The first hospital in Ontario to offer areola tattoos for mastectomy patients has been announced.
Dr. Alexandra Ginty, leader of the Mississauga Halton Central West Regional Cancer Program in the Halton region, is the first in the region to complete 200 hours of training and become licensed to perform areola tattoos.
She herself suffered from breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. She has always loved art and decided to pursue her training to help people who have overcome the same illness.
She says she finds it rewarding to be able to give tattoos to people who have lost their areolas due to mastectomies, allowing them to regain a sense of who they are.
She has provided tattoos to 72 people so far. Since it’s a certified medical procedure, it’s covered by OHIP, but if you don’t have Ontario health insurance, it will cost about $1,000.