A man from Birmingham, England, who legally changed his name to King Of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-ite, has revealed photos of his appearance before undergoing extensive body modifications. Formerly known as Mathew Whelan, the 45-year-old began his transformation in 2008 and has since spent more than £40,000 on tattoos and modifications, dedicating over 1,600 hours to the process. His dramatic physical changes have made him one of the most recognizable tattoo enthusiasts in the UK.

Recently surfaced photos from his youth show just how much he’s changed. At 18, he was clean-shaven and tattoo-free—almost unrecognizable today. A picture from when he was 16 captures him proudly showing off his very first tattoo, a bulldog. That initial ink sparked a journey that led to extreme modifications, including tattooing his entire face, staining his eyes black, having his nipples removed, and reshaping his ears.

Despite embracing this unique identity, King Of Ink Land now faces problems with facial recognition technology, especially on adult websites in the UK. He says the systems don’t recognize his face and mistakenly classify him as wearing a mask, preventing him from accessing services like live webcam chats. He believes this issue is a form of discrimination, arguing that his face is his “permanent identity” and not something to be disregarded or ignored.

Socially, he also encounters frequent judgment and discomfort from others. On public transportation, people often choose to stand rather than sit near him. He’s also become used to strangers snapping photos of him without permission—some of which have led to tense interactions. These experiences reveal the daily challenges of living with such a bold and unconventional appearance in a society that often struggles to accept difference.

In a shift of priorities, King Of Ink Land recently announced he’s pausing further modifications to focus on paying off his £66,000 mortgage. While he still sees body art as a meaningful lifestyle, not an addiction, he plans to slow down—perhaps adding new tattoos only every other year. He also intends to remove some modifications, including an implant in his hand, as part of a more financially responsible phase in his life.