Meet Julia Gnuse — the World’s Most Tattooed Woman

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The lady who garnered the title of Illustrated Lady is covered in tattoos. Literally, she has covered 95 percent of her figure with different kinds of tattoos. This achievement has also earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Julia Gnuse the world’s most tattooed woman is, indeed, a very unique woman.

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This is Julia Gnuse

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Julia is an American woman from Flint, Michigan. When she was in her mid-thirties, she was diagnosed with the disease porphyria, and that became a turning point in her life.

The disease is signified by skin that gets wounded when the person is exposed to the sunlight. Porphyria can be inherited or happen spontaneously. King George III and Mary, Queen of Scots, suffered from the same disease. Vicent Van Gogh, the painter, is suspected to have had it as well. There are many famous personalities throughout history who have had this condition.

She has porphyria

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Julia researched about the disease after she was diagnosed as having the condition. She went to see many professionals for treatment. Sadly, the medical professionals could do little for her. The only medication available would affect her eyes. She was faced with a dilemma: take the medication and risk possible blindness or find another option.

She decided to talk to her friends. One of them was a plastic surgeon and brought up the suggestion of covering her body with tattoos. At first, she was reluctant to follow the suggestion, but she knew that it was one of the only ways to cover her skin. Julia got a tattoo on her leg. From that first experience with permanent body ink, she was hooked. Gradually, she got more and more designs to cover her different body parts.

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She now lives in the state of California. The tattoos have not been completely successful treatment. Some of her porphyria scars flare up in the sunlight and still give her horrible pain, but she is generally happy with her type of skin treatment. In total, she has spent $80,000 on her tattoos. They are all done by one artist and have taken five years to cover 95 percent of her body.

Julia has had one interesting life journey from being a regular girl to the most tattooed woman on the planet.

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