Pete Davidson Spends $200K on Tattoo Removal, Says He’s ‘Doing Really Well’ Since Getting Sober

Pete Davidson has invested a significant amount in his journey to remove his tattoos, spending a hefty $200,000 on the process. A source tells PEOPLE that the actor and former Saturday Night Live star, 30, has been undergoing tattoo removal for years after deciding he no longer wanted the ink on his body.

“He just woke up one day and wanted them gone, and it’s been a years-long process,” the source reveals.

In addition to the tattoo removal, Davidson’s transformation also includes a fresh start in his personal life. A second source shares that Pete has been sober since September, gaining 20 pounds in the process. “Things are going really well for him,” the insider adds. “Things are heading in the right direction, and he’s receiving excellent reviews for the movie.”

While promoting his new movie Dog Man on the Today show on January 31, Davidson openly discussed the painful tattoo removal experience.

Davidson, who began the tattoo removal process in 2020, explained that getting sober was a key factor in his decision to alter his appearance. “I got sober and I saw myself in the mirror and I was like, ‘Nah. Who’s that?’ I was like, ‘I got to change it up a little bit.’”

In July 2024, Davidson checked into a wellness facility after seeking treatment for PTSD and borderline personality disorder.

Pete Davidson Describes ‘Horrible’ Tattoo Removal and Says He’s Keeping Only ‘2 or 3’: ‘Clean Slate’

At a sneak preview of The Room at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, in October 2024, Davidson appeared with Machine Gun Kelly, showing off his nearly bare arms in a red FDNY T-shirt.

Davidson’s tattoos, which included tributes to past relationships and a portrait of Hillary Clinton, have been part of his public persona. However, he has expressed his desire to remove them since 2020, saying it was important for his career in acting. “I honestly never thought that I would get an opportunity to act and I love it a lot,” he said in 2021 on Late Night with 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.”

In a follow-up conversation with PEOPLE, Davidson shared that he hoped to finish the tattoo removal process by the time he turned 30. “I get my next treatment in a month or so.

Some of Davidson’s most notable tattoos include his “My girl is a lawyer” tattoo, referencing his former girlfriend Kim Kardashian, who passed the baby bar exam in December 2021. He also had the initials “KNSCP” inked, representing Kardashian and her four children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.

Davidson and Kardashian also shared a memorable moment during a 2021 SNL skit, leading Davidson to tattoo the names “Aladdin” and “Jasmine” along with an infinity sign to commemorate their kiss in the scene.