Over the last few months, comedian and actor Pete Davidson has been rather vocal about his tattoo removal process. The 31-year-old SNL alum has over 200 tattoos that cover the majority of his body and first opened up about the removal process in January 2025, claiming that he was prompted to start removing his ink after becoming sober and realizing he needed to make some changes.
Now, during a recent interview with Variety, Davidson gave fans more of an inside scoop into not only how the process is going, but also how much money he’s invested in the removal process. The staggering price is only set to increase as Davidson admitted he still has a ways to go before he’s done.
Talking to VarietyDavidson shared that he decided to gradually remove his 200 tattoos during the pandemic. When asked how much the procedure has costed him, Davidson seemed to acknowledge that it’s been a rather hefty cost.
“It’s a pretty uncomfortable amount of money to disclose,” he told the publication. “I’ve already spent like $200K, and I’m like 30% done. So, like, it’s gonna suck. Now that I’ve said (the tattoo remover’s) name, though, he’s a little nicer, for sure.”
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“I started during COVID in 2020, and it’s gonna take me another 10 years. My arms are pretty much gone, and my hands and neck are gone,” Davidson explained. “But I still have to do my torso and back. It was really just because I wasn’t taking care of myself.”
As for the pain, Davidson claimed that it really isn’t for the faint of heart, describing it, “like putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer.” However, it seems he’s truly dedicated to getting it done. He pointed out that it was truly the start of his new chapter in life, after getting sober and realizing that the number of tattoos he had just didn’t match the image he was now trying to curate of himself.
“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. “So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain.”
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Davidson first started the removal process back in 2020. The comedian really had a variety of tattoos, from a portrait of Hillary Clinton to one of Winnie the Pooh. But for him, it was all about wanting to move on from the dark part of his past when it came to substance abuse.
“When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a (expletive) drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back,'” Davidson said. Despite the pain of this journey, Davidson is committed to sharing it with the public, especially the younger generation.
“I really feel bad for this crop of people because I have anxiety, and when I grew up, it was just flip phones, and it was pretty awesome,” he said. “But the kids today, they don’t even have a shot. They don’t even have a shot. So I just hope it changes and enough people revert backwards a little bit.”
Davidson has been sober since September 2024 and was spotted back in July 2024 seeking mental health treatment. The “King of Staten Island” star has always been vocal about his addiction struggles and his mental health. While the physical reminders of his past may be fading from his body, Davidson’s willingness to speak about both the painful and healing aspects shows that no matter what stage of life you’re in, transformation and change are always possible.
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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
