For most people, tattoos are a way of telling their story — a piece of memory, rebellion, freedom, or emotion carved in ink. But for Ethan “ModBoy” Bramble, tattoos became something much deeper — and eventually, something much heavier to carry. At just twenty-four, the young Australian father had turned nearly his entire body into a living canvas. What started as a fascination grew into an obsession, and later, into a burden he’s now fighting to undo.
Ethan’s journey began long before the buzz of the tattoo needle ever touched his skin. At only eleven years old, he took his first step into body modification by stretching his earlobes — a small act of rebellion he couldn’t yet comprehend. “It just felt like something I needed to do,” he once said. But that first act opened a door that would never close. Over the next decade, his body became a project of extremes — from a split tongue to a removed belly button, from implants to full-body tattoos that left almost no visible skin untouched.
By his early twenties, Ethan had spent more than $60,000 AUD — roughly $39,000 USD — altering his appearance. He became known online as “ModBoy,” a human art piece that fascinated many and unsettled just as many others. His face, completely transformed by layers of ink, became his signature — and his shield. Yet, beneath that bold exterior, anxiety and doubt began to quietly grow.
Ethan’s realization didn’t arrive with a dramatic moment of revelation. Instead, it crept in slowly — small, quiet realizations that built up over time. Appearing on LadBibleTV’s No Filter series, he admitted, “I guess you could say I regret some tattoos. Not just regret — I think there’s a difference between regret and wanting to be perceived differently.”
That distinction meant everything to him. He didn’t hate his tattoos, nor did he resent the person he had been. What tormented him was how the world saw him — the judgmental glances, the whispers, the instant assumptions people made before he had the chance to speak. The face that once felt like power had become a mask, a wall between him and everyone else.
Everything changed when he became a father. That was when he truly saw himself through other people’s eyes — and, more importantly, through his daughter’s. He noticed the stares when they went out together — not of admiration, but unease. “The face is a big thing,” he said softly. “And for some people — not everyone — it can cause problems. I probably wouldn’t want my daughter to have to deal with that until she’s older.”
Then came the words that carried the weight of everything he’d been holding in:
“I wish that I had not gone as hectic as I did on my face.”
It wasn’t vanity speaking — it was compassion. He realized that his choices, though deeply personal, affected his little girl in ways he never intended. People would judge her father before knowing him. And for Ethan, that realization was the turning point. He wanted to change — not because of shame, but because of love.
That’s when he began the painful process of laser tattoo removal.
For over a year, Ethan has been enduring the grueling sessions of laser removal, focusing mainly on his face. “We do it in sections,” he said, “but I’ve probably gone over the full thing six or seven times.” Each flash of the laser feels like both punishment and healing — an intense, burning pain followed by a flicker of hope. It’s not just his skin being altered, but the identity he built around it.
More than appearance, his decision was about mental health. “I started getting it done because of the anxiety and stuff I was getting,” he explained. “Mental stuff is hard to pin down, but I want to believe that a lot of that anxiety came from having a face full of tattoos.”
For years, those tattoos had been both protection and prison. As a younger man, they made him feel powerful, different, untouchable — a way to control his image and escape vulnerability. But as time passed, they began to isolate him. People didn’t see Ethan anymore. They saw “ModBoy.” They saw the persona, not the person.
“I’m happy with the way I look,” he said, “but I’m also happy with the mentality that, over the next two years, my face tattoos are going to fade. I’m just clearing the canvas.”
That phrase — clearing the canvas — became his personal philosophy. He isn’t trying to erase who he was; he’s learning to make room for who he’s becoming.
At its core, body modification is about transformation — about reshaping identity. For Ethan, the removal process is simply another transformation, this time one that comes from within. “It’s funny,” he reflected, “because I spent all these years changing the outside, but the biggest change ended up happening inside me.”
Ethan’s story isn’t really about tattoos. It’s about how the pursuit of self-expression can sometimes turn into self-erasure when taken too far. It’s about realizing that identity isn’t fixed in ink — it’s fluid, evolving, and capable of rebirth.
Online reactions to his transformation have been divided. Some people see courage and growth, admiring his honesty and vulnerability. Others call him hypocritical or weak. But Ethan doesn’t waste energy defending himself. “People are going to say what they want,” he said. “I did what I did. I can’t undo it, but I can move forward differently.”
He knows the journey won’t be easy. Laser removal is slow, and some ink will always remain. But that’s okay. “I’m not trying to be spotless,” he said with a calm smile. “I just want to be comfortable again — in my skin and in my mind.”
What makes Ethan’s story powerful isn’t the ink itself or the regret that followed — it’s the honesty, the bravery to pivot when so many wouldn’t. Many people cling to their past choices out of pride or fear of judgment. Ethan chose humility instead. He admitted he was scared. He admitted he wanted change. And he admitted that, for the first time, he just wanted to be seen — not as a symbol, but as a man.
His journey is a reminder that self-expression, while beautiful, can also become a trap if we forget our reasons for doing it. The line between confidence and concealment is far thinner than it appears.
Today, Ethan continues his transformation — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. His skin tells two stories now: one of who he was, and one of who he’s becoming. Each faded tattoo marks not loss, but growth — a quiet step toward peace and authenticity.
As a father, his purpose has shifted entirely. His daughter doesn’t care about the tattoos or the opinions of strangers. To her, he isn’t “ModBoy.” He’s just Dad. That truth, more than anything, gives him strength to keep moving forward — to keep clearing the canvas.
“I’m happy,” he said simply. “Because I’m not hiding anymore. This is just another part of me — another layer I’m learning to live with.”
And maybe that’s what transformation truly means — not becoming someone new, but finally coming home to who you were always meant to be, one layer at a time.