Comedian and actor Pete Davidson has given fans a glimpse of his ongoing tattoo removal journey in new family photos shared nearly two weeks after he welcomed his first child. The intimate Instagram snaps, posted by his girlfriend, model Elsie Hewitt, show the 32-year-old cradling their newborn baby girl.
A Fresh Start: Sobriety and Transformation
The photos, shared on Sunday, show Davidson shirtless while spending quality time with his daughter, who was born on December 12, 2025. As he sat on a couch, the extensive tattoos that once covered both of his arms were shown to be mostly vanished, with some ink still remaining on his shoulders and chest. A second image featured Hewitt holding their baby, named Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson, who was swaddled in a pink blanket.
Hewitt captioned the post for her 1.1 million followers, "MY BEST FRIENDS." The SNL alum began the lengthy and costly process of tattoo removal back in 2020, a decision reportedly sparked by his commitment to sobriety. Sources indicate Davidson has paid around $200,000 to remove the ink.
The Candid Reason Behind the Removal
Earlier this year in January, a source told People magazine that the actor "just woke up one day and wanted them gone, and it's been a years-long process." A separate insider added that Davidson, who has been sober since September of last year, sought a "fresh start," which also included gaining twenty pounds.
Davidson has been openly candid about the challenging process. During a January appearance on the Today show, he admitted the removal is "pretty terrible" and advised viewers to be certain before getting inked. He lifted his arm to show the faded designs, stating, "It's pretty gone." Explaining his motivation, he said, "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.'"
In a later February interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers, he revealed he didn't initially grasp the time commitment, joking that by the time he's 40, the chest and back tattoos might finally be gone. He detailed that removing a single tattoo requires at least seven visits, with colour tattoos taking "forever." When asked if there was a particular tattoo he was happy to see go, he replied, "All of them," noting many were decided upon "before rehab."
Focus on Family and Continued Wellness
The birth of his daughter Scottie marks a joyful new chapter for Davidson, who has consistently prioritised his mental health. He has reportedly been sober for around a year and, in July 2024, checked into a wellness facility for treatment related to PTSD and borderline personality disorder. An insider told People that "Pete will often check himself into rehab to work on these issues," a practice he has been open about since first speaking publicly about his mental health struggles in 2018.
Following the birth, Hewitt shared her own update on motherhood, posting a selfie on her Instagram Stories with text that read: "to all the moms do u also just sit and stare at your baby and cry at how much you love them." She also humorously revealed she had to get a wisdom tooth removed the day after giving birth.
The couple, who attended a lavish baby shower in late November, announced their daughter's arrival last week. Hewitt's initial birth announcement post expressed their overwhelming joy: "our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025 scottie rose hewitt davidson... My best work yet, i am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief. - elsie. wu tang forever. - pete."
