Pete Davidson reveals heartbreaking reason he decided to spend $200,000 'burning off' almost 200 tattoos

Pete Davidson has opened up about the reason he decided to fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars getting rid of more than 200 tattoos that used to cover his body from head to toe.

Having ink permanently etched into your skin isn't a move that should be taken lightly - not only because it can be an expensive process, but also because it usually means you'll have to spend the rest of your life looking at it.

Over the course of his 31 years on Earth, Davidson has covered himself with dozens and dozens of tattoos, including the word 'Davidson' down his torso and a little depiction of Winnie the Pooh holding a balloon.

The range of artwork wouldn't have been cheap, but in recent years, the comedian and Saturday Night Live star has been undertaking the arduous process of getting them all removed.

Davidson had almost 200 tattoos all over his body (Holland Rainwater/NBC via Getty Images)

In January, Davidson appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and said: "They gotta 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. Then you gotta do it, like, 12 more times."

It definitely doesn't sound pleasant, but Davidson has now opened up further about the reason behind his decision in a new interview with Variety.

Reflecting on his body art, Davidson said the tattoos now remind him of a different time in his life - of a 'sad person that was very unsure'.

He explained: “I used to be a drug addict and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up. So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain.

"When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a f***ing drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.’”

Davidson began the removal process during the pandemic, and has since had tattoos removed from his arms, hands, and neck.

Davidson expects it could take another decade before he's tattoo-free (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Since the process to remove each tattoo takes weeks, he expects it will take another 10 years before he's completely ink-free.

“It’s like putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer,” he said. “It sucks, I’m not gonna lie.”

In spite of the pain, Davidson said he's passionate about sharing his healing journey with fans, especially younger people who he believes are more vulnerable due to their exposure to social media and online dating.

“I really feel bad for this crop of people because I have anxiety, and when I grew up, it was just flip phones, and it was pretty awesome... I just hope it changes and enough people revert backwards a little bit," he said.

If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.