A man who previously 95 percent of his body covered in tattoos has revealed his jaw-dropping transformation after having the ink lasered off.
Leandro de Souza was once known as Brazil's most tattooed man, was covered from the top of his head downwards in hundreds of tattoos after beginning his journey into body modification at the age of 13.
His 170 strong collection of tattoos were said to have been inspired by his favourite rock bands, including acts such as Nirvana, Guns N' Roses and Metallica.
However the 36-year-old has now decided to do a complete overhaul on his lifestyle, which includes undergoing several painful surgeries to have his artwork removed.
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Considering the fact that laser removal is often considered to be more painful than getting the initial tattoo itself, which means de Souza is in for one hell of a journey if he wants all of the ink removed.
So why has the Brazilian decided to undergo such a painful and extensive transformation?
According to de Souza, the decision came after discovering his faith.
"After the fifth session of facial tattoo removal, @helltatto - gratitude, it's about Jesus Christ," he wrote in his most recent Instagram post, unveiling the drastic transformation he's been able to achieve after the laser removal sessions.
Meanwhile Hell Tattoo in São Paulo, which performed the work, said that de Souza felt like his 'dignity has been restored' by the process to remove his facial tattoos.
"It's important to remember: tattoos don't define character," the studio captioned their video of the transformation.
"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."
In a recent interview with local outlet G1, de Souza explained that he'd also struggled with addiction after the breakdown of his marriage. However after a being introduced to evangelism at a shelter he decided to transform his life – and image.
"I couldn't stand the life I was living anymore,' he said, adding: "I was an attraction at (events I attended) and it felt like a circus animal."
He is also clean when it comes to drugs, alcohol and cigarette use and is working towards getting a formal job in order to pay child support for his child and look after his mother.
"Think carefully before getting a face tattoo because I regret it," he added to CNN Brazil.
"I don't condemn tattoos. I believe that, after baptism and conversion, there are more important things for us to do, my dear brothers."
Topics: Mental Health
Brenna Cooper