Laser tattoo removal typically does involve some level of pain. That said, many say that it hurts less than they expected. It’s a common belief that tattoo removal is excruciating, yet most patients say that the sensation of removal is comparable to having a tattoo applied. A key difference is that laser tattoo removal is much quicker – most treatments take between 30 seconds and 10 minutes for completion. Pain associated with the laser light is typically described like an elastic band hitting the skin.