The $200,000 'Clean Slate': 5 Shocking Reasons Why Pete Davidson Is Erasing His 200+ Tattoos

The transformation is nearly complete, but the process has been brutal. As of December 2025, comedian and actor Pete Davidson is about halfway through a years-long, incredibly painful, and expensive process to remove the more than 200 tattoos that once covered his body, marking a significant personal and professional shift for the former Saturday Night Live star. What started as impulsive ink during a difficult period of his life is now a deliberate, multi-year commitment to a "clean slate," with the total cost estimated to be well over $200,000.

This major personal "glow-up" is not merely a cosmetic choice; it’s a profound reflection of his evolving mental health journey and a strategic move to advance his acting career, a decision he has openly discussed in recent interviews, providing fans with a rare and honest look at his progress and the intense pain involved in the laser removal sessions.

Pete Davidson: Complete Biography and Profile

Peter Michael Davidson is an American comedian, actor, and writer who rose to prominence as one of the youngest cast members on NBC's sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live (SNL). His career is characterized by a distinctive brand of self-deprecating, confessional, and often dark humor, frequently drawing on his own life experiences.

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• Full Name: Peter Michael Davidson
• Born: November 16, 1993
• Birth Place: Staten Island, New York, United States
• Profession: Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer
• Career Highlights: Cast member on Saturday Night Live (2014–2022); Creator and star of the film The King of Staten Island (2020); Star of the Peacock series Bupkis (2023); Various stand-up specials and film roles like The Pick Up (upcoming).
• Notable Relationships: Has been in high-profile relationships with celebrities including Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale, Kim Kardashian, and Emily Ratajkowski.

The Multi-Year, $200,000 Journey: Current Tattoo Removal Status

The commitment to remove nearly all of his extensive collection of body art began in 2020 during the pandemic, and as of late 2025, the process is still very much ongoing. Davidson has been refreshingly candid about the timeline and the financial burden of the procedure.

The Painful Progress and Timeline

Davidson has stated that he is approximately 50% finished with the total removal of his tattoos. He has estimated that the entire process—which involves numerous sessions of laser tattoo removal—could take at least two more years to complete, pushing the finish line into 2027.

The procedure itself is so intense that the comedian has revealed he is often "put under" anesthesia for the sessions. This necessity highlights the sheer volume of his ink and the extreme pain associated with laser removal on such a large scale, especially on sensitive areas like his hands and neck.

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The Staggering Financial Cost

The financial investment in his "clean slate" is staggering. Davidson has openly admitted that he has spent over $200,000 on the laser treatments alone. This high cost is a testament to the sheer number of tattoos he accumulated, which included random, impulsive designs and tributes to past relationships.

This massive expenditure underscores his genuine commitment to the transformation, viewing it as an investment in his future rather than a frivolous expense.

5 Shocking Reasons Behind the Tattoo Erasure

While many celebrities get tattoos, few make the decision to remove a collection as extensive as Davidson's. His motivation is a complex mix of professional necessity, personal growth, and a desire to shed the skin of his past.

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1. The Time-Suck of Makeup for Acting Roles

The most immediate and practical reason for the removal is his burgeoning film and television career. Davidson explained that covering his tattoos for roles was a massive logistical headache. It would take a makeup artist three to four hours to conceal the ink on his arms, hands, and body before filming could even begin. He joked that it would be "easier to get them burned off" than to deal with the daily, multi-hour makeup chair commitment, a clear sign that the tattoos were becoming a liability in the competitive world of Hollywood.

2. Mental Health and Shedding a "Sad Boy" Identity

Davidson has been open about his struggles with mental health, including his past drug use and periods of intense sadness. He explained that many of the tattoos were acquired during a time when he felt "ugly and that I needed to be covered up." The ink was a form of self-expression during a period of emotional turmoil, and removing them is a symbolic step in moving past that chapter and embracing a healthier self.

3. A Desire for a "Clean Slate"

The comedian frequently refers to the process as getting a "clean slate." For someone whose body art was often a public record of his life—from relationship tributes to random pop culture references—the removal signifies a fresh start. It's a physical way of declaring his maturity and new focus on making "smarter choices" in his life and career.

4. Impulsive Choices He Now Regrets

Many of Davidson's tattoos were famously impulsive and sometimes nonsensical. He admitted that he was simply following the trend of his peers and making quick, regrettable decisions about his body. As he has matured, these random pieces of ink no longer align with his current personality or professional goals, leading to the decision to erase the evidence of those earlier, less-considered choices.

5. Professional Versatility and New Look

The visible results of the removal have already been showcased in recent public appearances and campaigns. With his increasingly ink-free arms and torso, Davidson has debuted a new, more mature look that has been widely praised by fans and critics alike. This lack of visible ink offers him far greater professional versatility, allowing him to be cast in a wider range of roles that don't require him to play only the heavily-tattooed "sad boy" archetype.

The Future: What Tattoos Will Pete Davidson Keep?

While the goal is near-total removal, Davidson has indicated that he will keep a few select tattoos. The ones he plans to retain are typically those with deep personal meaning that are not prominently visible on his arms or hands. These include a tribute to his father, a New York City firefighter who died during the September 11th attacks, and possibly a few others that hold significant emotional value.

This ongoing tattoo removal journey is more than just a celebrity anecdote; it's a very public and relatable story of growth, self-improvement, and the literal pain of shedding one's past to step into a new, more focused future.