A man who was once known for being the most tattooed man in Brazil has shared his jaw-dropping transformation after having many of his tattoos removed.
Leandro de Souza, a 36-year-old photographer from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, got his first tattoo at the age of just 13, before covering 95 percent of himself in ink, including his face.
At an expo in 2023, he was declared the most tattooed man in Brazil, but found getting work difficult.
Now, after becoming an evangelical Christian, he looks staggeringly different.
The most tattooed man in Brazil now looks vastly different
Leandro admits that he regrets having tattoos on his face, and said it made finding work difficult, even leading to him spending some time in a shelter, according to CNN Brazil.
Around two years ago, he found God and decided that the tattoos had to go, and he’s been sharing that painful journey on Instagram as a lesson to others.
He said: “I didn't feel good, it didn't suit me anymore,
“It was a world of excess, which no longer did me any good. There came a time when I felt like a circus attraction.”
The tattoo removal has been provided for free by Hello Tattoo removal studio in Franco da Rocha, São Paolo.
Hell Tattoo said Souza ‘lost his confidence’ after ending up in prison, battling drug addiction, and spending time homeless, and decided to undertake the procedures, no matter how painful.
Online, the studio wrote: “It's important to remember: tattoos don't define character,
“What transforms a life are choices, effort, and the determination to move forward.
“In this process, tattoo removal is merely a reflection of a much larger internal change that helps align the external image with the new identity being constructed.
“When we hear Leandro say ‘dignity has been restored,’ we understand that our work goes far beyond aesthetics,
“Each session also represents the opportunity to witness stories of overcoming obstacles,” the post continued.
The tattoo removal process is extremely painful
Souza revealed to G1 that he may need eight procedures to remove all the tatts.
He has to apply ointment and ice after each round, which requires three lasers and causes him to be in agony.
“If you imagine that a person goes there to remove one from their finger and already complains of pain, imagine a session on the entire face, which involves three types of laser,” he explained.
“There's the first, for removal. The second, CO2, to rejuvenate and not leave a stain. And the third is a type of sealer.
“It hurts a lot, no matter how much anesthesia they use, the pain is horrible. But that's part of the price for the things I did in the past.”
While most people love their tattoos, regret is common among some people - especially those who take things to extremes.
In fact, there are some tattoos that many artists will refuse to do for various reasons.
Sometimes it is the meaning behind them, sometimes it is a mistake, and sometimes it is the ideology they symbolise.
As for Souza, he has this advice for anyone wanting to get inked: “Think carefully before getting a face tattoo because I regret it,
“I was in the tattoo business, and back then, I didn't pay for these face tattoos.
“I got paid by the tattoo artist I worked with. And I regretted it.
“I was the most tattooed man in Brazil, and I also tattooed others.
“Today, I don't tattoo. I don't condemn tattoos.
“I believe that, after baptism and conversion, there are more important things for us to do.”