3D Areola Restoration Training

We purposefully keep our class sizes to 4 or fewer students. This ensures quality one-on-one time with the instructor as well as develop relationships with your peers. You will also have quality time with your instructor while working on a live model. Working directly with the master artist is the key to a successful technique and training.

Tattoo licenses are required to work in most states. If you are not currently licensed in your state, please become familiar with your state guidelines, you can’t work on clients in your state without obtaining required state licensing. We do not license for tattoo in any state.

Note: Oregon licensing requires that tattoo artists attend full time school, 50 practical’s and must pass state boards to obtain a license. This licensing process is lengthy and cannot be avoided. Our courses teach additional technique and while they can be taken before obtaining Oregon licensing, we like to make it clear that Oregon residents, working in Oregon, must have a valid Oregon Tattoo License. This training does not count toward Oregon school required hours but does count toward your continued educational hours. We teach technique not taught in Oregon Licensed Tattoo Schools, so our training is invaluable to a new artist working in the cosmetic tattoo industry.

The course spans two days. The online training portion of the course is available for 12 months and you can access it as often as you like. We also offer support via email for life. Your questions will be answered by Daela Academy staff and escalated to Master Artists if need be.

Yes! Working with a live model is imperative to your success. Learning how to work on the skin is the most important part of an in-person course. Each student will have time on the skin to learn with proper one on one instruction. Notes: Some courses will include a shared model, while others will have individual models. If you cannot prove technique on fake skins, we may not allow you to work on a live model.  However, if you have not mastered a sufficient technique and need more time to practice, you may attend an additional class and work on a live model at no additional cost to you. We will require that you submit skins to us for review before signing you up for an additional class.

We provide continental breakfast and lunch and beverages.  If you have strict dietary concerns, please let us know in advance.  We would love to accommodate your dietary restrictions, if we cannot then we will recommend you bring your own food.

We have a beautiful new state-of-the-art private training space located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, just a few minutes' walk from the waterfront, delicious restaurants and hotels!

We are proud to say that class is casual and fun! You may dress comfortably, but please be aware that we take video and pictures during class. Dress as you would at your place of business, when working on clients. Jeans are fine, funky is fine. Our community is very supportive and inclusive, please express yourself and leave here feeling inspired and empowered.

Just bring yourself. We will provide everything you need for class.

*Areola trainee note: If you already have a tattoo machine that you want to use, please bring it. We will ensure it will work properly for the technique. You are not required to bring a machine, we supply them for students.

Yes!Financing is available for qualified individuals!

There are two options:

PRIVI

Cherry

Click on the links or call us and we can help you decide which one is best for you. PRIVI is true 0% financing and Cherry has 0% finance options!

One-on-One training is a dream come true!

You will receive the full, normal course training with access to online training and additional (huge) benefits:

1. You will be the only student with 100% of the trainer's attention on you.
2. You choose convenient dates with the trainer!

Consulting applies to you if you are:

• a previous student requiring additional training (more than just a quick question)
• a professional who has some detailed questions for our artists but might not need a full training.

If you have detailed questions about specifics of any course, you can schedule a Zoom, phone call or email with the trainer. 

Call to schedule!

Note: our staff will answer questions you have about a course you are considering taking at no charge, ask all the questions you want! The consulting is specifically for circumstances where you need the full attention of our artists for an hour or more.

The charge is $150 per hour. 

Shadow Days are available to students who have completed a course. 

They can be tacked on to the end of a training or scheduled after the training.

You will spend a day with your trainer and observe them through the normal course of business:

• Receiving clients
• Gathering waiver signatures
• Consulting
• performing services
• Checking them out
• All other daily activities which include spending time on social media, building trays, and sanitizing their space.

Who is this good for? This is an exceptional day if you are new to the business and have never interacted with clients or if you have been in the business and feel you could use some 'bedside manner' training or help in task managing your busy day.

Once a student has completed a class, they can take an additional Model Day:

• You will spend the first half of the day observing the trainer take a client.
• You will do additional machine work.
• Lunch is provided.
• After lunch you will take a live model!

This addition is valuable to someone new in the business who feels they need additional live model work and would also benefit from seeing the artist work on another client. This is very much like a Shadow Day except you get time on the machine on fake skins and on a live client.

Online Training is a detailed training available a la carte and is also included with in-person courses. 

The course is pre-recorded, so you take the sections as your time allows.

If you sign up for an in-person course, you are given instant access to the online training.

If you take online training and then want to add the in-person course, we deduct the $785 you paid for the online training from your course cost!

Every course comes with a $500 future course credit.

If you are interested in taking one or all of our courses, you will receive $500 off each course, after the first course! 

• DAELA’s 3D areola restoration training stands out for its blend of expert instruction, emotional intelligence, and industry-leading standards. Taught by co-founder Lina Anderson, this hands-on 3D areola restoration training course teaches artists how to recreate hyper-realistic, dimensional areolas for clients who have undergone mastectomies, top surgeries, or gender-affirming procedures. We approach 3D areola restoration training as both an art and a calling—giving you the tools, confidence, and compassion to help people heal in deeply meaningful ways.
• What truly makes our 3D areola restoration training unique is the personalized experience. Students work with live models, learn advanced shading and color theory, and practice the delicate techniques that make 3D tattoos look completely natural. Whether you're adding paramedical work to your offerings or specializing exclusively in this field, DAELA’s 3D areola restoration training gives you the clinical knowledge and heartfelt approach needed to thrive. Our program includes consultation best practices, scar integration, and emotional client support—all critical components of professional 3D areola restoration training. If you want to learn from the best, in a space that prioritizes beauty, integrity, and impact, DAELA’s 3D areola restoration training is the perfect place to start.

• Lina Anderson, co-founder and CEO of DAELA Cosmetic Tattoo, is a nationally recognized leader in 3D areola restoration tattooing. Her dedication to helping breast cancer survivors regain confidence through realistic areola tattoos has been highlighted in various media outlets, including The Columbian and AZFamily News. ​
• Lina's training program at DAELA Academy offers comprehensive instruction in 3D areola restoration, combining technical skills with compassionate client care. Her curriculum covers advanced tattooing techniques, color theory, and the emotional aspects of working with clients who have undergone significant medical procedures. By training with Lina, artists gain not only the practical skills needed for areola restoration but also the empathy and understanding essential for supporting clients on their healing journeys.​
• Choosing to train with Lina Anderson means learning from a master artist who has dedicated her career to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Her expertise and compassionate approach provide students with the tools to excel in the field of 3D areola restoration tattooing.

Lina in the News!

• VBJ Accomplished Under 40 
• The Columbian Feature Article: Scar Camouflage
• Arizona’s Family News Feature
• The Columbian Feature Article: Areola Restoration
• Everyday Beauty
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What Is 3D Areola Restoration Training?

• 3D areola restoration training is a specialized course that teaches artists how to recreate the natural look of areolas and nipples through advanced tattooing techniques. This highly detailed work is often performed for clients who have undergone mastectomies, top surgeries, breast reconstruction, or trauma-related procedures. At DAELA Academy, 3D areola restoration training goes beyond technique—it empowers artists to provide deeply healing, confidence-restoring services.
• During 3D areola restoration training, students learn about scar tissue, skin undertones, pigment blending, and how to create realistic, dimensional areolas using both unilateral and bilateral tattooing approaches. Live model work is a key part of the curriculum, giving students true hands-on experience. DAELA’s 3D areola restoration training also covers client consultation, trauma-informed care, and post-procedure healing. Whether you're a cosmetic tattoo artist or looking to move into paramedical tattooing, 3D areola restoration training provides the skills and emotional insight to make a lasting difference.
• When you choose 3D areola restoration training with DAELA, you’re learning from industry leaders like Lina Anderson—people who approach every client with compassion, precision, and artistry.

• Yes, areola restoration is a tattoo—but it’s a very specialized and meaningful form of tattooing.
• Also known as 3D areola restoration tattooing, this technique uses pigment and artistry to recreate the appearance of the areola and nipple, most commonly after mastectomy, breast reconstruction, gender-affirming surgery, or trauma. The goal is to restore the natural look of the breast with realistic color, shape, and depth—even creating the illusion of a protruding nipple where one doesn’t exist (hence the “3D”).
• Unlike decorative tattoos, areola restoration tattoos are paramedical in nature. They’re often done in collaboration with surgeons or oncology teams, and they require a deep understanding of skin, scar tissue, and emotional care.
• So yes—it’s a tattoo. But it’s also an act of healing, empowerment, and self-restoration.
• You will learn all about this in our comprehensive areola restoration training class!