Seb Axel, 28, started experimenting with a more unique style around the age of 21, getting piercings and tattoos, dying his hair silver and wearing white contact lenses.
He estimates he has spent around £2,000 achieving the desired look, the finished result of which he says has led to nicknames like “demon boy”, “angel from above”, “alien” and “thing at the end of my bed”.
While he loves the gothic look, which is anime inspired, the Brighton-based man says he gets rather extreme reactions while out in public.
“Some people are absolutely freaked out by it [my look],” Seb, a project leader for a video game studio, told http://NeedToKnow.co.uk .
“I had people shriek at me in public both in good and bad ways.
“People run over and try to start a conversation with me.
“I once had a woman in her 30s tell me I was some kind of beautiful creature from another world – she absolutely would not stop talking at me for at least 10 minutes straight.
“I know a lot of people can’t handle the eyes.
“When I’m trying to be slightly more incognito, the trick is to never look at people – that’s usually the exact moment when people freak out.
“I don’t really mind if people think I’m scary though – I mean, to some extent that’s the point, right?
“One thing I’ve taken in my stride is if someone reacts or says something in a big way, then that means I’m doing a good job at being that thing.
“Sometimes an insult is actually just proof to me what I’m trying to convey is working.”
To date, Seb has had nose bridge and septum piercings, upper and lower lip piercings, hand and arm tattoos, dyed his hair silver, and taken to wearing white content lenses and acrylic nails.
He said: “People are just sort of lost for words.
“It can be kind of scary for me at times, I’ve had a few reactions from pretty big guys that seem a little rough around the edges and I can’t at all gauge if they approve or they hate my look.
“It’s almost funny to think some of these actually somewhat dangerous people are scared of me rather than the other way round, but it’s become par for the course.”
Despite the “huge” reactions he often gets, he insists the negativity doesn’t get to him – and even his loved ones have largely accepted his style.
Seb said: “I think my mum for sure had a lot of reservations about it in the start, but I think she has softened on the whole thing over time.
“My friends are a lot more supportive, a lot of which even encouraging me to go further and make it even more crazy.”
He also insists that he shouldn’t face any discrimination for his quirky style, adding: “I don’t want alternative fashion styles to be limited to people who are problematic or mentally unstable or crazy or anything like that.
“It can and should be for anyone that wants it.
“I want to be proof that you can be good, well rounded, have a great career, friendly, approachable, healthy, fit and make a positive effect on the world, despite looking like an absolute mental case.”
Looking to the future, Seb has plans for more modifications.
He said: “I would absolutely love to get a split tongue – for me, that’s just the most cool extreme body mod, it’s so unique and you don’t see it often.
“Along the same lines I would love to get permanent fangs – I feel like stuff in your mouth just feels really intense and to combine the two would be insane.
“I also want to cover most of my body in tattoos, other than perhaps my face as I don’t think that fits the aesthetic.”
