Esperance Fuerzina, an army veteran from Connecticut, has achieved something truly remarkable—she is now the most tattooed woman in the world. What started as a small tattoo has led to a transformation where 99.8% of her body is covered in tattoos. She views her tattoos as a way of turning darkness into beauty, using her skin as a canvas to document her life experiences.
Her tattoo journey didn’t happen overnight. It all started during her time in the military when she carried only the essentials. Instead of keeping photo frames or souvenirs, Esperance decided to carry her memories on her skin. Growing up in a military family, she moved frequently and lived in places like Japan, which made tattoos a meaningful way to hold onto moments of her life.
As Esperance’s tattoos expanded, they covered her entire body—from her scalp to the soles of her feet. The tattoos aren’t limited to typical spots; they extend to her eyelids, eyeballs, gums, tongue, and even her genitals. But that’s not all—Esperance also has 89 body modifications, which earned her a second Guinness World Record.
Her journey of transformation began in 2014 when she made the decision to split her tongue. This led to further modifications, including 15 subdermal implants and facial piercings. She has also undergone some extreme changes, such as removing her nipples and injecting ink into her split tongue and inner labia.
Esperance embraces her unique look and doesn’t try to meet traditional beauty standards. She recognizes that her appearance can be controversial but feels it’s liberating to live outside societal expectations. Her first tattoo, at 21, was a small symbol, but later she covered it with a bold Phoenix design. Since then, she has focused on creating cohesive and larger tattoos, a goal she is still working towards.
Though she’s in the spotlight now, Esperance is not finished yet. She remains excited about her future designs and is grateful for the recognition she has received.
