Who may operate a cosmetic laser in Virginia?
Oversight · part of The Practice Perimeter
Short answer
Only for laser hair removal (no rule for other lasers): a trained MD/DO — six subjects, 10 proctored cases, pre-8/7/2019 doctors exempt — may perform or delegate to a PA or NP, or others so trained, while readily available and personally seeing complications.
A doctor of medicine or osteopathic medicine may perform or supervise laser hair removal only on completing training in six named subjects: skin physiology and histology; skin type and appropriate patient selection; laser safety; operation of the laser device to be used; recognition of and response to potential complications; and a minimum of ten proctored patient cases with demonstrated competency in treating various skin types.
18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-91(A) · verified Sep 2, 2026 · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice
Related Virginia rules
Doctors who were performing laser hair removal before 7 August 2019 are not required to complete that training. The rule grandfathers experience rather than requiring everyone to re-qualify — so the training file a practice holds may legitimately be empty for a long-serving physician and complete for a recent one.
18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-91(B) · verified Sep 2, 2026
⚠️ delegation turns on who the delegate is. a doctor who delegates laser hair removal and supervises a person OTHER THAN a licensed physician assistant or licensed nurse practitioner must ensure that person has completed the same six-subject training, ten proctored cases included. Delegating to a PA or NP does not carry that requirement; delegating to anyone else does.
18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-91(C) · verified Sep 2, 2026
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Related Virginia questions
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