Are Nipple Tattoos The Latest Beauty Craze?

'Tittooing' involves making the nipples darker

You may have heard of semi-permanent eyebrow or lip tattoos, but now there’s a new beauty craze being popularised by women in the UK - nipple tattoos.

‘Tittooing’, as it has been nicknamed, was originally a medical procedure for breast reconstruction. 95 per cent of women with mastectomies opt to have the procedure, which gives the appearance of very real, ‘perfect’ nipples.

But the process is now being undertaken for cosmetic purposes, with women wanting to darken, enlarge and define their nipples and areola. The ‘tittooing’ takes two hours, can cost up to £1,200 for both nipples and lasts 12 to 18 months. The nipples are made to look natural by matching ink colours to skin tone. With regular top-ups, the effect can last a lifetime.

According to The Telegraph, there are at least 15 independent technicians who offer ‘tittooing’ in Liverpool, and the fad has already spread to Essex. Gail Proudman, a clinician based in Merseyside, tattoos the nipples of more than three women a week. She said: 'They are doing it because they are conscious of them being pale and they think it’s fashionable to have dark nipples. They'll look at the magazines and page 3 and unfortunately a lot of it might be peer pressure.'

The huge increase in young women between 18 and 25 opting for the latest cosmetic trend is worrying, despite it being medically safe. Graham Offer, from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, says: 'It’s permanent and you don't know what the effects will be as the breast changes over time. The nipple-areola complex will change with pregnancy, so people need to think about their future.'

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