Ethan “ModBoy” Bramble, a 24-year-old Australian, covered his body in over 200 tattoos and underwent extreme modifications, including tongue splitting and belly button removal. His first procedure was at age 11 when he stretched his ears.

Though tattoos were his way of expressing himself, Bramble admitted he went too far. “I guess you could say I regret some tattoos,” he said. The modifications cost him around $60,000 AUD ($39,000 USD). His heavily tattooed face drew judgmental stares, especially when he was with his daughter. “The face is a big thing… I wish that I had not gone as hectic as I did on my face.”

To change his appearance, he started laser removal. “I’ve been getting laser for pretty much 12 months… probably gone over the full thing six or seven times.” He linked his anxiety to his facial tattoos, saying, “Mental stuff is a funny thing to pin down, but I want to think that a lot of the anxiety was from just having a face full of tattoos.”

Despite his past, Bramble remains optimistic. “I’m happy with the way that I look, but I’m also happy that over the next two years, my face tattoos are going to become less and less… I’m just clearing the canvas.”