When you look at Rolf Buchholz today, it is hard to believe that he was once a completely ordinary office employee.

Originally from Dortmund, Germany, Rolf earned a university degree in telecommunications and spent many years working for a major IT company.

He was quiet and almost invisible. But beneath that ordinary exterior, there was always something more — a desire for freedom, self-expression, and the courage to break away from conventions.

He got his first tattoo after turning 40.

Then came his first piercing.

Then another.

And that was the beginning of a journey that would eventually make him a world-record holder.

Today, Rolf has more than 560 piercings, including over 170 on his face and 278 in his intimate areas.

His unusual appearance is further enhanced by a split tongue, subdermal horn-shaped implants in his forehead, and a body that is almost completely covered in tattoos.

All of this eventually earned him a Guinness World Record as the “person with the most body modifications.”

But for Rolf, it has never been simply about breaking records or shocking people with his appearance.

He describes body modification as a form of freedom and an art that he carries on his own body. In his view, he did not become a different person — he simply allowed the outside world to see more of the person he had always been on the inside.

And surprisingly, behind his intimidating appearance is an intelligent, friendly, and witty man.

He speaks calmly, smiles often, and is known for being approachable and easy to talk to.

Of course, his appearance continues to provoke very strong and divided reactions.

Some people look at him with admiration and fascination.

Others react with discomfort, disgust, or even fear.

In 2014, his unusual appearance caused an even more dramatic situation when he was denied entry into Dubai for what authorities described as “security reasons.”

According to Rolf, airport security even suspected that he might be…

a black magician.