Credit: @the_black_alien_project/Instagram
‘Black Alien’ Shares Unrecognizable Teenage Throwback Photo From Before Extreme Transformation
‘Black Alien’ has shared a completely unrecognizable photo from when he was a teenager, long before he began embarking on one of the most extreme body transformation journeys in history.
The French body modification artist’s real name is Anthony Loffredo, but he is better known by his online persona ‘Black Alien’ – and it’s not hard to see why.
During the past decade, Loffredo has dramatically changed his body using tattoos, implants, scarification, and surgical procedures.
His transformation has captivated millions of people online while prompting fierce discussions about identity, bodily autonomy, and how far self-expression should go.
Now, photographs showing Loffredo before his transformation have resurfaced, leaving viewers stunned by his former appearance.
How Black Alien’s transformation began
Born in Montpellier, France, Loffredo reportedly started experimenting with body modification while in his mid-twenties.
Before attracting worldwide attention online, he worked as a security guard.
Loffredo previously explained that it was during this period that he realized he was not living the life he genuinely wanted.
That discovery ultimately inspired him to launch what would become known as The Black Alien Project.
However, the project was never simply about collecting tattoos and piercings.
Instead, it developed into a deeply personal, full-body artistic transformation.
Loffredo has referred to his body as an ongoing work of art and regularly discussed his desire to make his physical appearance reflect the person he feels he is inside.
His modifications have since gone far beyond what most people typically consider body art.
Large areas of his body have been tattooed black, including his eyeballs.
Loffredo has also split his tongue, creating a forked appearance similar to that of a snake.
Other procedures have included the removal of parts of his nose and both ears, modifications to his upper lip, and the amputation of several fingers.
He has additionally undergone scarification and received implants designed to alter the shape and texture of his face and body.
These changes have made Loffredo one of the world’s most instantly recognizable figures within the extreme body modification community.
In 2026, he returned to the headlines after unveiling further facial scarification, despite previously announcing that he intended to stop making additional modifications.
Why the Black Alien Project ‘lost its meaning’
In late 2023, Loffredo surprised his followers by announcing that he was putting the transformation on hold.
Writing on Instagram, he said the project had required a huge amount of love, passion, determination, and strength but had eventually ‘lost its meaning.’
Loffredo explained that he never expected his journey to receive so much attention around the world and acknowledged that he did not always know how to cope with becoming so recognizable.
At the time, he said he no longer wanted to remove, add, or change anything else about his body.
His plan, he explained, was to complete the process of covering his body in black ink and then bring the project to an end.
However, more recent posts indicate that his relationship with body modification is still complicated, as fresh procedures and new stages of his evolving identity continue to generate interest online.
Loffredo has consistently defended his freedom to transform his body, although he has also admitted that his choices have affected his everyday life.
He previously revealed that finding employment has become difficult because of the way people respond to his appearance.
Loffredo has also described being stared at and judged by strangers, with some people apparently becoming frightened when they encounter him in public.
In previous interviews, he claimed that people have occasionally screamed or run away after seeing him.
Despite these reactions, Loffredo has emphasized that he is still human and believes people should talk to him instead of forming opinions based solely on his appearance.
He has also maintained that the transformation has made him feel more at ease in his own body.
Black Alien’s before photos leave people divided online
Loffredo’s extreme appearance has provoked strong and conflicting reactions for years.
Some supporters admire his willingness to challenge conventional ideas about art, identity, and individual freedom.
Others struggle to understand why anyone would willingly undergo such significant and irreversible procedures.
After older photographs of Loffredo reappeared online, many commenters expressed surprise at how conventionally handsome he had looked before beginning the transformation.
While some described the changes as sad, others argued that Loffredo’s happiness should matter more than the opinions of strangers.
One supporter said that, by the end of a documentary about him, they had stopped noticing his appearance because they felt they had seen the person beneath it.
Another viewer explained that although they could never imagine making similar choices, Loffredo appeared kind and comfortable with who he had become.
Loffredo has repeatedly challenged those who judge him without understanding his story.
In a Channel 4 documentary, filmmaker Arthur Bruel followed Loffredo to explore the person and reality behind the Black Alien identity.
During their conversation, Loffredo explained that people frequently misunderstand him because they concentrate entirely on his exterior.
He argued that it is impossible to know what another person is truly thinking or why they have chosen a particular path.
“You can’t judge someone,” he said. “No one knows what’s inside someone’s head, why they’re doing that.”
For Loffredo, his transformation is about more than simply provoking a reaction.
It represents his attempt to become the version of himself he believes he was always supposed to be.
Black Alien shares unrecognizable teen photo
Although the body modification artist has shared a number of old photos in the past, his followers are always left stunned when they catch a glimpse of him prior to his dramatic modification.
Now, the 35-year-old has shared a before and after shot on Instagram, dating back all the way to when he was just 13 years old.
In the caption, which has been translated from Spanish into English, he says: “13 years /35 years. A slave of body, of free spirit.
“Free is the race of poets. To choose is to be free. Everyone is free, everyone has their convictions.”
He added: “The story continues,” before confirming that his Black Alien transformation is 57 percent complete.
Related Article: ‘Black Alien’ Says He Used To Be A ‘Very Good-Looking Guy’ Before Extreme Transformation
Related Article: ‘Black Alien’ Is Considering Leg Amputation After Having Ears, Lips And Fingers Sliced Off
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