For many women who undergo a mastectomy and breast reconstruction following breast cancer, the end of surgery doesn’t always feel like the end of the journey. One of the final steps some survivors choose is something relatively small in size, yet deeply meaningful: recreating the appearance of the nipple and areola through specialized tattooing.
In Marathon, cosmetic tattoo artist Jodi Kell, owner of Hot as Kell Cosmetic Tattoo, is offering that final step a little closer to home.
“I have clients that have waited 11 years and then reached out and said, ‘You know, I’m finally ready,’” Kell said. “It’s kind of the reward at the end of your journey. When you’re fighting for your life, the last thing you think of is this part.”
Kell, who has worked in cosmetic tattooing for more than 12 years and has performed more than 6,000 procedures, built her career on traditional permanent makeup such as brows, eyeliner, lips, corrective work, scalp micropigmentation and scar camouflage.
“This is all I do,” said Kell. “I’m not an esthetician or a hairstylist that kind of dabbles into permanent makeup on the side. I am strictly a cosmetic tattoo artist. That’s what I specialize in.”
Most recently, Kell has completed specialized training and an in-depth apprenticeship in 3D areola reconstructive tattooing, a highly technical and visual form of tattooing that uses custom pigments, shading, highlights and fine detail to create the optical illusion of a natural, three-dimensional nipple and areola.
“When I moved down here a few years ago, it was like, ‘Wow! There’s no specialist that actually does this down here,’” Kell said. “We have to go to the mainland for this kind of stuff. It’s just nice to know that someone with the experience and the credentials, a true specialist, is here and available at our fingertips.”
Areola reconstructive tattooing can be an option for both women and men who have undergone mastectomy, breast reconstruction or other breast surgeries and have been medically cleared for tattooing. The technique can recreate one or both nipple-areola complexes, create symmetry with an existing natural areola, or improve previous areola tattoo work.
Every treatment is individually designed. Skin tone, anatomy, breast shape and symmetry all factor into the size, placement and color. Multiple pigment tones are layered with carefully-placed shadows, highlights and fine details to create depth and dimension even on a reconstructed breast without a projecting nipple.
“The goal isn’t decoration, it’s restoration,” Kell explained. “You’re meeting someone after they have been through an incredibly difficult chapter of their life, and you have the opportunity to use your artistic skills and expertise to give them something that feels natural and familiar again. That’s an incredible privilege.”
Kell describes herself as “an artist through and through,” but said this work carries a weight that goes beyond traditional permanent makeup.
“I’ve been tattooing cosmetics for a long time, but this work carries a different kind of responsibility,” she said. “There is obviously an artistic and technical side to it, but I’m also working with someone who has fought for their life and survived, has been through multiple surgeries and an extremely personal reconstruction journey. I want everyone who sits with me to feel comfortable, respected and truly cared for.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month rightly focuses on screening, early detection and treatment. But survivorship also includes what happens afterward, such as the process of living in a body that may look and feel very different. For some women, breast reconstruction is part of that process – and restoring the appearance of the nipple and areola can be a meaningful final step.
For some survivors, the finished tattoo may simply make getting dressed in the morning feel different. For others, it might help them recognize themselves in the mirror again, or mark the closing of a chapter that included cancer, surgery and reconstruction.
“Something I really want survivors to know is that this option exists,” Kell explains. “After everything their bodies have been through, being able to contribute even a small part to helping someone feel whole again is incredibly meaningful to me.”
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches, Kell hopes more survivors will learn that 3D areola reconstructive tattooing is available right here in the Keys. For women who have already endured so much, knowing this final step in their reconstruction journey is close to home may make the road to healing feel just a little easier.
“There is so much more behind this than creating a beautiful tattoo,” Kell said. “It’s about using art to help someone feel whole again.”
For more information, visit www.hotaskell.com or search “Hot as Kell” on Facebook.
