Hello,
Welcome!
If you're considering areola restoration, there's a lot to take in and review before making your decision to find the right areola tattoo artist. So, take your time, look around, read our client reviews and check out our work. Of course if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
A name you can trust
Cincinnati's Premier 3D Areola Tattoo Artist
Shannon Housley is the owner and principal cosmetic and medical tattoo artist at the Housley Institute for Restorative Ink located in beautiful historic Sharonville, Ohio.
Shannon received her 100-hour 3D areola restoration certification from The University of Penn Medicine in Philadelphia and trained under world-renowned artist Mandy Sauler. She has received her advanced hyper-realistic nipple certification and was hand-selected out of hundreds of tattoo artists to be a "Sauler Selective Artist."
She is Cincinnati's only independent artist trained to create hyper-realistic 3D areolas and takes great enjoyment in providing her breast patients with beautiful, long-lasting results.
frequently asked questions
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT MY AREOLA APPOINTMENT?
The first step of your areola tattoo is the consultation. Once you complete the general medical history form and the tattoo consent form, we'll discuss your expectations and your reconstruction history. I'll take as much time as needed to answer all of your questions.
Before photos are required. Your face will not be included, but photos of your areola restoration are mandatory for your record. Once we have before pictures completed, we move on to the design part, where we select the size, placement, and color of your nipple tattoo.
The next step in the appointment is the actual tattooing. Each areola is completed in approximately 20 minutes. If you have any discomfort, I simply apply a topical anesthetic and you should be more comfortable after that.
Following the tattooing phase, we'll take "after" photos and then I'll apply the Tegaderm bandage which you'll keep on for 3 days. I'll review all aftercare instructions with you and answer any remaining questions about healing.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT?
- Do not use recreational drugs or alcohol for 48 hrs prior to procedure.
- Nicotine constricts your vascular system and will impede healing. We suggest that you abstain from smoking at least 2 weeks before and after your session.
- You will be sent home in a Tegaderm bandage so your tattoo will be protected. You will be most comfortable if you wear a loose-fitting top. You are free to wear a bra if you are more comfortable in one than without.
- Do not take aspirin or NSAID at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. Tylenol is OK, as it does not thin the blood. However, DO NOT STOP regularly prescribed blood thinning medications from your physician, (aspirin or prescriptions). The tattoo is a superficial procedure, not an invasive surgery.
- You must wait at least 6 weeks after ceasing chemotherapy. If it's any sooner than 6 weeks, you must have written consent from your physician prior to your appointment.
- Skin must be completely free of tinted or self-tanning lotions. I'd suggest to stop using self-tanning lotions at least 2 weeks prior to your appointment.
IS IT PAINFUL?
While everyone's pain tolerance is different, most patients report little to no pain with areola restoration. And depending on the type of breast reconstruction you had, there usually is decreased sensation of the skin --especially with flap reconstructions. After your areola tattoo, you might experience discomfort that is comparable to a minor sunburn for a few days. During the nipple tattoo, if you experience discomfort, we can apply a topical lidocaine anesthetic.
CAN I BRING SOMEONE TO MY APPOINTMENT?
If you have a spouse or good friend who can lend encouragement and input on the shape, design, and color of your 3D areola tattoo, I highly suggest bringing a support person with you. However, if you are more comfortable coming alone for your areola restoration, you can work directly with the artist to determine what is best for your nipple tattoo. Please do not bring young children.
HOW SOON SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY AREOLA TATTOO?
You should schedule your nipple tattoo only once you are completely healed from any surgery or invasive procedure. You should not have any additional revisions scheduled and you must receive approval for areola tattooing from your surgeon. You must be fully healed with no scabbing remaining. You should not schedule an areola tattoo sooner than a minimum of 12 weeks post-op. Regardless of the number of weeks you wait post-op (12, 16, 20+ weeks etc.), it is imperative that ALL incisions must be fully healed--without any scabbing and residual swelling must be gone.
While you may be excited to put the finishing touches on your reconstruction, we highly recommend waiting 3 months (ideal for implant reconstruction) or 5 months (for flap reconstruction) to allow healing to occur and the scars to fully close and settle slightly. Your tattoo is the finishing touch and you want your breast to be fully healed so that you have excellent results. Please don't rush it if you are still healing.
HOW LONG WILL MY APPOINTMENT TAKE?
Your session will take approximately 2 to 2.5 hours total. The bulk of the appointment is spent on the consultation, design, and color selection. The actual tattooing process is typically only 20 minutes per areola.
The most common thing we hear from our patients is:
"It looks SO real! Why did I wait so long to do this!?"
Mastopexy Scars
With this patient, we were able to help camouflage the scar from her mastopexy. We matched the color of her natural areola and blended it into the surrounding scar tissue. While the scar is contracted immediately following the areola tattoo procedure (as shown in the picture), it will heal much softer--giving the appearance of a rounder areola and drawing the eye away from the surgical scar.
3D Tattoo — Before and After
Once the color is determined and the areola area is outlined, we begin the areola tattoo by adding base pigment to the areola. With an artistic eye, we start building depth into the nipple area. The result is a very realistic appearance--even on this patient who did not undergo nipple/areola reconstruction and had no nipple protrusion.
Sauler Selective Artist
Shannon Housley was hand-selected by Mandy Sauler as a "Sauler Selective Artist." Shannon will partner with Mandy Sauler to provide 3D areola tattooing and serve patients outside the Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey areas.
Areola Tattoo: The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) of 1998, a federal mandate, mandated coverage of reconstructive surgery following mastectomy for all health plans that provide medical and surgical benefits. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Reconstructive breast surgery -- defined as surgical procedures that are designed to restore the normal appearance of the breast after surgery, accidental injury, or trauma. Breast reconstruction surgery may be based on the treatment a patient receives or the extent of surgery performed. The reconstructive surgery may be performed in a single stage or several stages/phases and either during and/or after the initial surgical procedure.
- Insertion of prosthetic implants; Extensive flap reconstruction (e.g., transverse rectus abdominus ocutaneous/TRAM flap, latissimus dorsi flap)
- Revision of a previously reconstructed breast
- Surgery for symmetry of the contralateral (opposite) breast, and/or
- Nipple tattooing and areola restoration