Pete Davidson recently revealed the “brutal” consequence of his $200,000 tattoo removal journey, which he began in late 2020.
The comedian, who once had over 200 tattoos, has been working on getting them removed in a journey that has come not only with a hefty price tag but also a lengthy recovery process.
His latest confession has sparked plenty of reactions from fans, with some offering advice they wish he had followed before getting inked in the first place.
Highlights
- Pete Davidson’s $200,000 tattoo removal journey has turned into a far bigger ordeal than many fans might have expected.
- The comedian explained that the main motivation for the removal was his acting career.
- Years after beginning the process, Davidson is still facing a long road ahead, despite already making significant progress.
“How does Pete Davidson have $200k to throw away like that?” one user questioned.
Pete Davidson began removing his nearly 200 tattoos as part of a major personal transformation
Pete Davidson began his tattoo removal journey in 2020, after accumulating around 200 designs across his arms, chest, neck, hands, and other areas.
In April 2025, Davidson told Variety he had already spent about $200,000 on the process, despite being only about 30% of the way through it.
The decision was partly driven by his acting career.
During a 2021 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, he explained that covering his tattoos for movie roles required him to arrive on set around three hours early to sit through makeup.
But there was also a more personal reason behind the transformation.
Pete has spoken about wanting a clean slate after getting many of his tattoos during a difficult period in his life, when he was struggling with a**iction and feeling unhappy with himself.
He has clarified that he does not dislike tattoos altogether and intends to keep two or three meaningful designs.
Still, getting rid of most of his collection has become a years-long commitment.
Davidson recently revealed the unexpected consequence of his painful tattoo removal journey
Davidson shared his latest update in an exclusive red-carpet interview with E! News at the New York City premiere of his upcoming film How to Rob a Bank on Tuesday, November 10.
The actor attended the premiere alongside his co-star Nicholas Hoult, where the conversation turned to his ongoing efforts to remove his tattoos.
When the reporter complimented him on the process and asked how it was going, Pete did not sugarcoat the experience.
“It’s brutal,” he told the outlet, adding, “I’ve only been wearing sweaters for, like, six months, so you don’t know what’s going on under there.”
The comedian also left room for a possible change of heart about tattoos, teasing, “You never know, they might come back.”
Davidson's latest comments prompted a wave of reactions online, with some people joking that the comedian could have avoided the entire ordeal by simply not getting the tattoos in the first place.
One netizen wrote, “Pro tip: when you don't get tattoos, you don't have to regret them later.”
Netizens had plenty to say about the comedian spending so much money to remove the tattoos he had once chosen to get
“Next time just use a drawing pad and Sharpie and not your body,” remarked a third.
Others expressed, “If those were my tattoos, I would remove them too!”
One comment read, “Once you get a tattoo, it’s incredibly difficult to remove, wishing him the best of luck.”
Another user quipped, “No one ever accused him of making good life decisions. I guess I just saved $200,000.”
Although Pete has described the procedure as “burning off a layer of skin,” laser tattoo removal works by sending concentrated pulses of light into the tattoo pigment.
The laser breaks the ink into smaller particles, which the body's immune system gradually clears away.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, multiple treatment sessions are usually needed, with time between appointments for the skin to heal and the body to remove the fragmented pigment.
The number of sessions depends on factors such as the tattoo's size, color, and ink depth.
Tattoos are primarily removed through laser treatment, a process that could take Pete several more years to complete
Davidson previously explained that each of his tattoos could require around 10 to 12 sessions, with six to eight weeks of healing between treatments.
He has also described the pain as a “10 out of 10” and compared the sensation to putting his “arm on a grill.”
In a 2025 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he revealed that his arms could become so swollen and sore for around three days after a session that he struggled to use them.
He also said he sometimes needed to be put under anesthesia to undergo more extensive treatments.
The comedian has estimated that the entire process could take around 10 years, meaning the journey he began in 2020 may continue for several more years.
While his arms, hands, and neck have become considerably clearer, he has said his torso and back still need attention.
“Next time Pete, buy a pen and a pad of paper instead. That's a lot of money to remove tattoos!” one netizen wrote
