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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Aimee Braniff Cree & Zahna Eklund

Woman gives herself 90 tattoos - including incredible inking on her own back

A tattoo enthusiast who has inked 90 of her own tattoos on her body has shown off her impressive full back tattoo - which she needled herself by bending her arms behind her to reach the skin.

Lyalya Lovis, 23, has over 100 tattoos in total, but estimates that she's inked around 90% of her drawings on herself. She loves working on her own skin because it's "fun" and much cheaper than paying for a session with another tattoo artist.

The woman confessed she got her first tattoos when she was just 13 years old, and they included the One Direction '1D' logo and the number 9 for football player Fernando Torres, which she has on her wrist.

Lyalya, from Moscow, Russia, said she "still loves" her first inkings as they held special meaning to her at the time, and insisted she isn't planning on slowing down when it comes to getting more tattoos or exploring other body modifications.

Lyalya Lovis tattooed her own back (mediadrumimages/@dtlowtck2tpiilw)
She has done all of the inkings on her back herself (mediadrumimages/@dtlowtck2tpiilw)

She said: "I remember how I looked at my father's tattoos in my childhood and I always wanted to get mine one day. So my dreams came true. I got my first tattoo when I was 13, so I was just a kid who wanted a tattoo.

"Once I started, I realised that I would not limit myself to one, I didn't think then that I would have face tattoos or anything but sure I knew I'll have ink all over my body. My first tattoos were 1D (One Direction logo) and 9 (Fernando Torres) on my wrist. It was cute and meaningful at that time and I still love them.

"My most recent tattoo I got about 15 minutes ago. It's a cute caterpillar on my face. It didn't hurt at all, it was nice. I can't count all of the tattoos I have gotten since I was 13 so I don't know a number.

"I would say about 90% of my tattoos I have done by myself. It's cheaper and more fun. I have a lot of tattoos and a few piercings. I want to do scarification, separate my tongue and get elven ears in the near future.

"The most painful thing was the tattoo on my nipples. The pain was really bad, but it did not deter me from getting tattoos obviously as I have had more since."

She has over 100 tattoos in total (mediadrumimages/@dtlowtck2tpiilw)
And has done around 90 of them herself (mediadrumimages/@dtlowtck2tpiilw)

Her tattoos have led her to receive some criticism in public, as Lyalya admitted she has been "judged" by people and had some even say "rude" things to her.

However, the woman insisted that people's opinions won't stop her from getting more tattoos, as they make her happy.

She added: "On the streets, people often say something rude, they judge. Sometimes someone comes up and says how cool I look and how much they like my tattoos, but there are fewer of them.

"Everything is simpler on the Internet, people are divided into two categories: you are so cool or you are so dumb. But that's okay, I understand where I live, I understand why people are so aggressive here.

"One day everything will change, I believe in it and I will leave the house without fear and unnecessary discomfort. I don't care about good comments as much as I don't care about bad ones. It's just someone's opinion.

"My mum doesn't care. She understands that it's my choice, my hobby, my therapy."

Lyalya also said she wants to encourage other people to do what makes them happy, even if it's something that society doesn't always approve of - such as getting tattoos.

"Do it. Don't be scared about society's reaction. It's your body. Your life. Do it," she said.

"When you do something extraordinary people will be confused and I like that. I often see how people themselves cannot understand whether my appearance attracts or repels. It's funny. I just want people to understand that tattoos have their own meaning for everyone.

"My tattoos are my memories, my art. It's a huge part of my life. It makes me feel alive."

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