Chinese Man Covered in Tattoos on Entire Face... "Wants a Normal Life" Begins Removal

Difficulties in ID Renewal and Employment
Some Stop Due to Heart Issues During Removal

A man who had tattoos all over his face is reportedly removing them after six years due to employment issues and other reasons.

A Chinese man who had a skull-shaped tattoo covering his entire face revealed that he is having it removed due to employment issues. Photo by South China Morning Post (SCMP), Hong Kong.

On the 3rd, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Xiao Long (24) from Liaoning Province, China, had been tattooing his face, neck, limbs, and left eye sclera since 2018, but started tattoo removal last year after six years. Xiao Long said, "At that time, I was rebellious," and added, "I used tattoos as a means to express my unhappiness."

However, Xiao Long reportedly experienced conflicts with his family after getting tattoos. He was insulted by anonymous users on social networking services (SNS), and faced difficulties in everyday tasks such as renewing his ID or facial recognition, as well as in finding employment. Ultimately, Xiao Long decided to delete his SNS accounts, remove all his tattoos, and make a fresh start.

He began tattoo removal starting with the tattoos on his hands in October last year by visiting a specialist in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, Shanghai, and attempted to remove the facial tattoos on the 18th of last month. During this process, Xiao Long experienced severe pain and had to temporarily stop the procedure due to heart problems. The tattoo removal specialist in charge of Xiao Long said, "This is one of the most difficult tattoo removal cases I have ever handled."

Xiao Long said, "I deeply regret getting the tattoos now. What seemed cool at the moment does not last in the long term," and added, "I just want to live an ordinary life again."

Local netizens who read his story responded coldly with comments such as, "Tattooing the face was something criminals did in ancient China. Why would someone do this to themselves?" and "Just foolishness. Tattoos permanently ruin your appearance." However, there were also voices supporting Xiao Long's new start, saying, "Good luck with your new beginning."

Meanwhile, in China, tattoos are prohibited for national athletes and some public officials. Authorities regulate that national athletes with existing tattoos must remove or cover them during training and competitions. In Chinese culture, tattoos have traditionally been viewed as inappropriate or immoral and are often seen as symbols of socially marginalized people.