Laser regulation by state

Some states have taken a position on who can and cannot perform laser hair removal. This is usually determined by each state's state medical board, and in some cases the barbering and cosmetology board. States without listed regulation have not been confirmed at the time of this writing.

Please note that this information is subject to change and is not a substitute for confirming the most up-to-date version of your state's laws.

State	Use of laser limited to	Source
Alabama	Physicians or under direct supervision of physician only
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California	Physicians; RN or physician's assistant working with physician
Colorado	Personal and responsible supervision of a licensed physician
Connecticut	Supervision, control & responsibility of a licensed physician; RN, LPN, Physician's assistant, and paramedic
Delaware:	Physicians only
Florida	Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certain physician assistants under the direct supervision of physicians
Georgia
Hawaii	Physicians only
Idaho
Illinois	Only physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches or, a physician's assistant or advanced practice nurse working under a physician's direct on-site supervision
Indiana	Physicians only
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky	Physicians only
Louisiana	Allied health professional under direct supervision
Maine	Physicians only
Maryland
Massachusetts	Skilled professional or non-professional under the direct supervision, control and responsibility of an on-site physician
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi	Physicians only
Missouri	"wholly unregulated in Missouri. There are no statutes or regulations governing laser hair removal treatments."	Mitchell v. McEvoy (2007)
Montana	Physicians only
Nebraska	Physicians only
Nevada
New Hampshire	Physicians only
New Jersey	Physicians only
New Mexico	Physicians only
New York	Practice of medicine and may only be performed by an individual apprpriately licensed
North Carolina	Licensed practitioner with appropriate medical training function under supervision, preferably on-site, of a physician or by those categories of practitioners currently licensed by thew state to perform surgical services
North Dakota	Physicians only
Ohio
Oklahoma	Physicians or under direct supervision of physician only
Oregon
Pennsylvania	Physicians or under direct supervision of physician only
Rhode Island
South Carolina	Physicians or under direct supervision of physician only
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas	Supervision of a licensed practitioner with medical training
Utah	Supervision of a licensed health care practitioner acting within the scope of the licensee's license.
Vermont
Virginia	Professions whose license permit such use
Washington	Practice of medicine. “as such, laser can only be used by certain licensed health professionals.”
West Virginia
Wisconsin	Physicians or under direct supervision of physician only
Wyoming

 

Source: State law websites, laser practitioners, American Electrology Association

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