Ever wonder why someone would spend a small fortune to erase something they once wanted permanently on their skin? Pete Davidson, the comedian we know from “Saturday Night Live,” has already spent over $200,000 removing his tattoos – and he’s only 30% done! What started as a way to save time in the makeup chair has turned into something much more personal for Davidson, who sees the removal as a fresh start after years of struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
The real price tag of Davidson’s tattoo removal
When most people think about tattoo removal, they might imagine it costs a few hundred dollars per session. But Pete Davidson’s situation is far from typical. With around 200 tattoos covering his body, Davidson has revealed he’s already spent a whopping $200,000 on the removal process – and that’s only about 30% of the work done. By the time all his tattoos are gone, experts estimate the total cost could exceed $600,000. That’s more than many people’s houses! Each tattoo requires between 10 to 12 painful laser sessions, with weeks of healing time between each treatment.
The expense isn’t just about the number of tattoos – it’s also about quality and safety. Davidson is likely working with top-tier specialists who use advanced laser treatment technology. While regular folks might pay $200-500 per session at a standard clinic, celebrities often choose exclusive doctors with private practices and premium equipment. Dr. Roy Geronemus in NYC, who reportedly works with Davidson, is known for treating other celebrities like Kelly Ripa and 50 Cent, commanding top dollar for his expertise and results.
Why Davidson started removing his tattoos
When Pete Davidson first announced he was removing his tattoos back in 2020, many thought it was purely for professional reasons. As an actor trying to land more roles, spending hours in the makeup chair to cover up tattoos before filming was becoming a massive headache. Imagine sitting still for hours while someone painstakingly covers every bit of ink on your arms, neck, and hands before you can even start your workday! For someone with hundreds of tattoos, this process was eating up valuable time and creating scheduling nightmares for production teams.
But as Davidson has opened up more about his decision, a deeper motivation has emerged. The comedian has been honest about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse over the years. Now sober, Davidson sees his tattoos as reminders of a darker time in his life – visual markers of a “sad person” and “drug addict” he no longer wants to be. Many of his tattoos were impulsive decisions made while he was high, without much thought or meaning behind them. Looking in the mirror and seeing these constant reminders wasn’t helping his recovery journey, so removing them became part of his path toward better mental health.
The painful and lengthy removal process
Getting a tattoo might hurt, but removing one is on another level entirely. Davidson has described the removal process as “pretty terrible” and “horrible” – and he should know, since he’s been enduring it for years now. Each tattoo requires multiple sessions, usually between 10 to 12 visits to completely remove. During each session, powerful lasers break down the ink particles under the skin, essentially burning off layers of skin in the process. The sensation has been compared to having hot grease splattered on you or being snapped repeatedly with a rubber band – except over larger areas of skin.
The pain doesn’t end when you leave the doctor’s office either. After each treatment, the skin needs time to heal – typically six weeks between sessions. That means for every single tattoo, the complete removal process spans over a year. With hundreds of tattoos to remove, Davidson estimates it will take him another 10 years to complete the process. He started in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he’s targeting his 40th birthday to be mostly tattoo-free. The comedian has to carefully schedule his removal sessions around his work commitments, making the whole process even more complicated and drawn out.
How Davidson’s sobriety influenced his decision
There’s a powerful connection between Davidson’s journey to sobriety and his decision to remove his tattoos. After getting sober, Davidson described looking at himself in the mirror and realizing he wanted to change his appearance completely. Many of his tattoos were connected to a period when he used drugs heavily and made impulsive decisions. In his own words, he got tattoos because he was a “sad person” and “drug addict” who felt the need to cover himself up. Now clean and sober, those permanent reminders on his skin no longer represent who he is or who he wants to be.
For many people in recovery, removing visual reminders of their addiction can be an important part of healing. Davidson has spoken about how the tattoos don’t have meaningful significance for him anymore. Instead of keeping art that reminds him of tough times, he’s choosing to literally erase the past from his body. This physical transformation mirrors his internal transformation through sobriety. Though the removal process is expensive and painful, Davidson sees it as an investment in his mental health and wellbeing – a way to “start fresh” without constant visual reminders of his struggles appearing every time he looks in the mirror.
The specific tattoos Davidson has removed
While Davidson once had around 200 tattoos covering his body, he’s made significant progress removing them, especially those on his arms, hands, and neck – the most visible areas when he’s acting or appearing in public. These areas are now almost completely clear of ink, a dramatic change for someone once known for his heavily tattooed appearance. Among the removed tattoos was a bunny ear mask that represented his ex-fiancée Ariana Grande, which he got during their whirlwind relationship. Relationship tattoos often become prime candidates for removal after breakups, and Davidson is no exception.
Other tattoos that have been or are being removed include ones of Winnie the Pooh and Hillary Clinton, showcasing the random nature of many of his ink choices. Davidson hasn’t specified which, if any, tattoos he plans to keep, though he’s hinted he might maintain a few that hold genuine meaning for him. The comedian has showcased his progress publicly, even appearing in a shirtless ad campaign that highlighted the results of his removal journey so far. For fans who knew him with full sleeve tattoos, the transformation has been striking, with many commenting on how different he looks.
Modern tattoo removal technology
The tattoo removal technology Davidson is using has come a long way from the harsh methods of the past. Today’s laser removal uses specialized equipment that targets specific ink colors without causing as much damage to surrounding skin. The most advanced systems, like the PicoWay laser, break down ink particles into tiny fragments that the body can then naturally remove. These newer technologies can be more effective and less damaging than older methods, though they’re still not pain-free by any means. The advanced technology comes with a higher price tag, contributing to Davidson’s massive bill.
Despite having access to the best technology, Davidson has described his experience as extremely uncomfortable. This raises questions about whether he’s using the most cutting-edge methods or if his tattoo situation is particularly challenging. Some tattoo colors are notoriously difficult to remove – blues, greens, and yellows often take more sessions than black ink. The location of tattoos also affects removal speed, with areas further from the heart taking longer to clear because of slower blood circulation. Davidson’s tattoos on his torso and back – areas he hasn’t yet focused on removing – may prove even more challenging than those he’s already tackled on his arms.
Davidson’s advice for others considering tattoos
After experiencing the pain, expense, and inconvenience of tattoo removal firsthand, Davidson has some straightforward advice for anyone thinking about getting inked: make sure you really want it. He’s learned the hard way that what seems like a good idea at 20 might not feel the same at 30. The comedian now understands that permanent body art should ideally have meaning and significance, not just be the result of impulsive decisions or passing phases. His experience serves as a cautionary tale about the long-term consequences of tattoo choices, especially for young people who might not consider how their feelings might change over time.
Davidson isn’t saying all tattoos are bad – just that people should think carefully before getting them. For those who already have tattoos they regret, his experience shows that removal is possible, though it comes with significant costs in terms of money, time, and physical discomfort. Some tattoo artists now recommend starting with less visible areas or considering temporary tattoos first to test out designs before committing. For those inspired by Davidson’s journey who are considering removal, it’s worth researching modern laser technologies that might offer more comfortable experiences than what he’s described.
Pete Davidson’s journey shows that sometimes moving forward means letting go of the past – even when it costs $200,000 and years of painful treatments. While most of us won’t face such an extreme situation with our own body art, his story reminds us that our choices today can have lasting impacts tomorrow. Whether you have tattoos you love, regret, or are thinking about getting your first one, Davidson’s experience offers a powerful reminder about the true meaning of “permanent” – and that even permanent things can change, though not without significant effort.
