Three-dimensional tattoos offer a new alternative for creating a natural-looking nipple after breast reconstruction. For most women, accessing this option means finding a tattoo artist with the skill to create these detailed tattoos. Now a new device called Nipple By Number enables plastic surgeons to perform realistic-looking 3D nipple tattoos as an in-office procedure, reports a paper in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

“Nipple by Number is a simple stencil device that allows consistent, realistic 3D tattooing of the nipple-areola complex [NAC] to complete breast reconstruction,” comments lead author Solomon Azouz, MD, of Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale. “It allows plastic surgeons to perform this sought-after procedure in a safe, reliable, and more- affordable manner, without the need for special training or experience.”