Perky at Camp Breastie
Restorative Tattooing, Survivorship, and Community
Every year, we are honored to attend Camp Breastie to provide restorative tattooing services to members of the Breasties community. Camp Breastie is more than an event — it’s a space where survivors and previvors gather to rest, reconnect, and be seen. For us, it has become one of the most meaningful parts of our work.
At camp, we offer 3D nipple tattooing and restorative services for those who have experienced mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Many of the people we meet at camp are years into survivorship. Some are newly out of treatment. Some never knew nipple restoration was even an option. Being able to create access to this care — in a space built on community, safety, and shared experience — is something we do not take lightly.
Why Camp Breastie Matters to Us
Survivorship is often where the quiet work begins.
The doctor visits slow down. The support drops off. The mirrors get louder.
Camp Breastie creates room for conversations that don’t always happen in clinical settings — about bodies, scars, intimacy, identity, grief, and rebuilding. Being able to offer restorative tattooing within this environment allows our clients to experience this step of healing surrounded by people who understand.
For many, nipple tattooing at camp isn’t just about how something looks. It’s about closure. Choice. Normalcy. And seeing themselves reflected differently again.
Pro Tip: if you’re having your tattoos done and are feeling nervous, excited, overwhelmed, scared, everything all at once, bring your Breasties with you. Lean in for support when you need it. We can pause for these moments of support if you need it.
Who Are The Breasties?
The Breasties is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors, previvors, and those impacted by breast and reproductive cancers. They create spaces — both online and in person — where people can connect, feel understood, and find community in the middle of life-altering diagnoses.
Through retreats like Camp Breastie, local meetups, educational programming, and year-round support, The Breasties focus on the parts of cancer that often go unspoken: identity, relationships, body image, mental health, and life after treatment. Their mission centers on making sure no one has to navigate cancer or survivorship alone.
Camp Breastie is one of the most powerful expressions of that mission — bringing people together from across the country to rest, learn, laugh, cry, and reclaim parts of themselves in an environment built entirely around understanding.
We are deeply grateful to partner with an organization that so clearly values survivorship care in all its forms.
Macee’s Story: Getting Her Nipples at Camp Breastie.
Macee came to Camp Breastie completely unaware that Perky, who she had previously reached out to for tattoos, would be there offering restorative tattooing. Two years after her double mastectomy, she had learned to live without nipples — even embraced her chest — but still felt a disconnect from her body.
At camp, everything aligned. Macee ended up being selected for nipple tattooing. Macee has since shared how powerful that moment was for her body image, her confidence, and her sense of wholeness.
“My chest is no longer medical — it’s mine.”
Her experience is one of many that reminds us why access to nipple restoration matters.
The Panel: The Art & Impact of Nipple Tattooing
At Camp Breastie 2025, we had the amazing honor of hosting a panel with Macee Maddock focused on the art, options, and emotional impact of nipple restoration after breast cancer. These conversations open the door for education around:
Nipple reconstruction vs. nipple tattooing
Timing and readiness
What results can look like
The psychological and intimacy-related impact of restoration
Questions patients should be asking their care teams
We believe survivors deserve clear information and real examples — not whispers or afterthoughts. To learn more about different options for nipple reconstruction and tattooing, click the button below:
FAQ’s — Tattoos at Camp
Who is eligible for nipple tattooing at Camp Breastie?
Generally, tattooing is offered to breast cancer survivors or previvors who have completed all planned breast surgeries, are not currently in active treatment, and are medically cleared for tattooing.
Is there a cost to be tattooed at Camp Breastie?
Tattooing at camp is typically provided through special partnerships and sponsorships at no cost to the client.
How are clients selected?
Clients are selected through an interest and screening process or by raffle at camp. Submitting the form on this page does not guarantee placement but allows us to connect and provide information when opportunities arise.
Do I need to be fully healed from surgery?
Yes. Nipple tattooing requires healed skin. Most clients are at least 3–6 months post-final surgery, but individual cases vary.
What services do you offer at camp?
We primarily offer 3D nipple tattooing, along with restorative tattoo consultations and survivor education.
Will I still need a touch-up after camp?
Most nipple tattoos require a touch-up session 6–8 weeks later to perfect color, balance, and longevity. This can be coordinated once tattoos have healed and will likely take place in San Antonio, Texas.
Is nipple tattooing painful?
Sensation varies widely after mastectomy and reconstruction. Many clients report pressure rather than pain, but everyone’s experience is different. We can use a local anesthetic at the time of tattooing if needed.
Are there any restrictions that would affect camp activities?
Yes. After tattooing, you will need to avoid submerged water (such as pools, hot tubs, lakes, or oceans) and limit excessive sweating for a period of time to support proper healing and reduce the risk of complications. Any water activities are best planned for before your tattoo appointment.
Aftercare instruction and supplies will be provided by Perky at the time of tattooing.
Can I just come ask questions?
Absolutely. We encourage anyone curious about nipple restoration to reach out or connect with us at camp.
Have More Questions?
Interested in Being Tattooed at Camp?
If you are attending Camp Breastie and are interested in restorative tattooing, or if you have questions about how the process works, we invite you to reach out.
Use the form below to enter yourself for tattooing at Camp Breastie:
We are endlessly grateful to Camp Breastie and The Breasties community for trusting us with such personal work. Each year we leave camp reminded that survivorship care is not one-size-fits-all — and that healing is allowed to include beauty, restoration, and choice.
We’re honored to be part of this community.
We’re honored to meet you in the chair (or on the table).
And we’re honored to return to Camp Breastie year after year.