Of all firsts in the world of body modification, very few come close to Elaine Davidson’s 15,000 body piercings.
Davidson, a Brazilian-born former nurse now based in Edinburgh, holds the Guinness World Record as the most pierced woman on Earth, a title she has fiercely defended for more than two decades.
Her journey began in 1997 and quickly drew attention.
In May 2000, Guinness World Records confirmed she had 462 piercings, including 192 on her face.
By 2001, the total had risen to 720, and in 2003, she was recognised with a Guinness lifetime record for an astonishing 4,225 piercings.
The numbers have only climbed since. By 2023, Davidson claimed to have reached 15,000 piercings, carrying around five kilograms of jewellery, according to her official website.
Many of these are internal, a detail that has fuelled international fascination and headlines. She has also declared her ambition to reach 20,000.
On its website, Guinness World Records describes Davidson vividly.
“The former restaurant owner is constantly adding and replacing jewellery, mostly in her face. She enhances her exotic looks with tattoos and brightly coloured make-up, and often wears feathers and streamers in her hair.”
The records organisation noted that during its 2000 examination, she had: 192 piercings on her face and tongue, 56 across her body, including stomach, breasts, and hands, and 214 in the pubic area.
Davidson’s theatrical persona has only amplified her notoriety.
She insists she experiences no pain from her piercings, never removes her rings and studs, and even sleeps with them intact.
“However, while she is travelling the world, she must remember to take her watch off when going through airport security scanners,” she writes on her site.
Her extraordinary talents extend beyond piercings: she can walk on fire, sleep on a bed of nails, and lie on broken glass.
Away from the stage, she is a familiar sight in Edinburgh, where she dazzles with glittering make-up, feathers, and elaborate costumes. She also works as a clairvoyant, offering tarot readings, palmistry, and fortune-telling.
Her record is closely rivalled by Rolf Buchholz, the world’s most pierced man, with 453 piercings — including 278 in his genital area — and 516 body modifications in total. Together, the pair represent some of the most extreme examples of body modification in modern history.