- It's more than a tattoo– it's an opportunity to feel normal when everything feels different after a cancer diagnosis.
- Erica Swafford shares her journey of becoming a medical tattoo artist, and how she gives back to breast cancer survivors.
- For any questions or to book a consultation, visit the Revive Medical Tattooing website.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Erica Swafford said she found her calling.
“This is what I’m supposed to do… I can help people,” said Swafford. “I can help them close a chapter in their life.”
Swafford is a medical tattoo artist in Bakersfield.
“I do 3D areola tattoos for breast cancer patients,” said Swafford. “I also do areola blushing and scar and stretch mark camouflage, and also perform an inkless scar and stretch mark treatment to help work on the texture of different scars.”
Swafford said she experienced firsthand just how much cancer can take away.
“I lost two very important people to me 19 days apart, both [to] two different cancers,” said Swafford. “And then a year and a half later, I was diagnosed with a chronic form of leukemia.”
But through her journey, Swafford now offers strength and empowerment.
Swafford said, “... being able to help other people and bring their confidence back has helped me channel the grief that I had of losing my Nana and my aunt. And it’s helped me accept my diagnosis.”
All through the power of some ink and a needle.
When a patient undergoes a mastectomy, they may feel loss. But Swafford said she wants to give back that power through her areola restoration service.
The process starts with an in-person consultation, discussing health history, medications, and how old the scars are.
“I want the client to be as involved as possible,” said Swafford. “I want the outcome to be everything they want and more, so making sure that they are involved in the size, the different colors, is very important to me.”
Through 3D tattooing, Swafford recreates natural-looking areolas and nipples, to instill confidence and wholeness in clients.
“The first cancer patient that I ever worked on, just going through the motions with her and seeing the look on her face after that end result… There’s no way to describe that feeling,” said Swafford.
For any questions or to book a consultation, visit the Revive Medical Tattooing website.
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