A transgender former banker claims to be the first and only person to have both ears cosmetically removed as part of her ongoing quest to become a 'dragon'.

Born Richard Hernandez in Maricopa County, Arizona, the 55-year-old has undergone a number of painful procedures over the past few years including nose modification, tooth extraction and eye colouring.

She also has a forked tongue and a full-face tattoo as part of her transformation into a 'mythical beast'.

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Dragon lady: Tiamat is November 2012, before undergoing nose and ear surgery. She has had extensive cosmetic treatments and body modification, including facial tattooing and 'horns' on her forehead (pictured)

Dramatic transofrmation: Tiamat before (left) and after (right) her reptilian nose procedure with scarring

Richard Hernandez and his son Marcos Hernandez in April 1997, virtually unrecognisable before the surgery

Now going by the full name Eva Tiamat Baphomet Medusa - or Tiamat for short, the name of a dragon video game character - she has taken on several personas over the years and undergone multiple stages of transformations before finally settling on becoming a dragon.

She has also had horns implanted onto her forehead, and tattoos and scarification on her face and chest that resemble reptilian scales.

The whites of Tiamat's eyes are stained green, giving her what she calls her 'Medusa green eyes of death'.

She now likes to be known as the Dragon Lady and describes herself as a mythical beast.

Tiamat in 2015, with his modified nose and ears. Also visible are her forehead horns and facial tattoos

As he was: Richard Hernandez and his son, Marcos Hernandez in April 1997, before transitioning into a woman

Richard Hernandez before his transition, pictured with his 'Mama' Amalia C. Valdez in Texas (left) and in fancy dress in 1998 (right). Now living as a woman, she has not undergone full gender reassignment surgery

Before and after pictures of Tiamat's 'double Van Gogh' ear removals, which left her with prominent stitches

On her website, Tiamat explains: 'I am the Dragon Lady, A pre-op M2F (male to female) transgender in the process of morphing into a human dragon, becoming a reptoid as I shed my human skin and my physical appearance and my life as a whole leaving my humanness behind.

She adds that she wants to embrace her 'most natural self awareness as a mythical beast.'

Tiamat has a large Facebook following, has given interviews on YouTube to outlets specialising in body modification and regularly posts inspirational quotes.

On a recent photo of herself, she wrote: 'I don't care what people say about me or my views, and if I have to I will defy and stand alone against the world, but never will I make any compromise to my integrity.'

Painful: Tiamat before (left) and after (right) her reptilian nose modification, with visible stitching. The procedure was carried out by professional body modification artist Emilio Gonzales in April 2015

Human reptile: Tiamat shows off her snake tattoo on her arm, part of her dramatic'dragon' transformation

Tiamat in February 2016: In recent years she had her ears removed as part of her quest to become a 'dragon'

Tiamat with her 'Metamorphosis Team' tattoo artists, Rick Moreno (right) and Drew De la Fuente (left) at the New York Tattoo Convention. Her 'horns' are visible on her forehead but her ears and nose are still intact

Dragon lady: Tiamat (right and centre) with friends at the New York Tattoo Convention in June 2013

Tiamat shows off her horns, tattoos and newly-modified ears in a recent photo taken in February 2016

On another, she wrote: 'I am what I am. I am my own special creation.'

Despite not having undergone gender reassignment surgery, she says she is dealing with some 'serious gender dysphoria' and 'loves' her 36B chest.