a good ah good thing. and So tell me how it works. Right now if your local trust doesn't offer this however if there's a tattooist Who is on your books. How does that work is it paid for do the people have to contribute a little bit. Is it, you know, is it donation. but so Well, we we don't. So, as a rule, the idea is we, we we want to be able to offer this to anyone that needs it we don't we don't put any
00:15:18
Speaker
like restrictions on it whatsoever we feel like the terms like if you've been for breast cancer are if you've had the brachygene you've had preventative surgery and you need the service we'll provide it for you. um We do ask if people are happy with the service and they value it to consider paying it forward or maybe doing a fundraiser for us because we are a small charity and we do really rely on donations and fundraisers but that's not a term of receiving the service we just really want to make it more accessible to people that need it. So um we can only provide it through artists that we have approved on our directory, which we are growing at the moment. ah Just for safety reasons, we have to make sure that we've done checks and things like that. We can't just
00:16:04
Speaker
and um just offer it to any tattoo artist that kind of feels like they want to do one. um We just have to had to put things in place so we just say to people contact your nearest artist that's on the directory closest to you um and see if they've got funding availability. and We get budget sent out to each artist every quarter so they will be able to get them booked in from that point and explain the whole process basically.
00:16:34
Speaker
So you'd literally go to, what's what's the website? ah It's nipcharity.org. Okay, and then it's literally straight into a map of the UK, is it?
00:16:48
Speaker
Yeah, there's an artist directorate on there um and you can just take a look and see who's closest to you. If there's no one close to you and you're able to travel then travel to someone that's maybe not too far away or you can get in touch with us and sort of see if we've got any artists in training at the minute that might be coming available um within there. Yeah, I've seen, I've definitely seen someone kind of like have a bit of a Um, I think there mustn't have been anyone local and they, it was like a bit of a weekend away and then they they got attacked. I don't know if they did it with a friend. Sure. There was, um, so yeah, I mean, it's, you can, you can kind of make a bit, it's a bit of an experience, isn't it? It's a part of the journey, I guess. So, um, what's your, how did, how did it kind of like come about? Was it just purely?
00:17:42
Speaker
you know your your involvement with the with the idea? um It was hearing my auntie's story that really really hit home with me. I um ah looked into it more after I'd heard that and I did a lot of scar cover-ups early on in my career.
Inspiration and Future Plans for the Nipple Innovation Project
00:18:00
Speaker
I was really fascinated by how empowering that war they were for people. um So I looked into what was offered in hospital, I looked into training and learning this service and I could only find semi-permanent training in England so I actually travelled to Texas um in 2017 to learn 3D realistic and permanent option because there was no one in England offering it.
00:18:23
Speaker
And when I came back, and the local press did a little story on it and it kind of blew up crazily. So I got a lot of interest from people throughout the whole country that were traveling to me from the very top of Scotland, from Brighton, and I'm sort of central in Bradford area. So I was very honored that these people were traveling.
00:18:44
Speaker
But it does take two sessions to complete these tattoos. And I understand that like due to the implications of cancer, not everyone has access to travelling that far. And I was offering, I think I did my first 50 for free.
00:18:59
Speaker
i was I was working, my my regular job was paying for the tattoos and then it started to sort of take over the time. And I was thinking, I don't want to charge for these, but I'm really struggling. I was a single mum with a business. um my My family um on both sides, I've always done charity work.
00:19:17
Speaker
throughout my life and that's normal to me. That's something that i I see as a part of what my family does. So I mentioned to them, wouldn't it be good if there was a charity with a pot of money to cover the costs associated with the treatments so people could just get them for free still. And that's kind of where the idea of starting a charity and was born and that's where the Nickel Innovation Project came from.
00:19:41
Speaker
i also the Is there any other than your auntie or was there any other breast cancer kind of history in your family? um my I believe my great auntie, I think she had breast cancer and she had quite a few other types of cancer as well. and so But my auntie's story was, yeah, I really felt her pain. you know it was really yeah I was really shocked to hear she'd been living for so long, feeling kind of ashamed of her body. And she shouldn't have been, she should have been thriving at that point. It was really hard to hear. Yeah. How would you answer?
00:20:24
Speaker
Um, I think she's in a sixties now. So around 50 ish, maybe when, when, yeah, I mean, I've been breast cancer, I mean, if she had breast cancer like 20 years ago, it was a different experience. So yeah. Yeah. Everyone, everyone now that gets diagnosed is, is pretty lucky because a lot of people have been through.
00:20:46
Speaker
you know, a lot of traumatic kind of experiences and, you know, obviously the the surgery and then the reconstruction and then potential nipple kind of um tattoos are a part of the things that have all improved and obviously you're you're doing your bit for that. It's that, you know, you said you said you went to Texas, is the equipment to do the 3D effect, is that is that different than a standard tattoo tattooists would use?
00:21:16
Speaker
No, it's the same to be fair. It's just tattoo machines to use to create traditional body art. It's the technique, it's the artistry that creates ah the 3D illusion. It's putting the practice in on paper and fake skin and continuously studying nipples. That's where you gain the knowledge and expertise to create that illusion.
00:21:42
Speaker
yeah so how many um how many nipples how many 3d nipples tut um 3d nipple tattoos exist because of you in the world do you think i've tried to count and it's definitely over a thousand um yeah it's a world record have you of the world record of the most nipple tattoos is that a thing i don't know i don't have a clue really i don't i don't know um was the guy was the person in taxes did were they doing a lot I don't think they've done as many as myself now. um They've been doing it a lot longer than me, obviously, but I don't think they've quite done as many as me. And I and i am very busy with this work now. I'm very blessed to have built up a really good reputation and receive regular referrals for multiple surgeons and things like that. So i'm this is my day-to-day job. this is To be honest, that every time I do these tattoos, um
00:22:38
Speaker
I always want to do more selfishly because they just bring so much joy to me. It's a real pleasure to be able to give that gift to someone in you and to do my dream job as well. So I know that I'm busier than most who do this work.
00:22:54
Speaker
Yeah, um i'm still I'm still kind of wondering whether you you could exploit being the world record holder of nipple tattoos just to get a bit of um a bit of media attention. yeah what's So what's next with the charity then? If you're you know rolling out more tattooists across the country, what what else is going to kind of happen?
00:23:18
Speaker
We really want to establish ourselves within the medical field. and We want to create more partnerships within the NHS where we have other artists, so people within their areas um can have these tattoos funded by their NHS.
00:23:33
Speaker
um So that's the goal. We do have people within the and NHS who have volunteered to help us since this partnership and they are helping us with that. um So we we want to get more artists on board too. We've said we want at least one in every county um to make it really accessible to anyone who needs it and they can go on the map, they can have a look at people's work, they can make that choice themselves. There's a lot of power in people being able to make a choice in their body after they've not been able to make so many choices. um So yeah, really just to completely eradicate this semi-permanent fading tattoo experience from people so that they don't have to go through losing a nipple twice and means that we have the trusted providers of this service um through our charity, really. Yeah, that's amazing.
00:24:25
Speaker
Yeah, it's exciting. So um what's, obviously you've invited me to this, gar go yeah and what's what's what's line what's lined up with that? So this and Glitz the Nip, it's like a Gatsby themed charity. Glitz the Nip, or Glitz.
00:24:49
Speaker
Blitz the nip. know if i didn't know that So we very kindly had a group of people a business from our local town who contacted us and said we want to arrange a ball and would you like to come along? I would like to have do it in your honor of the charity. We were absolutely in awe that someone would want to do this for us and we've met with them and they're such nice people so we are not actually running it we've just been invited but we're trying to raise awareness of it and get people along so the idea is it's a Gatsby themed event so we get to dress up in Gatsby themed clothing which is not something you get to do every day
00:25:27
Speaker
and They're going to have performers and entertainment on the night, and we're going to they're going to have like raffles and auctions and things like that. They're not telling us everything, they're keeping something secret, so well it'll be a surprise for us on the night. and So we don't know everything, but yeah, we just know that it's going to be... good night, a really good chance. um i know I mean it's it's just, I mean like you say it's cool when you're getting, I mean essentially it's recognition for for the work that you're doing and which is which is great and hopefully you'll raise some money on the night. yeah I mean if anything that's the one thing I've, you know, ah I've noticed when I've been to
00:26:10
Speaker
garland in ism and the generosity of of people that you're basically making them aware of things that they wouldn't normally kind of experience because of course as common as you know cancer and breast cancer is some people go go through their life completely oblivious to the fact that it's a thing you know that anyone can get it and you know as well as like you know not knowing man can get it um and then also it's one of those things because that i must admit i don't know whether it actually really crossed my mind until it was mentioned to me about like i just thought after surgery that's it but of course from a female point of view um they i imagine probably speak to the the cancer counselor and then the cancer counselor be like oh look you know obviously you've got you've got not issues but obviously you've got things that you need to kind of like
00:27:10
Speaker
work out with your body image image post-surgery. So I don't know, it's i just I just think it's a good thing that you're getting out there. and what was the um and yeah I actually didn't do it, but what was your link with the ice thing?
Awareness Campaigns and UK's Leadership in Services
00:27:28
Speaker
That was you, wasn't it?
00:27:30
Speaker
Yeah, the lume. Last year, we did a campaign in October called Dip for Nip, where we encourage people to do a cold water dip of some kind to get sponsored for it to do something out of their comfort zone. And then I am a fan of that. I use their cold water tubs. They really help me with my mental health. I use our home anyway.
00:27:53
Speaker
So they picked up on that at the back of the campaign and they got in touch and said, we'd love to support your charity. We want to do a campaign campaign called Freeze Than It. And your charity seems perfect and not only to raise funds for us, but raise awareness of this such ne niche subject, which is often a taboo subject as well. So they did a big campaign and encouraged people to do a 10 day challenge to purchase a t-shirt and an ice bath.
00:28:20
Speaker
and to challenge themselves um and raise awareness of what we do. um So that went quite well. I think they've then decided to choose us as their charity of the year. So we're gonna, I think we'll be working together again but this year, which is exciting because the Coldwater community and the the mental health benefits that you get from it, we've had a lot of people sign up that hadn't done it before and then I would use it as a daily practice. It really, really does help people. and So it's just really beautiful how that's all come together. and How many nipples did that kind of money was raised for? How many nipples did that generate?
00:28:59
Speaker
you know I don't know yet, no, it's still ongoing, so I think we'll maybe find out at the end of the year. We did we did have a lot of reach from it, a lot of awareness was shown, and we made some really nice connections with people ah from different communities, so without talking about money, like just the connections that we made from it were really, really important found for us, so we're grateful for that. So I guess we'll find out when they've finished their year-long campaign really, we don't know for now. I'll just kind of cure it. I mean, you know, it's quite nice to kind of quantify. Yeah. Obviously there'll be people hopefully watching this who will have done done the challenge. and Yeah. to To know that they funded 500 nipples or 300 nipples, you know, and being a small part of that would be an amazing thing to kind of like be able to pass on. Yeah. So after the um
00:29:56
Speaker
taken over every NHS trust in the UK? What is it the world?
00:30:04
Speaker
and what Where's the UK in the kind of like 3d nipple world league table? Are we are we are we lacking? Are we are we on this road This is a worldwide issue, to be honest. This is a standard that's offered with minimal training, basic tattoos around the whole world. um We would love to go worldwide. It just depends on the level of support that we have as a charity, because we're all run by bar we are run by volunteers. um We are in the process of taking on a lot more volunteers at the moment, which is amazing.
00:30:39
Speaker
because it's only been a very very very small team of us for so long. and So I guess as we grow as a charity that means that we can grow our reach, we can reach out to other countries. I've trained people quite a few people in Europe so it'd be nice to be able to support people and globally. and But I think for now we need to focus on um ah focusing on managing the UK because that's still quite a big feat really. like no Yeah, well I can imagine. But what are we, is are the better countries in the world doing 3D kind of tattoos? I say better, you know what I mean, is the more is the more acceptance and
00:31:25
Speaker
am kind of availability and and acceptance in other countries or ah ah you are you help leading the way in the UK? We're definitely leading the way in the UK I think, I think from all the work that I've done from with've what we've done through the charity. We've raised huge a huge amount of awareness, not just in England but around the world. We've inspired other people to open up similar organisations. um Our goal was always for us all to work together and build a strong community because I believe that if we work together and we put our resources together, we are much stronger together.
00:32:06
Speaker
and I think in other countries, to my knowledge, it's similar to England, where there's a handful of people doing really good work, um really trying hard to advocate for a higher quality service. and But again, I think that comes back to, when because we all kind of know each other. her I know people through, i've got in in America, we you kind of know who's doing the good work. I do believe working together with the same voice, the same mission,
00:32:34
Speaker
um working as a collective which is kind of the goal through the charity, we are stronger together because we're pulling our resources together, we're a loud device, we make a bigger impact that way so um yeah it's kind of similar but different. Was that a kind of curiosity if, because I've seen you know a lot of people share their kind of like scar tattoos say can you only get, say if someone said I want a nipple tattoo but want a little budgie on the resting on it or something is that, does it have to be a 3D nipple tattoo? Do you know what I mean? I've seen like flowers and roses and branches and
00:33:20
Speaker
Yeah, there' there is the option to do that as well. um I think because of our name, we mainly get asked to do nipples, but if not everyone wants nipples, so that's fine. If they wanted to have something like decorative, then they could definitely discuss that with us. Sometimes I'll do a nipple on someone and they'll come back and say, no, um I want to go.
00:33:39
Speaker
I want to go wild with it. I want to just take ownership. I've always wanted a tattoo and let's do something. What happens in that instance if you do you do like an outline very faintly and let them live with that for a little bit and then and then it goes permanent. If they don't like it what happens No, well, we just kind of talk through the design process together. We'd have a really thorough consultation. i do I do my designs. I'll take a photo of the area to tattoo, and then I will draw a design over the photo. So you have like a visual representation of how it would look and before committing to it. um As well, because obviously you were saying then that save someone if you start doing an
00:34:26
Speaker
if you start, do you mean if someone comes in and thinks they want a nipple tattoo in the near end they get a ornate kind of design instead? No, it's usually they'll get the tip nipple tattoo, they'll go away live with it, then they'll be like actually I think I want to add to this, I think I've always wanted a tattoo and I think I feel yeah yeah Yeah, exactly. I'd never say no to that. i think I think that's just super great and empowering that they feel that they want to take that step then. Because it's like, well, you've always wanted one. So you don't want to always regret not getting one. So just get one, just get it. So yeah. Yeah, I mean, I was just kind of curious or as as to whether there um you know was any flexibility about what what it is that you would tattoo onto the person's body.
00:35:17
Speaker
personal dates, whatever they want, whatever they want to do. I'm very keen. I'd like to do some different coloured nipples. I'd like to do some, you know, something a bit out there, but I know that would take like certain, for people, maybe people need to know that that's available or, you know, like they can ask for something different if they want. That's absolutely fine. i'm I'm totally here for that creativity. Definitely. Different colour.
00:35:46
Speaker
Grey nipples. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, definitely get attention up, wouldn't it? Yes. I mean, i'm I'm gonna I'm gonna sit with it a still longer. Maybe I can be convinced. But, um and you know, don't take it as this is just me.
00:36:06
Speaker
I mean, not like I've messaged you before, I haven't got any tattoos at all. I think I would struggle to make a decision to just choose a tattoo, so to actually have to then decide to have something on my chest.
00:36:21
Speaker
I don't know obviously it's a it's a it seems like a bigger decision for some people and for other people it's like oh yeah just go for it kind of thing so I mean i think it's really good that the the choice is there that's that it that's the most important and at the end of the day isn't it There's so much power in choice. And I i had a lady like that. So I'd done a nipple tattoo for her. She's had both sessions. so She said, Lucy, I've always wanted a tattoo and I've got some, she'd had a unilateral mastectomy. So she had some asymmetry and she's really self-conscious of that. And we were talking about a tattoo idea. And I said, well, why don't you just come in and I'll draw on you. And then you can just go away with this drawing on you and you can just live with it until it kind of rubs off. And she, can we do that? I was like, yeah, of course we can. Like that's a really good way of,
00:37:08
Speaker
see i like Is that henna is it or something? It's like a tattoo skin marker pen so it's like a stencil pen basically so it'll stay on for a few days it will fade away and but having physically something on your body it allows you to give you an idea of how it would look go away looking and see how you feel about it so yeah and ask about that's good and how close to the finished kind of tattoo does that look?
00:37:37
Speaker
Or is that just purely for shape? It's quite similar. It would be similar, maybe just, it depends on the detail of the tattoo. So this lady just wants flowers, really quite simple one. So it would just be one colour outline, um no shading or anything like that. So it would be quite a basic representation of it. But hopefully having that visual might help a little.
00:38:04
Speaker
No, I think that's quite important actually. I think it's good. I think obviously you're doing an amazing thing and if you can get the, if you've done it one trust, NHS trust, I don't see why you can't implement it in every other trust really.
00:38:23
Speaker
yeah even yeah I like on unrealistic goals. So i I want you to kind of like take over the world and go well why go global and help you know thousands of people. buts but We would love that. I feel like I believe it will happen when the time is right and we've got the right team behind us. and Yeah, so i'm I'm a bit too eager. I like rushing into taking over the world. You want to like plan it methodically, I understand.
00:38:49
Speaker
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