£9,774 was awarded to the James Paget University Hospital in spring 2009 to fund a nurse to provide pigmentation services to breast cancer patients.
Following breast cancer surgery and breast reconstruction a new nipple/areola can be created using a procedure called micro-pigmentation. This involves cosmetic tattooing with coloured pigments and is often used to complement the surgical reconstruction of the nipple. The procedure can improve the cosmetic appearance of the breast and boost a patient’s self-esteem.
The grant funded a nurse to provide micro-pigmentation sessions for patients who have undergone breast reconstruction. This allowed other members of the Breast Care Team to be trained in the technique and freed up time for staff to be trained in other skills to enable the provision of nurse-led clinics.
