Wakefield tattoo artist recreates woman’s belly button in viral TikTok video
An internet video of a Wakefield tattoo artist recreating a woman’s belly button has gone viral.
Ossett-based Alex Forster recreated the look on friend Lucy Turner after a tummy tuck left her without a belly button.
Alex explained that it’s a risk of the procedure and often people have them surgically reattached.
But Lucy decided to go another way and have Alex tattoo a photorealistic replacement in its place.
Alex, from Middlestown, said: “She was worried about the scarring it might cause so she asked if I’d do it. I said ‘I’ve never done it before but I will if you want’.
"Lucy runs a tattoo removal business called Lucy Laser and said ‘don’t worry about it, if we don’t like it I can just zap it off’.
"So I did the tattoo for her and I was pretty chuffed with it, did a quick video, posted it on TikTok and it went a little bit viral. Lucy was delighted with it.”
Usually, Alex does permanent make-up like eyebrows and lip brush, as well as micro-realism tattoos such as floral designs and pet portraits.
The belly button was a first but she has had more people approach her since who have lost theirs through operations.
She said: “I didn’t have a clue that people did that.”
On micro-realism tattoos, she said: "I think they’re so pretty, I absolutely love them and they’re really, really popular at the minute.
"And they’re really fun to do. Doing the belly button was a fun day, I was surprised how well it went.”
Alex Fine Line studio opened in Ossett in September but she has been tattooing for three years.
She has also tattooed celebrities Lee Ryan from Blue and Ampika Pickston from The Real Housewives of Cheshire.
The former was playing a gig in Leeds alongside Olly Murs when Alex was based in the city and popped in to have work done.
She is on Instagram and TikTok at Alex Fine Line.
The NHS website says a tummy tuck can involve removing excess loose skin, fat and stretch marks and tightening abdominal muscles.
The aim is to remove excess skin that cannot be removed through exercise, for example, excess skin caused by pregnancy or losing a lot of weight.
It said there can be side effects.