He was the most tattooed man in Brazil until he decided to have the ink removed from a whopping 95% of his body.

Leandro de Souza has already undergone two laser treatments in an attempt to remove a tattoo that is more than 20 years old; the first was performed when he was a young teenager.

The 35-year-old photographer, who now lives in the Brazilian border town of Bagé near Uruguay and has converted to evangelicalism, has decided to have more than 170 tattoos removed.

De Souza told Brazilian online news outlet G1 “I did the first one when I was 13.” “The first ones were a lot about the idolatry of the time.

The tattoos were inspired by the rock bands that were popular at the time, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and Nirvana.

De Souza’s life took a turn for the worse a decade ago after he divorced his wife.

After being separated from the mother of his ten-year-old child, he initially dabbled in cocaine, then spent nine years mixing ecstasy, LSD, and alcohol.

“I couldn’t take the life I was living anymore,” he declared. “I was an attraction at (events | I attended) and it felt like a circus animal.”

De Souza’s outlook on life changed after he visited the shelter and encountered evangelism.

“The first step in anything in life is to accept that you can’t do it alone, that you’re an addict, that you’re an addict,” de Souza said.

“And I managed to get to the Bagé city shelter, a woman recommended me and she started evangelizing me within a week.

In an effort to convert the religion, De Souza delivered a sermon two years ago to “parents and children in homes who are in prison.”

On April 14, de Souza’s life-changing event—his birthday and a year without drugs and cigarettes—was reported to a São Paulo tattoo studio named Franco da Rocha. It’s been over three years since I last drank alcohol.

De Souza still needs to complete six lessons, each lasting thirty to forty minutes.

These are scheduled every three months.

“It hurts a lot more than doing it,” the man said. “Compared to the procedure, it hurts three times as much, even under anesthesia, the procedure hurts a lot.

Leandro de Souza’s journey is a powerful example of transformation, both physical and emotional.

After spending years covered in tattoos that symbolized his past, he has now taken bold steps to erase the ink and reclaim his life. His decision to undergo laser treatment to remove 95% of his tattoos reflects his determination to start over and distance himself from a life marked by addiction and struggle.

His story also highlights the influence of spirituality in his recovery. After going through a difficult divorce and struggling with substance abuse, it was the support he found at the shelter and the guidance of evangelicalism that helped him kick his destructive habits. The turning point in his life, marked by a year of sobriety, shows his resilience and determination to change. Leandro’s continued efforts to remove the tattoo serve as a physical manifestation of his desire to leave behind his troubled past and embrace a new chapter.

Leandro’s experience serves as an inspiring reminder of the power of second chances, personal growth, and the strength it takes to break free from the cycles that define our past. His dedication to healing, inside and out, encourages others who may be struggling to take the necessary steps toward transformation and redemption.