AN AMAZING artist is transforming women’s lives with nipple tattoos after cancer surgery.

Kelly Forshaw-Smith, 38, runs a successful company, Medicos, in Brighton Road, Worthing.

Kelly started the company in 2006 and she travels across the country to help clients rediscover their self-confidence.

She said: “It’s a wonderful job and I’ve always loved art anyway.

“Mastectomy leaves scars on women and whenever they look in the mirror they are reminded of the surgery.

“To be able to help women boost their confidence really makes me feel good and it makes the job worth it.

“My goal is to help people heal within and to give them closure after surgery.”

For her inspiring work, she won the micropigmentation award for being the best medical tattooist in the country.

Kelly uses a variety of techniques and art for tattoo nipples. This includes nipple colouration to enlarge or reshape the areola/s, 3-D nipples if they are missing from surgery, and dry needling technique to hide scars from breast reduction surgery.

She said: We work for four of the best surgeons in the UK and our work is recognised by them.

“Tattoos on nipples are semi-permanent because your body and skin changes as you grow older.

“And, of course, your breasts drop. Patients need to come back between one to six years for a retouch.

“Our cosmetic surgeries help scar tissues.

“We also do skin camouflage for burn victims and people who have self-harmed.

“We do cosmetics for cleft lip, tattoo removal, scalp camouflage, vitiligo and other skin conditions.

“I travel around the world to learn from other professionals from my field of work.

“I feel it is my duty to constantly improve my knowledge so I can help patients as best as possible.”

Kelly comes from a background of art and cosmetics.

Her father owns Trendco, a wig shop in Hove, while her mother works at Finishing Touches which offers eyebrow tattooing services, medical tattooing and skin rejuvenation.

She said: “I’ started working for my dad when I was 17 and then I worked for my mum.

“The work has really inspired me to help people. I think it is a very compassionate job. I guess I was destined to help people.”