Many people speak about how addictive tattooing and body modifications can be. Often a tiny song lyric on the wrist will transform into a full blown sleeve within the space of a year.
However, even the most ink-passionate among us have nothing on Ethan Bramble, who’s regarded to be ‘Australia’s most modified youth.’
The 21-year-old Central Coast local developed an interest in altering his body from a very early age, having his ears stretched at just 11-years-old.
His fascination with body modification only intensified from there:
Ethan – who sports 150 tattoos – has since undergone over 40 body modification procedures; including bellybutton removal, tongue splitting and eyeball inking. He’s also had his ears cut in half, shaped and snipped.
However, despite the extremity of these procedures, Ethan feels his lifestyle choice is no different to those who use make-up and hair dye.
Speaking with News.com.au. Ethan explained:
Girls especially come up to me on the street and ask, ‘Why? Just why?’
And I ask, ‘Why do you dye your hair? Why do you put makeup on in the morning, why do you paint your fingernails?’
It’s the way you want to look, your appearance and I’ve always been a strong believer in you shouldn’t really judge people in the way they look.
The end product is 100 per cent worth the torment, if you’re committed to it.
He explained how people’s immediate reactions to him have changed somewhat since he had his eyeballs tattooed:
People’s perceptions of you change a lot.
You walk down the street and people cross the street to get away from you or think you’re really scary or something.
That first impression is everything, so even if you just see me and you’re looking at me trying to suss me out, your first impression is going to be ‘I’m f*cking terrified’. I’m a weird looking dude.’
Ethan spoke graphically about having his belly button removed, for the purpose of getting a tummy tatt:
He cut my navel out in a big circle and all of my umbilical cord and told me to sit up and have a look.
I could see my stomach lining every time I flexed or breathed, sort of protruding out of this hole. It was weird, to see the inside of yourself.
However, he says the most painful operation was having his tongue split, which left him ‘near death’ and unable to eat and drink.
After Ethan posted a ‘sneaky before and after photo’ to his 65,000 plus Instagram followers, people couldn’t believe it was the same person.
One user commented: ‘completely ruined yourself’ while another said: ‘you were genuinely good looking’ which was followed by a sad face emoji.
One person said:
I mean, ultimately, I hope you feel good about the changes but I think it’s sad you felt the need to change so much about yourself.
Ethan is now concerned about crackdowns on body modification after Brendan Russell, from the NSW Central Coast, was arrested on charges of mutilating a woman’s genitalia after an alleged botched labia reduction.
Ethan said:
It’s a massive grey area, modification, because it hasn’t been around or in the light for so long. It’s a really new thing.
It’s just a shame that through that sh*t they’re going to crack down on the industry, which is really inconvenient.
What do you think about Ethan’s unique look?
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.