Mastectomies, or surgical removals of all or part of a breast, can be life-saving procedures for people suffering from or at risk of developing breast cancer, but the scar tissue they leave behind can be both physical and psychological. For some women, adorning their post-breast removal scars with beautiful tattoos has become a powerful way to reclaim what was lost.

A website called P.Ink has helped tattoo artists connect with cancer survivor women who want to tattoo their mastectomy scars. One such tattoo artist, David Allen, had inspiring things to say about these tattoo ideas; “What was clinical became beautiful again… we turned sterile into sensual. We took back control.”

Scroll down below to check the brave women and their beautiful tattoo designs for yourself!

More info: p-ink.org | allentattoo.com (h/t: modernmet, demilked)