Who may operate a cosmetic laser in Maryland?
Oversight · part of The Practice Perimeter
Short answer
The cited rules do not settle this — they only exclude laser light–based hair removal from licensed esthetic practice; the nearest pathway given is a physician delegating a nonsurgical technical act to a trained assistant under direct or on-site supervision.
Providing esthetic services includes removing superfluous hair by the use of electrical, mechanical, or any means other than by the use of a laser light–based device.
Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §5-101(o)(1)(iii) · verified Sep 7, 2026 · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice
Related Maryland rules
A licensed physician who delegates shall: (1) Evaluate the risk to the patient and the outcome of the delegated acts; (2) Delegate only those technical acts that are customary to the practice of the licensed physician; (3) Delegate only those technical acts for which the assistant has been trained; (4) Be responsible for the acts of the assistant; and (5) Supervise the assistant.
Md. Code Regs. 10.32.12.03(A) (Standards for the Licensed Physician Delegating to an Assistant) · verified Sep 3, 2026
With on-site supervision a licensed physician may delegate to an assistant the preparing and administering of injections limited to intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular (deltoid, gluteal, vastus lateralis), to include small amounts of local anesthetics, and the establishing of a peripheral intravenous line. Microdermabrasion may be delegated without on-site supervision.
Md. Code Regs. 10.32.12.04(D)(1)(j), (D)(2)(a)–(b) · verified Sep 8, 2026
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Related Maryland questions
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- What must the supervising physician actually do in Maryland?
- Can a medical assistant give injections in Maryland?
- May an esthetician or laser technician perform microneedling in Maryland?
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