A 3D tattoo, of the same type that is normally used for semi-permanent make-up, to redo the eyebrows, lip contours or eyeliner.
This is the solution tested at the Ca ‘Foncello Hospital in Treviso for the reconstruction of the breast areola on 169 women following mastectomy.
Minimally invasive dermopigmentation surgery, which allows post-operative reconstruction of the areola and nipple area of the breasts, restoring their original and harmonious appearance as well as their psychologically wellbeing which greatly helps patients in the acceptance process.
Another small battle won against breast cancer, which affects one in ten women every year in Italy.
The experience, which since 2010 has led to the current pool made up by the director of the Complex Operational Unit of Radiotherapy, Alessandro Gava; director of Breast Surgery Christian Rizzetto; director of Plastic Surgery, Giorgio Berna; and specifically the work of Rita Molinaro at the Treviso LILT (Italian League Against Cancer) who performed 309 interventions, published in the Annali magazine of the Istituto Superiore della Sanità, which followed the stages step by step.
The satisfaction questionnaires followed, which praised this new technique applied to medicine.
At Ca ‘Foncello in Treviso, these are carried out by an internationally renowned dermopigmentist.
It is she who inserted small color pigments under the top layer of the dermis of these women’s breasts, thus acquiring an appearance similar to that prior to their mastectomies (the removal of one and both breasts due to the presence of a tumor mass).
Dermopigmentationis a reconstruction technique permitting a harmonious and highly realistic aesthetic result.
It is not very invasive as it is done using a very thin needle, as with eyebrow reconstruction or to redesign the lips.
In Italy there are about 50,000 new cases of breast cancer every year.
About 35% of women affected by the disease undergo mastectomy surgery.
Following surgery, in practice comes breast reconstruction, which is an important moment in the psychological and social recovery of a woman battling breast cancer.
Numerous studies show that women who have undergone mastectomy operations continue to experience psychological discomfort even after some time and that the reconstruction of the areola-nipple complex is strictly correlated to the patient’s degree of satisfaction and to her acceptance of her own image, significantly boosting the reconstructive result.
When they found the mummy Otzi, scientists discovered that on her body she had 64 tattoo: this shows that tattoos have been part of human culture since prehistoric times.
Obviously, at the beginning, techniques were manual and it is precisely from this prehistory that we can trace the technique of Microblading: in ancient times, flint and quartz splinters were used to tattoo; now, of course, the small blades are different and the various techniques also differ.
In fact, in recent years, Microblading has risen to the fore especially because, unlike the dermograph, the purchase of small blades to start tattooing involves a small financial outlay.
This has given rise to multiple courses claiming to turn you into a microblading expert in a few days but which, instead, give life to a lot of individuals who do not know how to use the technique precisely.
Because the real difference between the use of the dermograph and microblading lies precisely in the dexterity of the latter: with microblading you can obtain hyper-realistic and admirable effects but what is needed is an outstanding ability to use blades.
The dermograph is actually an electrical device, born with the advent of the industrial revolution which created the first rotary presses; indeed, the dermograph itself began life as a machine for printed paper, then transferred to use in tattooing.
Please understand, however, that an electric device can be very expensive while microblading blades are within reach of every budget: the results obtained using a dermograph and via microblading are similar if both techniques are mastered, even though – it’s worth repeating – tattooing using microblading requires much more manual skills and experience.
The goal for a good tattoo is always the same: to get the color to the level of the papillary dermis. Whether this happens with a manual or electric means doesn’t change anything, the issue is having the skills and ability to do it even using small microblading blades, a skill that must be practised exponentially.
In addition, Microblading involves differences in the type of skin: old skin that is thin or with a thick presence of blood vessels make the job much more difficult, while the dermograph allows you to work on multiple skin categories without any difficulty.
Therefore, the two methods are different but they can also be used in a complementary way: the same tattoo can first be created with microblading and then, shaded or strengthened with the dermograph. The important thing is to always evaluate who is in front of you, what type of skin they have and their desires and goals to then decide how to proceed.
If you have good dexterity and a precise hand you can alternatively use both techniques: for example, for the eyes and lips you can use the dermograph (it is also possible to perform this treatment using the manual technique, but this requires a very high level of expertise and precision and the result is simpler and more gratifying using the electric tool) and for the eyebrows the manual Tebori technique, depending on what is needed.
What we recommend to every professional is the knowledge of both methods which, at times, are also used simultaneously: with microblading and, specifically, with the Tebori technique, not only hair can be created but also lines, shades, color fills; what remains key is practising manual skills and sensitivity to understand how far you can go with the specific skin being treated.
For both of the techniques we have talked about, the training and practice that can only be obtained by practising often and without ever neglecting one technique or the other is important.
In addition to this, a rigorous hygiene approach is crucial, allowing you to work safely for both the tattoo artist and the client.
