Tattoo Removal
For decades, tattoos have been a popular form of self-expression, and celebrities are certainly no exception. Actors, musicians, athletes, and reality TV stars have all made headlines for their body art over the years.
However, tattoos can evolve just like the people who wear them. Some celebrities have chosen laser tattoo removal after outgrowing older designs, changing careers, ending relationships, or simply deciding their tattoos no longer reflected who they are.
Here are some well-known stars who have shared their tattoo removal journeys and helped normalize the idea that it’s okay to start fresh.
When people think about actors getting tattoos removed, they might only consider one particular reason for removal: casting.
In May 2024, Josh Brolin shared his tattoo removal journey on Instagram with a post depicting a tattoo removal session at Removery. He wrote, “Thank you @removery for getting this bullsh*t off my back.”
Source: Josh Brolin
Since fully removing his back tattoo, Brolin has worn fake tattoos for movie roles, specifically the thrilled, Whalefall. Ironically, one of the faux tattoos was placed on his back in the same area.
Removing his older tattoos might not be the end of his relationship with real ink though. The Avengers: End Game star has hinted that new, higher quality ink is potentially in his future.
It’s nearly impossible to discuss celebrity tattoo removal without mentioning comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member, Pete Davidson.
Starting his lengthy removal journey in 2020, Davidson has fully removed about 30% of his 100+ tattoos with laser tattoo removal. The ink that previously covered The King of Staten Island star’s hands, neck, and arms are completely gone. Now, Davidson is focusing his $200,000 removal efforts on the lesser-visible areas of the body.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
In an exclusive interview with People, Davidson said, “When you’re young, you get stuff, and now I’m in my 30s and I’m like ‘Do I really need SpongeBob DoodleBob and all these weird, insane sketches on my back?”
Megan Fox is an icon of the 2000s, 2010s, and beyond for her movie roles and impeccable style. Throughout the years, her tattoos have served as tabloid headlines and conversation starters, along with the removal of them.
She is one of the earliest cases of celebrity laser tattoo removal, with her first treatment taking place in 2011 to remove a portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her forearm. Though she didn’t necessarily hate the tattoo, it posed a constant challenge for various acting jobs due to its placement on such a visible area.
Source: PopSugar
Other notable tattoos have also been removed over the last decade or covered up with new work, like her script tattoo to honor ex-husband Brian Austin Green.
Despite her extensive tattoo removal history, Fox has added new tattoos to her collection over the years, including a matching tattoo with ex-fiancé Machine Gun Kelly. The Jennifer’s Body star also debuted a full-sleeve tattoo in February 2024 at the Grammys.
Musician and renowned celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D is no stranger to the world of self-expression and personal evolution through the body art medium. In 2020, the former LA Ink star began “removing” unwanted ink through the newly popularized style: blackout tattooing. The technique involves tattooing larger patches of black ink on the body, typically to camouflage older tattoos in an eye-catching way.
Kat Von D’s tattoo removal journey did not stop there, though. She eventually started laser tattoo removal treatments to remove specific tattoos, such as the rose and lips on her neck. Kat Von D described the tattoo removal process as slow and painful, but she prides Removery on their ability to provide clean slates for those interested in one.
@katvond Thank you @Removery Laser Tattoo Removal ♬ original sound – Kat Von D
As of 2026, Kat Von D has covered nearly 80% of her body in blackout tattoos and is continuing laser tattoo removal at Removery.
Pharrell Williams ‘ tattoo removal history is a little unique compared to other celebs who also underwent the process in the early 2010s. The musician introduction to tattoo removal started with a skin graft, a surgical operation that takes skin from another area of the body to replace tattooed skin. Even though it isn’t a common tattoo removal method, it is a great alternative for smaller tattoos if one is looking for immediate results.
After his skin graft tattoo removal, Williams switched to laser tattoo removal.
Source: Getty Images / Pierre Suu
Kelly Osbourne is no stranger to tattoo removal, with her initial treatment dating back to the early 2010s. With 15 tattoos at the time, she felt nearly all of them were a “just because,” especially the inked piano on her forearm. The tattoos had no genuine meaning to them, and their existence served as a symbol of rebellion according to the former reality TV star.
In 2020, Osbourne shared updates on her tattoo removal journey through an Instagram post. The post showed off the current state of her keyboard tattoo and provided insights on her personal perception of tattoo removal pain. She wrote, “Who else knows how bad this hurts??? It’s 1000000000000 worse than getting the tattoo!!!”
Source: Kelly Osbourne
Like many people, tattoo removal is not necessarily an indicator of living a tattoo-free life. Kelly Osbourne has added a few more meaningful tattoos to her collection, including matching ink with her brother, Jack Osbourne, and a colorful floral ribcage piece.
Reality TV star and entrepreneur, Khloé Kardashian has sported a plethora of tattoos and tattoo removals. In 2017, Kardashian went public with her tattoo removal journey on Snapchat. The tattoo, a common 2000s lower back tattoo served as a tribute to her late father, Robert Kardashian.
Source: People
Despite the tattoo’s important meaning, Kardashian wanted the “tramp stamp” tattoo removed. “The end of an era,” she wrote on Instagram. “Got this bad boy when I was 16…Not so cute anymore.”
Though the removal was never publicized, The Kardashians star seemingly removed another tattoo around that time: her matching script tattoo with ex-husband Lamar Odom.
Rapper 50 Cent another pioneer of celebrity laser tattoo removal, starting treatments in 2010 to remove all of his tattoos. With removal technology still in its early stages, the process was lengthy and painful compared to laser tattoo removal today; but it was a total necessity for the rapper.
Amongst the career opportunities and personal style changes, 50 Cent removed his tattoos due to consistent skin irritation and discomfort in the tattooed areas of his body. Laser tattoo removal provides safe, effective relief for people experiencing allergy-like symptoms from their tattoos.
These celebrity tattoo removal stories show that outgrowing your tattoos is completely normal. As our lives, careers, relationships, and personal styles evolve, tattoos that once felt meaningful may no longer reflect who we are today.
Whether you’re inspired by a celebrity’s transformation or simply curious about the laser tattoo removal process, working with an experienced provider can help you safely begin your own journey.
Book a consultation with our experts to get started today.
We’re on a mission to give you the most straightforward, easy and efficient laser tattoo removal experience. Your estimate will be entirely bespoke to your tattoo; the size, the colors, the ink. It won’t take long and afterwards you’ll have a plan to finally get rid of your unwanted tattoo and get back to being you.
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