7 minute read
How the Art of Ink Can Help Heal
By Amy Litterini
Erin Hartigan comes from a large family from Lowell, MA. She loves to host as many as she can around her dining room table at the holidays and always puts family first. After getting her athletic training and physical therapy degrees at U Mass, and her PhD at the University of Delaware, she came to Maine to teach physical therapy at the University of New England. She married her husband Scott in 2011, and the two of them welcomed their daughter Sophia into the family in 2014.
Erin’s large family has provided lots of love and support over the years, but their medical history also came with increased risk of developing cancer. On her father’s side of the family, seven of nine siblings were diagnosed with cancer, and they lost both her aunts Paula (at 34) and Lisa (at 60) to breast cancer. Another aunt continues to fight the disease. In addition to the breast cancer history, her family also has a history of gastrointestinal and prostate cancers. Even with her genetic testing being negative for a BRCA gene mutation known to cause breast and ovarian cancer, Erin has had to deal with multiple call backs to address suspicious views on her mammograms or concerns on breast MRI’s, with ultrasounds to follow. She had multiple biopsies that were painful, stressful, costly and time consuming. After going back and forth with her insurance company for years as a previvor (a survivor of a predisposition to cancer), Erin finally got authorization to schedule a double mastectomy with breast reconstruction. Her surgery was performed by Dr. Pat Greatorex in January, 2024, with immediate breast reconstruction with implant expanders by plastic surgeon Dr. Sirish Maddali. Her recovery was uncomplicated, and her baseline level of fitness helped her get back to work and home life quickly.
Shortly after Erin was able to remove her surgical dressings, her daughter Sophia (now 10) was ready to see her chest. As soon as Sophia saw her, she had a shocked reaction and left the room. Sophia later said she was prepared to see the incisions, but not prepared for what they now refer to as “Barbie boobs,” breasts without nipples. Erin was hopeful that tattooing would help.
The concept of self-image, or body image, is a common concern among cancer survivors and refers to the personal relationship we have with our body. Body image is not just about how one thinks they look, but also how we feel about all aspects of our body (e.g., appearance and function). Following cancer treatment, concerns about one’s self-image can be temporary or long-lasting, and most require a period of adjustment to gain acceptance. Even though these concerns are considered normal and expected in oncology, they may require the support from a specialist to help process, address and cope.
The art of medical tattooing can help with skin discoloration or camouflage scarring from multiple conditions such as trauma, surgery, cleft palate correction, or a chemotherapy port. In oncology, this advanced form of cosmetic tattooing can also be used to address hair loss on the eyebrows, eyelash line, face and/or scalp following alopecia from chemotherapy. Following mastectomy, tattooing can be used to recreate the nipple areolar complex of the breast. Some previvors and survivors prefer elaborate, decorative tattoos to cover areas where a surgery occurred. Tattoo safety for both the general public and cancer survivors has been in the news lately, and the experts have concluded there is no direct link between tattoo ink and cancer. For those who think a cosmetic tattoo would be beneficial for them and their self-image, please discuss with your provider.
A True Calling
At the start of 2020, Corina Klein was a wife and mother of two grown children. Born in Canada, she’s had a successful career in banking and been in New England since 2011. In January, 2020, her mammogram was negative. She found a lump at the end of March, but with the challenges at the start of the pandemic, an ultrasound and a biopsy confirmed her diagnosis on April 16th. Corina had triple + invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast (i.e., positive for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2) and extensive chemotherapy followed. The first six cycles started in May, and it was 14 cycles the second round. She decided to undergo bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomy in September. Unfortunately due to necrosis (tissue death), she had to have her nipples removed just three weeks post-surgery.
In February of 2021, she began breast reconstruction which included 3-D nipple tattoos. She was surprised to learn the tattoos were considered cosmetic, and not medically necessary. Corina’s experience inspired her to think of others who may struggle with the out-of-pocket expenses of medical tattoos not covered by insurance. She got to work launching the nonprofit organization Ink 4 Pink, with the mission of confidence.
Corina and her all-volunteer board hold fundraisers to provide assistance for previvors, and men and women with breast cancer in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with the medical tattoos they need to help them feel complete again. Her story has also been featured on the Susan G. Komen website to help inspire others.
Through a friend, Erin got connected with CosMed.ink. Corina from Ink 4 Pink then supported Erin to meet with a local medical tattoo artist in South Portland, Beatrice “Bea” Pillet O’Connell. Bea started CosMed.ink two years ago with the goal of helping her clients heal and feel whole again. Growing up in France as the daughter of a veterinarian, as a young girl Bea helped her father tattoo dog registration numbers on the soft bellies of puppies. After a successful career in journalism and communications in print, TV and radio, she then went on to become an aesthetician to pursue her passion for film make-up, cosmetic enhancement, and medical tattooing. Bea was inspired by renowned tattoo artist Vinnie Myers (featured on TODAY), who pioneered the 3-D nipple-areola technique. She went on to study restoration tattooing at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine at Penn in Philadelphia, and is board certified by the American Academy of Micropigmentation. Bea worked with Erin to create her 3-D tattoos to finish her reconstruction process.
The path for previvors and survivors is an individual one. Each person will have their unique experience and personal challenges to face, and choices to make on how to tackle them. Knowing you’re not alone is key; and, knowing what resources are available to you is important. The organization FORCE (Facing Hereditary Cancer Empowered) has resources available online. If you’re experiencing body image concerns and would like support, please reach out to your provider’s office. Asking for a referral to a counselor, and/or a recommendation to a cosmetic specialist, can be the first step. The national Look Good Feel Better program is a resource with virtual options for tips on dealing with appearance-related side effects from cancer treatment for men and women.
