Eagle Ridge Hospital in British Columbia has started a pioneering facial medical tattoo program. This program provides the important services of treating facial scars and providing areola tattoos to patients who have undergone breast cancer surgeries. Led by Sandi Saunier, a dedicated surgical nurse, the program has made significant strides since its inception, accepting patients from all over the Lower Mainland.
The program operates on a bi-weekly basis. It especially aims at patients with scarring from tissue grafts or previous surgeries. As an extension of her work with breast cancer survivors, she recently added an areola tattoo clinic, now open one day a week. So far, Saunier has completed tattoos on around 1,400 areolas. Besides, he’s gone on to heal up a dozen or so patients with facial scars, like one person who was hurt by a pit bull bite.
A Unique Service for the Community
The combination of Sandi Saunier’s knowledge and experience has made her one of a kind — a true pioneer in this niche field. On the road, she quickly realized that there are very few people doing the kind of work she was doing in Canada.
“I couldn’t find anybody in Canada at this time. There was no other nurse doing this.” – Sandi Saunier
Saunier deftly works with a luxurious array of colours, pigments. It’s to make sure that her tattoos can be matched to her patients’ original skin tones as much as possible. With approximately 30 different colors for her use, she is able to combine and layer them to create the most effective and vibrant look.
“I have probably 30 different colours of pigments, and I can mix and match them all,” – Saunier
This rare and much appreciated attention to detail is what gives their patients a competitive edge. Malcolm Matheson, for example, could see a drastic contrast between his skin graft and the rest of his face.
“The skin graft that they used on my face was quite different than rest of my face, so it kind of stands out,” – Malcolm Matheson
Transforming Lives Through Artistry
Saunier’s art is not merely beautiful. Most importantly, it plays a direct role in actively restoring confidence and normalcy for her patients. Matheson said the experience of receiving the tattoo felt like pressure rather than pain. He was passionate about the skill and craftsmanship that artists use in their work.
“The feeling overall was more one of pressure,” – Malcolm Matheson
Saunier’s process is more than just tattooing. She specializes in creating hyper-realistic textures such as facial whiskers, and creates these effects with special needles and white pigment. This depth of customization further enhances the believability of her craft. As a result, it is able to produce outcomes that allow patients to return to living life on their terms.
“Men might have little whisker marks. So I can use a different needle and colouring and actually put whiskers in your face too,” – Saunier
A Call for Recognition
The program is an increasing success, each day. Every day they are waking up to the reality that these services are absolutely essential to health care. Matheson said he was thankful for the program’s contributions to improved patient care.
“I think the foundation stepping up like this is something that really should be applauded,” – Malcolm Matheson