Pete Davidson says he has been wearing sweaters for about six months while continuing the lengthy process of removing his tattoos. The comedian shared the update at the New York premiere of How to Rob a Bank on November 10.
The 32-year-old spoke with E! News alongside co-star Nicholas Hoult. Their film, directed by David Leitch, opens in theaters November 13.
Davidson began the treatments in 2020 after accumulating roughly 200 tattoos. The work has continued as he takes on new acting roles, with appointments arranged around his filming commitments.
In an April 2025 interview with Variety, he said he had already spent around $200,000 and was only about 30 percent finished. At that point, he expected the remaining treatments to take years.
Pete Davidson Calls His Tattoo Removal Treatments “Brutal”
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Davidson kept the premiere conversation light, despite calling the removal process “brutal.” He joked that his sweaters left people guessing about what was happening underneath them.
He also joked about getting more tattoos: “You never know, they might come back.”
His progress was visible at CinemaCon in Las Vegas in April. Wearing a red T-shirt, Davidson showed arms that were almost free of tattoos, with faint outlines remaining where darker designs had once been.
Recovery Periods and Acting Roles Have Shaped the Process
During his January 30, 2025, appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Davidson rolled up his sleeves to show the results. He described removal as more painful than getting the tattoos in the first place.
He said the sessions involved six to eight weeks of healing, during which he had to avoid sunlight, followed by further appointments. As TheWrap reported, he urged viewers to think carefully about tattoos they might eventually want removed. He also said he hoped to keep only two or three designs.
The tattoos had previously created extra work on film sets. Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers in May 2021, Davidson explained that covering them for roles meant arriving three hours early. According to Us Weekly, he said he had not expected to have so many opportunities to act and had come to enjoy that part of his career.
His reasons were personal, too. In the Variety interview, Davidson explained that some designs reminded him of an unhappy period when he felt insecure about himself. Removing them was part of wanting a fresh start, rather than continuing to see those reminders whenever he looked in the mirror.
The Family Tattoos Davidson Plans to Keep
Some designs still carry particular meaning for Davidson. In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said he planned to keep tattoos honoring his parents, including his late father’s firefighter identification number.
His mother’s tribute has a more playful explanation. As The Independent reported, she had asked why he had so many tattoos but none for her. His answer was a design reading “MOMTATTOO,” which he said would stay.
Davidson has also added a tribute to his daughter, Scottie, whom he welcomed with Elsie Hewitt in December 2025. Her name appeared in vertical lettering near his left ear during his April 15 CinemaCon appearance, as Page Six noted in its coverage of his latest update.