Pete Davidson’s Tattoo Removal Journey:
A Fresh Start What’s Going On? Comedian and actor Pete Davidson is in the midst of an extensive tattoo removal process, targeting over 200 pieces that once adorned his body. Illustrating this journey: He’s already spent approximately $200,000 and completed removal of around 30% of his tattoos, as of early 2025. The process began circa 2020, originally during the pandemic. It involves painful laser treatments (“burning off layers of skin”), followed by 6–8 weeks of healing per session, repeated around 10–12 times per tattoo. Davidson estimates that completing the full removal will take another 10 years and tens of thousands more in expenses. Why Is He Doing It? Davidson attributes his tattoos to a challenging period marked by substance abuse, emotional pain, and insecuritya “sad boy” phase he no longer wants to reflect. He wants a clean slate—one that aligns better with his sobriety, mental health journey, and evolving career, especially as an actor. Covering tattoos for roles was taking hours; removal frees him from that burden. What Tattoos Is He Keeping? Despite his sweeping removal efforts, Pete plans to retain two to three meaningful tattoos: His Hillary Clinton portrait, inked as a tribute to his admiration for her, especially after the 2016 election. Clinton even “checked in” when he began removing tattoos, and he assured her: **“Hillary stays.”** His Wu-Tang tattoo, symbolizing his roots and Staten Island pride. The Real Deal: Pain, Progress & Perspective Davidson doesn’t sugarcoat it—the removal is agonizing. He’s encouraged the public to think long and hard before getting a tattoo, warning how drastically feelings can change over time. Some fans on Reddit have praised his journey as both brave and inspiring: > “He spent 200k and does have access to the best equipment… it’s possible but Pete has an advantage.” “Pete Davidson paid a pretty penny to tone down his tattoos… marking a fresh start… he’s doing really well.”
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