Marisa LeRen differentiated herself from the rest of her Season 6 “Ink Master” competition by emphasizing her enthusiasm for fitness and self-improvement. One of the least experienced contestants, with only three years of tattooing work to her name, she joined the show — officially titled “Ink Master: Master vs. Apprentice” — specifically to compete against her mentor, Erik Campbell, to show that she was ready to be treated like a fully realized artist. LaRen would finish in 10th place in that 2015 season of “Ink Master,” a few slots below Campbell.
Following her time on “Ink Master,” LaRen found herself suddenly and seriously ill. Despite seeking out the opinions of doctors who ordered numerous blood tests and an endoscopy, she couldn’t get a definitive diagnosis. “I was unable to keep down solid food for a year,” LaRen told Inked. “I lost weight, couldn’t work out, I couldn’t even sweep the floor of the tattoo shop without almost passing out from over exertion.” After two years of illness, a doctor pinpointed LaRen’s ailment. “I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid,” LaRen said, which explained her stomach issues, as Hashimoto’s stops the production of stomach acid. Going untreated for so long left LaRen with a litany of health problems, including intolerances for many foods, gastrointestinal distress, hormone imbalances, and high cholesterol.
