Meet the Sunderland woman using restorative tattooing to change lives

“Restorative tattooing is sometimes misunderstood as being purely cosmetic, but for many people it can represent closure, confidence and a sense of ownership after an experience where choices about their body may have been taken out of their hands,” says a Sunderland businesswoman about her new venture.

Established by Louise Stone, Pigments in Positivity uses restorative tattooing to help those recovering from cancer, trauma and gender-affirming procedures feel more comfortable and confident in their bodies.

Louise left her corporate career earlier this year to pursue a long-held ambition to offer specialist treatments that can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.

Based in the Eagle buildings in High Street East, the social enterprise provides realistic 3D areola and nipple tattooing, MCA scar revision and paramedical scar camouflage.

The service aims to support people whose bodies have been changed by experiences including mastectomy, breast reduction, surgery, trauma and gender-affirming procedures.

Treatments are delivered in a private environment with Louise aiming to make services available on a sliding scale or free of charge wherever funding allows.

Louise has been helped by North East BIC in setting up the venture.

She said: “I had this broad idea and knew I wanted to create something that could genuinely help people, but I really didn't know where to start when it came to setting up a community interest company.

“I went onto the BIC website, booked an appointment and my business adviser Anneline has been absolutely amazing ever since. I genuinely couldn't have done it without her help.”

Louise decided to establish Pigments in Positivity as a social enterprise because she wanted to ensure cost would not become a barrier for people who could benefit from the treatments.

She said: “These treatments can make such a difference to someone, but I appreciate that not everyone will be in a position to afford them.

“If somebody has been off work for a long period because of cancer treatment, surgery or another traumatic experience, they may not have the finances to access something that could genuinely help them feel better about themselves.

“That’s why I wanted to create a social enterprise. If people can afford treatment, that’s great, but if they can’t, I want to be able to find ways to support them too.”

Louise has already seen the impact restorative tattooing can have.

One client who had undergone a double mastectomy told her that having realistic areola tattoos felt like the final part of her recovery journey.

She said: “Restorative tattooing is sometimes misunderstood as being purely cosmetic, but for many people it can represent closure, confidence and a sense of ownership after an experience where choices about their body may have been taken out of their hands.

“It’s amazing to be able to do something that can make that kind of difference to somebody.”

Louise received support from the North East BIC through the Wear Together initiative, which helps local residents and community groups establish and grow social enterprises and co-operatives across Sunderland.