DC man, 67, covers body head-to-toe in ‘unified bodysuit tattoo’ because he doesn’t ‘want to die with regrets’

A Washington DC man has covered his body from head to toe with a ‘uniform bodysuit tattoo’ because he ‘doesn’t want to die with regrets’.

Drew Powell, 67, has spent more than $62,000 on ink and extreme body modifications after becoming interested in tattooed South Pacific warriors at a younger age.

But it wasn’t until he was in his 60s that he decided to embrace his own ink journey.

The retired telecommunications entrepreneur now has a uniform bodysuit tattoo that covers most parts of his body, as well as 23mm septum and nipple piercings.

“I have a Marquesan-inspired blackwork bodysuit tattoo that covers pretty much every part of my body except my hands, neck, head and face,” Drew said.

‘Starting [tattoos] Later in life I had some advantages,” he admitted, adding: “I got fully funded, I had the time, I knew exactly what I wanted and because I was a clean canvas I ended up with a uniform bodysuit tattoo’.

Due to responsibilities and the stigma surrounding tattoos and body modifications in Drew’s younger years, he was deterred from beginning his journey of self-expression.

“Eventually the world caught up with my way of thinking, so I decided it was now or never,” he said.

“I didn’t want to die with regrets.”

Drew revealed that he has a 23mm stretched septum that he punctured at age 13, but stretched until 2020.

‘I also have 8mm pierced nipples and various other piercings.

“The first time I saw images of tattooed Pacific warriors and indigenous peoples with cultural adaptations, I wanted them for myself,” he added.

And the tattoo enthusiast has shown thousands of people his love for the needle, spending hours in the chair and months to complete his inking work.

He said: ‘I’ve spent over $62,000 on tattoos and body mods.

‘It took 14 months to complete my tattoo bodysuit, which I did by getting tattooed in eight-hour sessions every two weeks.’

According to the tatt enthusiast, the total time for his bodysuit was 220 hours.

“All my life I wanted to be tattooed and customized, but until recently in the West these things were only done if you were crazy or a criminal,” he said.

“When someone asks me how many tattoos I have, I can honestly answer, ‘One.’ So I don’t have a favorite tattoo. My bodysuit in its entirety is my favorite tattoo’.

He also said that he can’t choose a favorite piercing because he likes them all, and that by transforming himself he “becomes more myself every day.”

And as for the pain, the brave man said the feeling is only temporary, but the lasting effects are well worth it.

‘There are two types of pain: the immediacy of piercing pain and the pain marathon that comes with tattooing.

‘My nipples were tattooed black and pierced at 4mm two weeks later. As far as piercings go, my nipples hurt the most.

‘My most painful tattoos were my breastbone, nipples, ribs, back of my legs just below my buttocks and feet.

‘With tattoos and body mods, the pain is temporary.

‘The aesthetic and pleasurable sensations last a lifetime.’

Drew shares his love for tattoos on Instagram (@septumdan) and has amassed over 1,000 followers, who are avid fans of his body art.

He says the response was overwhelmingly positive, with only the odd negative Nancy dropping her opinion.

His loved ones have also rallied behind him, although some family members initially found it difficult to accept his new normal.

“Most of the responses come from members of the tattooed and modified community.

“Sometimes non-tattooed/non-modified people leave negative comments, but tattoos and body modifications are something they will never understand or accept.

‘To each his own.’

“Remember that when you walk past people on the street, you never know what’s underneath.”

He admitted that it was initially difficult for some of his close family members to accept his new appearance, as he had spent the first six decades of his life without body art.

Drew says it has been a pleasure working with his tattoo artist Butch and that his ink work has opened up new possibilities for him.

“We both feel the same way about respecting indigenous cultures.

‘My bodysuit is all about cultural appreciation and the celebration of the world’s indigenous peoples.

“Being heavily tattooed and customized has also opened up other possibilities.

‘I am now an ambassador for Ink Models International, a British company that matches people with companies who want to advertise with tattooed individuals, as tattoos become increasingly accepted in society worldwide.’

He added: ‘I even occasionally do a human hook hanging, where large hooks are driven through my skin and then raised on ropes to fly through the air.

‘Suspensions, like tattoos and body modifications, are a kind of rite of passage, something that is missing in our Western, ‘instant gratification’ society.

“It’s quite liberating and better than waiting to die while rocking on the porch.”

‘For anyone who has thought about getting a tattoo or piercing… Just do it.

‘Life is really too short!’

Drew’s appearance isn’t the only transformation he’s undergone either, as ten years ago he weighed just 21 stone and claims his health was deteriorating.

He lost a whopping eight stone and says he is now loving life while being heavily tattooed and customized.

It comes after a heavily tattooed TikTok user and cancer survivor went viral after revealing his full body inking and shockingly painted eyeballs.

Quest Gulliford, who beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has spent $70,000 on tattoos since he started getting ink in 2009.

His tattoo artist from Houston stuck a needle into all sides of his eyeball to blacken them.

“It’s not really a tattoo on your skin, it’s more of an injection or adjustment,” he said.