Spain’s Most Tattooed Woman Reveals the Reason She Erased Most Tattoos from Her Face

Lidia Reyes enjoys widespread recognition within the tattoo community. Her deep appreciation for the art propelled her to win the title of the most heavily tattooed woman in Spain. While she came remarkably close to achieving a global record, she ultimately chose to reverse her path. In 2017, she embarked on the extensive process of removing facial tattoos, and the reasons behind this decision follow below.

The untold story of her tattoos.

Hailing from Barcelona, Lidia Reyes has transformed her body into a genuine masterpiece with over 270 tattoos adorning her skin. Yet, her artistic journey knows no bounds. With an ambitious goal in mind, she aspired to break the current world record, currently held by María José Cristerna from Mexico, whose body boasts 96 percent coverage.

Lidia openly acknowledges her compelling addiction to body art, tracing its origins back 15 years when she received her first tattoo. Over time, she escalated the size of her tattoos and minimized the intervals between sessions. This obsession led her to visit the tattoo studio 2-3 times weekly, despite advice from tattoo artists urging her to allow her skin to rest.

Lidia says that as a child, she was bullied by peers who didn’t understand her and called her fat. Perhaps childhood complexes and trauma provided the basis for body modification later in life. One way or another, today, her tattoos tell stories of her life. Each design is not meaningless. It carries some significance.

Lidia’s body showcases art paying tribute to the memory of her late mother and a departed friend. Tattoo enthusiasts often marvel at the intricate designs gracing her face and body, pondering the hidden significance behind them. Reyes has no intention of unveiling their meaning. However, she has been diligently working on her memoirs for several years, offering a promise to divulge the secrets behind the numbers “1981” and “1899” on her eyelids, along with “18” and “19” on her cheekbones, among other mysteries.

In the pursuit of her own ideal of beauty, she didn’t confine herself to mere visits to tattoo parlors. Reyes sought other ways to surprise herself and others. These included a snake-like split tongue and making the whites of her eyes pink. She was also going to modify her ears, making them pointed in an elven fashion. But so far, that plan is still pending.

Tattoos completely changed her life

A distinctive appearance garners significant attention, transforming Lidia into a media sensation. She receives invitations to television programs, makes appearances on talk shows, and her Instagram account boasts tens of thousands of followers. While she serves as an inspiration to some who seek personal transformations, others are quick to offer critique regarding her flamboyant persona.

Reyes admits that, for a long time, she suffered from angry comments and people criticizing her appearance and lifestyle. She tried to justify herself to them for being different. Over the years, however, she’s found harmony with herself and now teaches others not to break under the pressure of haters: “Forget about these people, they’re trolls and not worth your attention. I’m sending you all a kiss.”

Within the confines of her home, the Spanish record-holder encounters no criticism. Her family wholeheartedly embraces her transformations and provides unwavering support. Lidia and her husband are parents to three children, who have been exposed to the world of tattoos from a young age.

Their eldest daughter, at the age of 13, made the decision to adorn her own body with this unique art form in the future. Furthermore, she’s basing her career choices on professions that accept her distinctive appearance.

She decided to go back to her old face

In 2017, Lidia announced that she was going to get the tattoos on her face removed. Haters immediately started saying that she finally came to her senses. But no, the record-breaker still loves tattoos. It’s just that one day she realized that she simply missed her old reflection in the mirror: “I’ve decided to remove my face tattoos because I’m tired of them, not because I don’t like them or think I look ugly; I love face tattoos, that’s why I got them. But I miss the face I used to have.”

Lidia’s initial facial tattoo was the word “Barbie,” and she chose to retain this one, along with a few other iconic designs. Nevertheless, the majority had to be removed. The process of finding experts willing to undertake such a significant task was challenging.

Ultimately, Reyes discovered a specialist near Barcelona, situated in the village of Sant Boi. Every 15 days, she committed to undergoing hour-long sessions of laser tattoo removal.

The process ended up taking years and, judging by her Instagram, is still ongoing. However, according to Lidia’s plans, her face won’t be clear for long. In place of the old designs, Reyes plans to get new, and in her opinion, even more beautiful ones. After all, her main goal hasn’t changed. She’s still aiming for the title of the world’s most tattooed woman, with 99% of her body covered in body art. And she couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks.

Millions of people world wide have tattoos or want to get one and many of them are because they need to cover a scar. Or maybe some people want to keep something very important to them close to their heart and their body.