A new service is helping to restore confidence for women after breast cancer treatment.
Nipple tattooing is now available for the first time at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), thanks to a donation from Dorset-based breast cancer charity shop Going For Bust, via Southampton Hospitals Charity.
The treatment, which helps complete the breast reconstruction process, uses medical tattooing to create a realistic nipple on the reconstructed breast, offering an improved sense of symmetry and a more natural appearance.
Masooma Zaidi, consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at UHS, said: "We are excited to be able to start offering this important service for women at University Hospital Southampton.
"Nipple tattooing can make a huge difference to a patient's emotional wellbeing and body image.
"Many women find the procedure enhances their reconstruction and say they feel whole again once it has been done."
Until now, patients in Southampton had to travel to Salisbury for the procedure, often facing long waits.
The new service is based at Princess Anne Hospital and has been launched thanks to a donation from Going For Bust, which supports breast cancer causes across East Dorset and West Hampshire.
The funding covered equipment and specialist training for Masooma and breast care nurses Lauren Foley and Caroline Evans.
Lauren called the service "a major step forward in post-mastectomy care," adding: "We had been wanting to offer this procedure for a long time."
Kate Saltrick, director of fundraising and marketing at Southampton Hospitals Charity, said services like nipple tattooing "can be transformative."
She said: "Donations like this make such a huge difference to patients across our hospitals.
"Services like nipple tattooing often sit outside of standard NHS funding, yet they can be transformative for someone’s recovery and confidence after breast cancer.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Going For Bust for helping to make this service a reality.
"Every donation, whatever the size, helps us fund the equipment, training and extra care that can make such a profound difference to patients at what is often the most significant moments in their treatment journey."
To learn more about supporting similar services, visit the Southampton Hospitals Charity website.
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