Lowestoft make-up artist gives eyebrow tattoos to chemo patients

A permanent make-up artist has been giving eyebrow tattoos to cancer patients after being inspired by her own mother's experience.

Polly Vincent worked on her mother's eyebrows while her hair was thinning, having been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer during the pandemic.

The 35-year-old, who runs a clinic in Lowestoft, Suffolk, also offers areola tattoos for breast cancer patients.

Her work felt "uplifting and empowering", she said.

"It does make people feel so confident within themselves and especially when they're going through treatments like chemotherapy, it gives them the extra boost they need to keep them on that road to recovery," she told the BBC.

Television presenter Sarah Beeny, who revealed she was receiving breast cancer treatment last year, has been praised for talking about the importance of drawing on her eyebrows.

The 51-year-old was losing her head hair because of chemotherapy - although has since received the all-clear from doctors.

Eyebrow tattoos are typically permanent, although the colour fades over time.

Sarah Turner, a mother-of-four and former hairdresser from Lowestoft, was diagnosed with breast cancer weeks before her 49th birthday and has since undergone a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery and chemotherapy.

"[The eyebrow tattoos] give you that positivity and that confidence to get on with your life and live your life because that's what you have to do," said Ms Turner.

"My son said 'mum you've got your eyebrows back, you look better, you're better' and I said 'yes, I am'."

Listen: 'My eyebrows were a massive part of me' - Emma Quinn

Another of Ms Vincent's customers, Emma Quinn, was diagnosed with breast cancer after the birth of her daughter.

"Drawing them in is fine, but I don't have to worry now [that I've got the tattoo]," said the 42-year-old, who has received a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

"My eyebrows were a massive part of me."

Ms Vincent charges all her customers, but says she is donating money to Little Lifts - a charity that puts together handpicked gifts for breast cancer patients.

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