It would be safe to say that the past few years have seen an increase in the number of people undergoing body-modification procedures. Whether it's a simple tattoo or piercing, it seems like it is now rarer to have no form of body modification than it is to have undergone a procedure.
However, while the majority of us only dabble in this world, some people, like Amber Luke, are fully immersed.
Luke, 23, from Australia, claims to have had over 50 inkings on her body (including her eyeballs) and now looks completely unrecognisable from the girl that she used to be. Working as a body piercer, Amber has spent over £10,000 on extreme body modification, with her having her tongue split and earlobes stretched.
However, while her appearance may not be to everyone's taste, Amber says she has no regrets. "I'm absolutely in love with my image," she said.
Explaining the meaning behind her nickname, Amber said: "I got the name 'Blue Eyed White Dragon' from my friends, they call me that because I resemble a dragon with my eyes and tongue."
After posting images of her former-self on her Instagram, Amber reflects: "I see myself as very plain looking when looking at before and after photos, I absolutely hated the way I used to look. I was boring."
The influencer says that she got her first tattoo at 16 and quickly became addicted:
"As soon as I turned 16, I was inspired by those around me to get tattooed. I craved to know what the feeling was like.
"I developed an addiction at 16 years of age. By the time I hit 18, I already had three tattoos. And when I turned 18, I decided to get my first big piece.
"Now, I have over 50 tattoos, I haven't been able to count all of them."
By getting her eyeballs inked, Amber risked going permanently blind. "The procedure for getting my eyes done was only 40 minutes," she said. "It was very intense and very painful. My eyes got held open while a syringe was injected into my eye four times per eye. I was blind for three weeks."
Her eyes weren't the only painful procedure that Amber underwent: "My tongue split was very uncomfortable as well, I wasn't able to speak or eat for a week afterwards," she said.
Despite her extreme appearance, Amber has been met with positivity from her friends and family. "My friends have all been very supportive of my modifications, and my mum has been my biggest supporter since day one," she said;
"My mum cried when she found out that I tattooed my eyeballs, but then she came around.
"I have plenty of people who try to bring me down because of the choices I've made to my body, but that's just it; it's my body.
"I also have a lot of positivity surrounding my image. People are often fascinated rather discriminatory towards me."
In terms of what she plans on doing next, Amber plans on undergoing more procedures in order to expand on her extreme looks: "I plan on sharpening my two fang teeth into vampire teeth," she said.
"I'm planning on getting tattooed tomorrow actually, getting more on my right leg.
"I draw the line with body modifications when it comes to implants in the skin. I was going to get horns implanted but changed my mind as I don't think I would suit it."
However, while she may be a body modification advocate, Amber has a warning for those wanting to follow in her footsteps:
"You must find an artist that you can trust and bond with," she said.
"Same goes for tattooing, you must do your research before getting anything done, make sure you sit on the decision for a while before acting on it."
Amber's appearance may not be to everyone's taste, but it's making her happy and that's what matters.
