A history of Areola
Artist and Specialist Hernán Sutty
Belgium, Brussels
From covering mastectomy scars to reconstructing realistic nipples and areolas, Hernán Sutty says that the career of a tattoo artist involves more than drawing dragons and flowers.
It was the visit of a woman to his studio in Patagonia Argentina who had undergone a unilateral mastectomy that changed the course of the artist’s career.
A certain woman, jovial and medical professional, was already the second time she had passed through the study door with the intention of entering. From the medical center where she cares for children as a pediatrician, they had reiterated that there was a very professional tattoo artist in that tattoo studio and that she should go see him for the case in question. Finally, she dares to enter that studio that is a bit artistic, a bit modern, a bit even where some get confused about what really transcends in that place. The atmosphere is something new for her, coming from such a different world, to be honest, quite averse to the word tattoo.
At that precise moment Hernán Sutty finishes a job and can attend to her in private, with good manners. She relaxes and from being the consultant at that time becomes the consultant.
It was a crush at first sight, says Hernán Sutty, the challenge of being able to once again face the challenge and the feeling of being able to help and perform that areola reconstruction. Although he had an international Master Training certification, this would be his first areola reconstruction tattoo.
The Champions as he calls them himself, to reach that final phase of reconstruction, they usually confess a certain daily experience, the so-called “mastectomy encounter”, pass in front of the bathroom mirror in the morning and see themselves reflected and confront the consequences again . It is a constant memory of cancer, but you have been told that the areola tattoo helps to heal and rediscover yourself.
With 19 years as an international designer artist, 9 years as a tattoo artist and 4 years as a specialist in micropigmentation, Sutty, as he prefers to be called, said yes to that challenge driven by humanity that characterizes him and since then has been using his artistic and creative talents to recreate realistic areolas and 3D nipples. In this way, he collaborates from reconstructive esthetics so that women become friends in a definitive way with the mirror and with life, knowing that it gives them the opportunity and privilege of accompanying these Champions against breast cancer on that trip.
That first woman who became her almost admiring friend confides in her that the tattoo changed not only her life, but also her thoughts about tattooists, who are so often misjudged or misunderstood, as artists tend to be. She also returned later accompanied by her partner to introduce him to that half magician, mystical artist and if that wasn’t enough, she recommended him precisely to his plastic surgeon and mastectomy specialist, Dr. Ignacio Del Pin, who from then on referred patients to Sutty. With so much dedication, professionalism and responsibility, perform the aesthetic reconstruction.
That first experience was amazing, she was so happy. When they finished the tattoo I wanted to share it with the world to promote to other cancer survivors that tattooing is an option and there is someone to trust.
There are not so many tattoo artists dedicated to areolas, and although hospitals and plastic surgeons incorporate tattooing and repigmentation into reconstructive surgery, they usually offer something quite rudimentary, simple and far from achieving a realistic effect.
Today Sutty receives patients referred from plastic surgeons among other cases that need paramedical applications that are solved with micropigmentation or tattooing. In Argentina she even had cases of patients who traveled one hundred or three hundred kilometers one way to be treated with her.
I have tremendous respect for women, even more knowing that after the battle won they are looking for that tattoo artist to end that chapter, when they have never set foot in a tattoo studio before, meeting these Champions is the most rewarding thing in the profession, Sutty tells us .
In Patagonia Argentina, Sutty with the unconditional help of his wife launched a solidarity campaign called “Tinta Renacer” with women who lacked the resources to finance the aesthetic reconstruction that was disseminated by all media. In case a woman needs an areola reconstruction, the artist would do it for the love of Art.
Sutty fell in love with the human body, with the direct, tangible and emotional connection that unites the patient with her servant.
After having worked in the US, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Mexico and Argentina, he started managing his own tattoo and micropigmentation studio from 2010 to 2019, today he resides in Brussels and works as a freelance with aesthetic institutes such as BOSEN and centers doctors like Louise Medical Center. Always looking to expand the spectrum of solidarity.
With International training obtained in Barcelona in Design, this aesthetic artist took a course with the London Art College on Live Drawing and Painting, he trained as a technician in micropigmentation and dermopigmentation at the Argentine School of Micropigmentation, participated in six master classes in Sao Paulo, He specialized in Mexico where he obtained four International Certificates in Nouveau Contour Master Training to improve his techniques and perfection since it is his passion.
Every time there are younger women who have overcome breast cancer and are looking for more creative proposals to cover their scars, options for designs with artistic motifs, Sutty says, for this I offer broader alternatives for those Champions and fighters of life.