Gulliford, a successful survivor of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has spent an incredible $70,000 on tattoos since starting his adventure in 2009. His recent TikTok short takes viewers on a sensory trip as he describes the experience of undergoing an eyeball tattoo, a feat that needed tremendous mental preparation.
Gulliford described the treatment as having high stakes, saying, “It was definitely high risk, high reward, especially since I’ve wanted it done for so long… and I’m still very happy with it three years later.”
He has spent over $70,000 on his distinctive style of self-expression, of which $10,000 is devoted to the modification of his eyes alone.
In Houston, Texas, Gulliford described the mental toughness needed the day of the eyeball tattoo and said, “It took me a long time actually on the day once I walked into the shop to even psych myself up to get it done.” In this non-traditional process, which is more like an injection or alteration than a normal skin tattoo, a needle is inserted into each side of the eyeball.
Unexpectedly, Gulliford disclosed that he intends to see the same tattoo artist the following month to improve his eye ink, demonstrating his dedication to pushing the limits of personal expression.
Among the many tattoos that cover his body, Gulliford proudly sports one that represents his successful fight against cancer. Every tattoo he has, from the first, a cross with the words “God First” on his chest, to the moving purple cancer ribbon commemorating his battle with Hodgkins lymphoma in seventh grade, narrates a tale of perseverance.
Gulliford recalled his health struggle that culminated in his tattoos, saying, “I had a massive lymph node expanding… I didn’t give it much thought. It was chemotherapy for around half a year. After that, I felt as though I had superhuman strength.”
In a 2019 interview with Inked, Gulliford revealed that when he first started getting facial tattoos at the age of 18, his mother wasn’t happy about it. Even though she finally came around to smaller face tattoos, her qualms were aroused as ink spread onto a larger canvas, leading her to intervene at tattoo parlors to try and discourage artists from doing larger facial tattoos.
Quest Gulliford’s unabashedly honest path of self-expression, characterized by victory over hardship, never fails to enthrall audiences, demonstrating that sometimes the most amazing tales are etched on our flesh.
