For years, Leandro de Souza was known as “the most tattooed man in Brazil”. His image was so extreme that it attracted attention in exhibitions and social media. With more than 170 tattoos, his body was a true living gallery.

The transformation that he shares today with thousands of followers began after a deep personal crisis. Leandro had problems with substance abuse, and he was even homeless once. It was at that moment that he decided to make a complete turnaround in his life.

Now, his most recent photographs show a face almost free of ink, with visible scars, but with a different expression. According to him, this is a physical and emotional process that has had a profound impact on him.

The story

Leandro was born in Bagé, a town on the border between Brazil and Uruguay. At the age of 13, he got his first tattoo, driven by his passion for bands like Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica. His body became 95% covered in tattoos, an aesthetic he linked to his rebellious lifestyle and love of rock.

His media profile grew when he participated in the Santa Rosa International Tattoo Expo, where he was recognized as Brazil’s most tattooed man.

In 2023, his life changed course as he embarked on a spiritual transformation. According to him, he lived a stage marked by addiction to several drugs. In that context, he found refuge in the evangelical religion, which changed his vision of the world and of himself.

“Today I don’t get tattoos. I do not condemn tattoos. I think that, after baptism and conversion, there are more important things we should do,” he recounted.

In interviews with local media, Leandro explained that his appearance started to have a negative impact on him. “I didn’t feel good; it didn’t suit me anymore. It was a world of excesses. There came a time when I felt like a circus attraction,” he told O Globo.

The decision to remove the tattoos

Getting his tattoos removed marked a before-and-after moment in Leandro’s life. He underwent laser treatment that breaks the ink into smaller particles for the body to eliminate.

He has documented the process on his Instagram account, where more than 530,000 people follow his evolution. There you can also see images from a few years ago, when he had not yet started tattooing himself.

In interviews, Leandro expressed regret for having tattooed his face. “Think carefully before getting a face tattoo because I regret it,” he said in an interview.

He also pointed out that, in his case, he received those tattoos as part of his studio work, at no cost to him.

Each session to remove the tattoos from his face takes between 30 and 40 minutes and represents a great physical challenge. As he explained, “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”.

Speaking to G1, Leandro explained that each session involves three types of lasers. One to remove the ink, one to rejuvenate the skin, and one more to seal the treatment. He uses ice and ointments to soothe the pain, and he has said that physical exercise helps to improve the results.

The process has been possible thanks to the financial support of his followers, who have helped him afford the treatments.

In an Instagram post, the team that handles tattoo removal wrote: “When we hear Leandro say ‘dignity has been restored,’ we understand that our work goes far beyond aesthetics.”

Nowadays, he aims to be able to provide for his 10-year-old son and hopes to secure a stable job that will allow him to support himself as well as his own mother, who is currently living in a nursing home.

The change in his appearance has caused a wave of reactions across social media. Some users expressed surprise at discovering his true face: “He had that beautiful face hidden under so many tattoos 😯”.

Others highlighted the courage needed to go through the elimination process. One commented, “Uffff, how strong you are, but it was worth it! 🙌”. In the same vein, another follower expressed: “You look great 👏👏👏👏👏, congratulations on your change.”

Messages admiring his new look also poured in. “What a handsome man 👏,” someone wrote, while another comment simply read, “Incredible 👏👏👏👏.”

Leandro’s posts generate hundreds of interactions. His before-and-after images receive constant support from followers worldwide.

The visible changes in his face have become a symbol of the path he decided to take. And his followers not only observe, but also accompany and encourage him in every step he takes.