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Pete Davidson is known for many things—his sharp comedic wit, his high-profile relationships, and, until recently, his extensive collection of tattoos. Over the years, the comedian and actor covered his body in ink, with nearly 200 tattoos marking different moments in his life. However, in 2020, Davidson decided to remove most of them, citing the lengthy makeup process required to cover them up for movie roles. Now, after years of painful laser removal treatments, he’s giving fans a glimpse of what he looks like without them.
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During a recent interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Davidson provided an update on his tattoo removal journey. He revealed that the process has been anything but easy.
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“They’re almost gone,” he shared, before explaining just how intense the removal process is. “It’s horrible. It’s worse than getting a tattoo.” He described how the procedure involves burning off a layer of skin, followed by a healing period of six to eight weeks—a cycle that has to be repeated dozens of times.
For someone who once embraced body art as a form of self-expression, the transition to a clean slate has been both physically and emotionally taxing.
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Davidson first announced his decision in 2020, explaining that his tattoos made filming more complicated. The hours spent in a makeup chair covering up his ink for film and TV roles became more of a hassle than they were worth. With an increasing number of Hollywood projects on his plate, he opted for a more professional and polished look.
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Beyond just the practicality of it, Davidson admitted that many of his tattoos were a reflection of a past version of himself. “I was a sad boy. It was a weird time,” he joked, acknowledging that tattoo trends were booming at the time.
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Referencing fellow tattoo enthusiast Post Malone, he laughed, “Post had ‘Always Tired,’ and I was like, ‘Me too, dude. I’m exhausted.'”
While Davidson has removed the majority of his tattoos, he isn’t saying goodbye to ink entirely. He revealed that he plans to keep two or three meaningful pieces, though he didn’t specify which ones cut. His goal? A fresh start and a more refined look. “I’m trying to clean slate it, trying to be an adult,” he said.
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As expected, fans had a lot to say about Davidson’s tattoo-free transformation. Some applauded him for making a decision that aligns with his career goals, while others expressed nostalgia for his heavily inked aesthetic.
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Fans sympathized with the pain of laser removal, with one user writing, “The way he describes it makes me never want to get a tattoo in the first place.”
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Pete Davidson’s tattoo removal journey is a testament to how people change over time—both in style and mindset. What once felt like a meaningful form of self-expression has now become a chapter of the past for him. While the process has been long and painful, Davidson seems happy with his fresh start, proving that personal evolution—even when it involves burning off layers of skin—is all part of the ride.
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