An NHS worker at Northwick Park Hospital is using her artistic talents to help breast cancer patients feel more confident after treatment.
Abbey Pryer, a Physician Associate at the North West London Breast Centre, has trained as a tattooist to offer medical tattoos to patients recovering from breast cancer surgery. She now tattoos realistic-looking eyebrows and 3D nipple-areola designs to help patients regain a sense of normality and body confidence.
Abbey said: “I guess I’m what you’d call an ‘arty’ type so jumped at the chance to do the training. It is the final step in a patient’s treatment and helps them feel more confident about their body.”
Her training included learning about micropigmentation, colour matching, and using specialised needles to create lifelike effects on the skin. After practising on synthetic skin, Abbey moved on to work with real patients under supervision.
“I also learned the different techniques and different needles required to implant the colour into the skin to create different effects and create a realistic 3D nipple-areola complex,” she said. “I’m glad to say they were delighted with the results.”
Abbey’s equipment and training were funded by the LNWH Charity and an online appeal, which continues to accept donations to help pay for replacement inks and supplies.
The service is one of a small number of NHS-led tattooing schemes in the country.
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