He was once known as Brazil’s most tattooed man before he started removing 170 tattoos — due to his newfound faith and difficult journey to find a job to help his mother.
A man known for having the most tattoos in Brazil can no longer wear that title, as he shares the steps involved in his drastic transformation.
Leandro de Souza, from Rio Grande do Sul, has detailed the multiple surgeries he undertook to remove the more than 170 tattoos which left 95% of his body covered in ink.
He explained his transformation comes after converting to evangelical Christianity and feeling “trapped” by his tattoos, which he spent two decades getting.
He spoke to Brazil publication O Globo earlier this month, where he admitted to feeling like a “circus attraction.”
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“I didn’t feel good, it didn’t suit me anymore,” said the man, who was once given the title of most tattooed man in the nation at the Santa Rosa International Tattoo Expo in 2023.
“It was a world of excess, which no longer did me any good.”
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He got his first tattoo at 13, and his obsession continued throughout the years.
The publication noted that he was sexually abused at one point during his childhood and also spent time in prison for fraud. During his time in prison, his mother was put into a nursing home by the state due to suffering from senile dementia.
“They didn’t cover the costs and left the house adrift. The house was ransacked, and the bills piled up during my time in prison. I was treated well in prison because I wasn’t involved in anything. But because I tattooed there, I was well respected,” he recalled.
Leandro then began experimenting with drugs after the breakdown of the relationship with his ex-wife at 25, per G1. He then lived in a shelter to help with his addiction, where he met a woman who opened him up to religion.
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Over 18 months ago, Leandro had an epiphany that radically changed his lifestyle. He quit using drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes “overnight” due to his newfound faith.
Most recently, he started working as an event photographer and even created an online fundraiser in the hope to secure guardianship for his mother. However, he ultimately needed a full time job to cover the costs. However, the 36-year-old photographer claimed his appearance made finding work difficult and that he had to live in a shelter for a while, per CNN Brazil.
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Overtime, he managed to gain the support of a clinic that offered free tattoo removal after he posted a testimonial video asking for a job opportunity, which went viral.
On Thursday, August 28, he shared a photo on Instagram of his face following his most recent tattoo removal procedure — alongside a snap of him from when he was covered in ink.
He revealed it was his fifth procedure and had been performed free of charge at Hello Tattoo studio in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo.
