Pete Davidson's tattoo-removal journey has become one of Hollywood's most talked-about transformations. The 31-year-old comedian, known for his heavily inked body, revealed he has spent nearly $200,000 (£152,000) erasing around 200 tattoos in what he describes as a painful, years-long process.
The former Saturday Night Live star admitted the procedure has been far more difficult than expected, calling it 'a 10 out of 10' on the pain scale.
Davidson began removing his tattoos in 2020 after years of collecting designs that covered his chest, arms, neck and legs. He said the decision came from a desire to leave behind reminders of his past struggles and focus on a new chapter of his life.
From Regret To Reinvention
In several interviews, Davidson has been candid about how many of his tattoos were created during his younger, troubled years. He admitted that most were done during periods marked by addiction and depression.
'I used to be a drug addict and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up,' he told Variety, explaining that many tattoos now serve as reminders of a darker time.
'When I look in the mirror, I don't want the reminder of "Oh yeah, you were a f**ing drug addict. Like, that's why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back."'*
The comedian, who has been sober for several years, also cited career reasons for the decision. As his acting work increased, he realised the tattoos made film production more complicated.
In an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers in 2021, he joked that makeup teams often spent hours covering his ink before every shoot, making roles harder to manage. 'People in movies, they don't have them that much,' he said.
The Pain Behind The Process
Tattoo removal, especially at Davidson's scale, is not only expensive but also physically gruelling. The procedure involves repeated laser treatments that break down the ink pigments layer by layer. Davidson compared the sensation to 'putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer of your skin.'
Each treatment requires weeks of recovery, and the timeline depends on ink colour, placement and skin type. Davidson said he is only about 30% finished, with many sessions still ahead.
Fans have noticed his progress in recent photos with his girlfriend, model Elsie Hewitt, where his arms and neck appear nearly clear of ink. Images taken in 2025 show most of his visible tattoos faded or gone, although traces remain on his chest and shoulders.
The Tattoos He Refuses To Remove
Despite erasing nearly all of his tattoos, Davidson has confirmed that a few sentimental pieces will remain. Among them is his Hillary Clinton tattoo, which he once described as a symbol of admiration. 'Hillary's staying. I love Hillary,' he said jokingly in an interview with The Breakfast Club Power 105.1.
He is also keeping tattoos that hold deep personal meaning, including one dedicated to his mother, Amy Davidson, and another honouring his late father, a New York firefighter who died in the 9/11 attacks. His father's FDNY badge number remains permanently inked on his arm, a tribute he says he would never remove.
