Pete Davidson Describes 'Horrible' Tattoo-Removal Process and Says He's Only Keeping '2 or 3': 'Clean Slate'

Mar. 15, 2025

Pete Davidson.Photo:Steven Ferdman/WireImage; Virisa Yong/BFA.com/Shutterstock

Steven Ferdman/WireImage; Virisa Yong/BFA.com/Shutterstock

Pete Davidson gave an update on his tattoo removal during appearances onTodayandThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,saying the process is “horrible.“The comedian shared that, at one point, he had up to 200 tattoos and plans to keep only “two or three.“Davidson first shared he was embarking on the tattoo removal process in 2020.Pete Davidsonis making a big change.After accumulating amassive collection of tattoosover the years, the comedian and actor, 31, has decided to remove almost all of his ink.While promoting his new movieDog Manon the Friday, Jan. 31 episodeToday, Davidson opened up about the incredibly painful removal process.“It’s pretty terrible, so if anybody out there is watching and thinking about getting a tattoo, make sure you really want to get it,” he told hosts Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin while pulling up his sleeve to show the faded tattoos on his forearm. “It’s pretty gone.“When asked what inspired the decision, theSaturday Night Livealum replied, “I got sober and I saw myself in the mirror and I was like, ‘Nah. Who that?' I was like, ‘I got to change it up a little bit.'“Pete Davidson on the ‘Today’ show.NBCDavidson also spoke about his tattoo removal during a Wednesday, Jan. 30, appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.“I’ve been burning them off,” he told hostJimmy Fallon. “They’re almost gone.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Fallon, 50, then asked if the process was painful. “It’s horrible,” Davidson said. “It’s worse [than getting them]. They have to burn off a layer of your skin and then it has to heal for, like, six to eight weeks and you can’t get in the sunlight. And then you’ve gotta do it, like, 12 more times.“He then quipped, “So yeah, really think about thatGame of Thronestattoo you’re thinking of getting.“Pete Davidson walking the runway for Alexander Wang in 2019.Steven Ferdman/WireImageDavidson also shared that at one point he had “probably, like, 200” tattoos. “Yeah, I was sad boy,” he added.“It was a weird time,” the actor continued. “Everybody was getting tattoos, like, five years ago. Do you remember that?Post Malonewas like, ‘always tired’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, me too dude. I’m exhausted,'” referencing the rapper’sunder-eye inkbearing the phrase.Davidson plans to keep “maybe, like, two or three” of his tattoos, saying he’s “trying to clean slate it.““I’m trying to be an adult,” he added.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The comedian first announced that he was embarking on the tattoo-removal process in 2020 and confirmed the decision during a 2021 episode ofLate Night with Seth Meyers. At the time, he said that his budding film career prompted him topursue tattoo removal.Machine Gun Kelly and Pete Davidson at a preview of The Room @ Intuit Dome, Oct. 2024.Virisa Yong/BFA.com/Shutterstock"I honestly never thought that I would get an opportunity to act and I love it a lot,” Davidson told host Seth Meyers. “It takes, like, three hours — you have to get there, like, three hours earlier — to cover all your tattoos. For some reason, people in movies, they don’t have them that much.“On Oct. 23, 2024, Davidson showed off his faded ink at a preview of The Room at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. At the event, he posed with rapperMachine Gun Kellyand could be seen with mostly bare arms.

Pete Davidsonis making a big change.

After accumulating amassive collection of tattoosover the years, the comedian and actor, 31, has decided to remove almost all of his ink.

While promoting his new movieDog Manon the Friday, Jan. 31 episodeToday, Davidson opened up about the incredibly painful removal process.

“It’s pretty terrible, so if anybody out there is watching and thinking about getting a tattoo, make sure you really want to get it,” he told hosts Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin while pulling up his sleeve to show the faded tattoos on his forearm. “It’s pretty gone.“When asked what inspired the decision, theSaturday Night Livealum replied, “I got sober and I saw myself in the mirror and I was like, ‘Nah. Who that?’ I was like, ‘I got to change it up a little bit.'”

Pete Davidson on the ‘Today’ show.NBC

NBC

Davidson also spoke about his tattoo removal during a Wednesday, Jan. 30, appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“I’ve been burning them off,” he told hostJimmy Fallon. “They’re almost gone.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Fallon, 50, then asked if the process was painful. “It’s horrible,” Davidson said. “It’s worse [than getting them]. They have to burn off a layer of your skin and then it has to heal for, like, six to eight weeks and you can’t get in the sunlight. And then you’ve gotta do it, like, 12 more times.”

He then quipped, “So yeah, really think about thatGame of Thronestattoo you’re thinking of getting.”

Pete Davidson walking the runway for Alexander Wang in 2019.Steven Ferdman/WireImage

Davidson also shared that at one point he had “probably, like, 200” tattoos. “Yeah, I was sad boy,” he added.

“It was a weird time,” the actor continued. “Everybody was getting tattoos, like, five years ago. Do you remember that?Post Malonewas like, ‘always tired’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, me too dude. I’m exhausted,'” referencing the rapper’sunder-eye inkbearing the phrase.

Davidson plans to keep “maybe, like, two or three” of his tattoos, saying he’s “trying to clean slate it.““I’m trying to be an adult,” he added.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The comedian first announced that he was embarking on the tattoo-removal process in 2020 and confirmed the decision during a 2021 episode ofLate Night with Seth Meyers. At the time, he said that his budding film career prompted him topursue tattoo removal.

Machine Gun Kelly and Pete Davidson at a preview of The Room @ Intuit Dome, Oct. 2024.Virisa Yong/BFA.com/Shutterstock

Virisa Yong/BFA.com/Shutterstock

“I honestly never thought that I would get an opportunity to act and I love it a lot,” Davidson told host Seth Meyers. “It takes, like, three hours — you have to get there, like, three hours earlier — to cover all your tattoos. For some reason, people in movies, they don’t have them that much.”

On Oct. 23, 2024, Davidson showed off his faded ink at a preview of The Room at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. At the event, he posed with rapperMachine Gun Kellyand could be seen with mostly bare arms.

source: people.com