Mastectomy tattoo artist’s social media frustration

The Cullingworth-based Nipple Innovation Project (NiP) is the UK’s first mastectomy tattoo charity and was founded by Lucy Thompson in 2018.

The charity is dedicated to empowering breast cancer survivors by offering free tattoos that are crafted to resemble real nipples on reconstructed skin.

The tattoo artist says the realistic nature of the tattoos had led to repeated bans and content removals on TikTok, with her account (@lucy_nipple) being deleted multiple times under claims of “nudity” and “sexually suggestive” content – but according to the social media platform, its guidelines allow for content like Lucy’s and her account has been reinstated. 

A screenshot from one of the posts on the account (Image: TikTok)
Speaking about the situation, Lucy said: “It’s absurd, exhausting and quite frankly boring at this point.”

She said people are “bravely giving consent to these images being shared to help raise awareness and give hope to others” and added: “These are not real nipples, but tattoos on reconstructed skin, and it’s beyond frustrating to have them constantly flagged as inappropriate.

“We follow TikTok’s community guidelines, which supposedly allow post-mastectomy scarring for raising awareness of breast cancer, yet our posts are consistently removed.”

According to a TikTok spokesperson its community guidelines on nudity and body exposure allow for this kind of content and welcome creators like Lucy choosing to share their journeys.

Lucy said: “My first ever TikTok account was deleted a few years ago when I spray painted a 5ft nipple mural to raise awareness of our work in a different art form.”

She added: “Recently my account has been banned again and it’s at the point now where I try not to post nipple tattoos anymore, especially showing the breast shape.”

According to TikTok, the decision to remove Lucy’s account from the platform was incorrect and it has been reinstated upon review. 

“They gain so much traction when I do post them, but then are ultimately removed. How am I supposed to raise awareness with these restrictions?” said Lucy. 

“Even though these images are not in the slightest bit sexualised or offensive, I put so many warnings and notices on the images to prepare people, but they still get flagged.

“TikTok is such a big platform that could really help us raise awareness and help more people, but it feels like we are constantly being punished and I am so tired of it.”