Leave it to Europe to always have the most… unique budding trends. It seems as if women in the United Kingdom are becoming partial to a certain type of cosmetic procedure. Cosmetic procedures are nothing out of the ordinary, until you find out the cosmetic procedure in question: nipple tattooing.
It seems as if women from Liverpool have taken to darkening and defining their nipples via tattoo application. This semi-permanent form of tattooing has been all the rage in Liverpool for some time and is on it’s way over to Essex, taking the UK by storm.
Nipple tattooing, which is fondly nicknamed "tittooing," is a process that was originally meant to be a medical procedure for women undergoing breast reconstruction. Now, it’s become a cosmetic trend for women who wish for darker, enlarged and more defined nipples and the surrounding areola. The semi-permanent treatment can last a lifetime if you keep up with regular applications.
Gail Proudman, an independent clinician based in Merseyside, says that she tattoos the nipples of more than three women a week and has seen a huge and continuing increase in young women opting for the cosmetic trend.
She explains:
"A lot of people want their nipples made darker. It’s the fashion. Some people think theirs are too pink or their boyfriends want them done. I think sometimes they are doing it because they are conscious of them being pale and they think it’s fashionable to have dark nipples. They'll look at the magazines and page 3 and unfortunately a lot of it might be peer pressure. “The girls get them done so they can go topless and not be embarrassed, or when they're in a changing room and getting changed. They can go on holiday in front of their partners, go for massages, spray tans and just not be conscious of their body."
The procedure, which can last from 12-18 months, takes two hours to perform and can cost up to 1,200 pounds for both nipples. Do you think this procedure will cross overseas and become popular with us Americans? I’m not too sure…
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