A Brazilian man once celebrated for having more tattoos than anyone else in the country is now turning heads for an entirely different reason — he’s having them removed.
Leandro de Souza, a 36-year-old photographer from Rio Grande do Sul, got his very first tattoo when he was only 13 years old. Over the years, that early fascination grew into an obsession, eventually covering 95 percent of his body in ink — his face included.
In 2023, his dedication to body art was officially recognized at an expo, where he was crowned the most tattooed man in Brazil. But that title came with a heavy price. Leandro struggled to find steady employment, and the tattoos that once defined him soon began to work against him.
His life has since taken a dramatic turn. Following his conversion to evangelical Christianity, Leandro looks almost unrecognizable today.
He has spoken openly about regretting his facial tattoos in particular, explaining that they created serious barriers to employment and, at one point, left him relying on a shelter for support, as reported by CNN Brazil.
Roughly two years ago, a renewed faith prompted him to begin a new chapter — one that involved undoing much of what he had spent years building. He has since been documenting every step of the process on Instagram, hoping his story might serve as a cautionary tale for others.
Reflecting on his past, Leandro shared: “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 removal procedures are being carried out free of charge by Hello Tattoo studio, based in Franco da Rocha, São Paulo.
Hello Tattoo described how Souza had “lost his confidence” following a period that included time in prison, a battle with drug addiction, and a stretch of homelessness — and how he ultimately resolved to go through with the procedures regardless of the pain involved.
In a post addressing his journey, 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
Speaking to G1, Leandro revealed that he could require as many as eight sessions before the process is complete.
Following each treatment, he relies on ointment and ice to manage the aftermath — a process that involves three separate types of laser and leaves him in considerable pain.
“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 said.
“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.”
Tattoo regret is far from unusual. While the majority of people are happy with their ink, some do come to have second thoughts — particularly those who push body modification to its limits.
There are also certain designs that many tattoo artists will decline to create altogether, for a range of professional and ethical reasons.
Whether it is the symbolism attached to a design, an error in execution, or the values a tattoo represents, the reasons people come to regret their ink are as varied as the tattoos themselves.
Now, Leandro looks almost unrecognizable.
For those considering facial tattoos, Leandro has a clear message: “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.”
Sources: CNN Brazil | G1 | Hello Tattoo Instagram
Featured image : Leandro de Souza
