Julia Gnuse
American woman who had 95% of her body covered in tattoos From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julia Gnuse (guh-NOO-see) (January 18, 1955 - August 11, 2016), commonly known by the nickname The Illustrated Lady or The Irvine Walker, was an American woman who had 95% of her body (including her face) covered in tattoos[1] and held the Guinness Record for being the most tattooed woman in the world.[2] In her mid-30s, Gnuse developed porphyria, a condition in which sunlight results in blistering of the skin.[3] As the blisters often result in scarring, she began getting tattoos as a way to cover up the scars, which can get as deep as third degree burns.[4][5] A friend of Gnuse's who was a plastic surgeon had suggested she get her skin tattooed in a pale skin tone color, similar to the color of her scars. This was attempted but didn't turn out the way they had hoped.[5]
Julia Ann Gnuse | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 18, 1955 |
| Died | August 11, 2016 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | most tattooed woman in the world |
The tattoos did not prevent the skin from blistering[6] as they were purely aesthetic. Instead, she decided to try colorful tattoos, consisting of a variety of themes, including her favorite cartoons, her favorite actors and even a self-portrait.[citation needed] Gnuse appeared on the TV show Ripley's Believe it or Not!.[7] She also had a small role in Aerosmith's music video for their song "Pink".[8]
In her last year she started to go through laser treatment to get all of her tattoos removed.[9]
She lived in Foothill Ranch, California,[10] and died on August 11, 2016.[11]
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