We’ve all done things in the past we wish we could take back—bad decisions, awkward moments, words we wish we hadn’t said. But few of us have regrets as bold—or as permanent—as Ethan “ModBoy” Bramble’s.
Ethan, a self-described body modification enthusiast from Australia, has covered nearly every inch of his body in tattoos—over 200 of them. And while tattoo culture has become increasingly mainstream, Ethan pushed the limits far beyond what most people would ever consider.
According to reports, Ethan began altering his body at just 11 years old, starting with stretching his ears. Over the years, he’s undergone extreme procedures, including splitting his tongue and even removing his belly button.
Now He’s Having Second Thoughts
Despite the many modifications he’s undergone, it’s Ethan’s tattoos—especially the ones on his face—that have gotten the most attention. In total, he’s spent about $60,000 AUD (approximately $39,000 USD) on his look.
Now in his 20s, Ethan is rethinking some of those decisions. Speaking on LadBibleTV’s No Filter series, he opened up about the impact his tattoos have had on his life.
“I guess you could say I regret some tattoos,” he admitted. “Not just regret—I think there’s a difference between regret and wanting to be perceived differently.”
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Concerned About the Way People See Him
As a dad, Ethan is especially mindful of how his appearance might affect his young daughter. Simple things, like walking her to school, now come with added pressure.
“The face is a big thing,” he said. “It can cause a lot of problems for some people—not everyone—but I probably wouldn’t want my daughter to have to deal with that until she’s older.”
He added, “I wish I hadn’t gone so extreme with my face.”
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A Painful Path Toward Change
In an effort to tone things down, Ethan has been undergoing laser tattoo removal for over a year—a painful and expensive process.
“I’ve probably gone over the full thing six or seven times,” he said. “We do it in sections… I started because of the anxiety and mental health stuff I was experiencing. It’s hard to pinpoint, but I feel like a lot of that anxiety came from having a face full of tattoos.”
Despite the physical pain of laser removal, Ethan is optimistic. “I’m happy with how I look now, but I’m also happy knowing that over the next two years, my face tattoos will fade more and more. I’m just clearing the canvas.”