Lawyer beats heartbreak to become Vampire Woman – with extreme body mods

2022-07-26

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The woman who holds the world record for most body modifications receives a mixed response from onlookers.

While some cross the street when they look at her, others "worship" her like they would a diety.

Maria José Cristerna, 46, from Guadalajara, Mexico, is known as The Vampire Woman, or as she prefers, The Jaguar Woman.

READ MORE: Tattooist sick of being branded 'thug' slams discrimination as people judge ink

She has 49 body modifications in total, including fanged teeth, and a range of transdermal implants on her forehead, chest and arms.

It doesn't end there as she also has multiple piercings in her eyebrows, nose, tongue, ear lobes, belly button and nipples, and a split tongue and titanium horns on her head.

Implanted without the use of anaesthetics, Maria sees her body mods as symbols of courage and strength after suffering domestic violence during her first marriage.

“The horns I have are a symbol of strength. I had the fangs done because I loved vampires as a little girl and I changed the colour of my eyes so they were how I really wanted them to be,” she explained.

While some may be intimidated by her striking looks, the mother-of-four gives talks on domestic violence to women who have suffered the same ordeal as her in the city.

Her busy schedule also sees her travelling the world as a video jockey.

Having previously worked as a lawyer, Maria’s job as a DJ and owner of a tattoo studio and clothing boutique better aligns with her interests.

Having grown up in a deeply religious household in Mexico, she said she’s always felt different.

The tattoo enthusiast got her first piece of ink when she was 14 and now they cover approximately 96% of her body.

She added: “I am expressing beauty through my art for the world to see. God lives inside of me and I believe it is what I do daily for others and my actions that make me who I am, not how I look or my appearance.”

While she’s gained fame and notoriety because of her appearance, acceptance hasn’t always come easily.

In the early days, people from where she lived would cross the street when she walked passed and would make cross gestures as if she was the devil.

Others thought she was possessed or on drugs.

People used to fear her and were intimidated by her presence.

But thankfully now that’s all changed, with some people going as far as to worship her and take her blessings.

She’s even become a popular feature at tattoo festivals around the world and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has erected a wax statue of her in its museums.

Maria enjoys it when people look at her and says she is a product of her experiences in life.

Since she started working as a tattoo artist, she says, “Tattooing is my way of being immortal, of really being a vampire and not dying – by leaving my work on other people’s skin."

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The tattoo fan went on to say that she believes God lives inside of her and that it is her actions that make her who she is, not her appearance.

She believes that we all have the power to change the world if that's what we choose to do.

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Body Modification
Tattoos

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