Choosing a Laser Hair Removal Specialist in New Jersey

Let’s be clear about one thing, laser hair removal is a medical procedure, as deemed by the Food and Drug Administration. Unfortunately, licensing requirements vary from state to state. Regardless, there are some considerations you should give to the person who will perform this “medical” procedure on you.

Fortunately, in the State of New Jersey, only a licensed physician can perform laser hair removal. The delegation to a non-physician (i.e. a nurse or technician) of any hair removal procedure which involves the use of either a laser or an IPLD device is prohibited by law.

The primary consideration is that the person you choose to do your laser hair removal should be a physician, specifically trained in laser hair removal. Short of a positive response, you need to know if, at a minimum, there is a board-certified physician supervising at all times.

Your second consideration should be the doctor’s area of specialization; you’re looking for a board-certified dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon, not a podiatrist.

Third, you want to find out how long they’ve been performing laser hair removal; you want someone with experience already, not one who’s gaining it with you.

Fourth, do they own more than one laser? Different lasers work best on different skin types or colors, or hair textures.

Fifth, where did they get their laser hair removal training; preferably from a hands-on course, and not a quick lesson from the sales representative, or worse, reading it out of a manual? The person who performs laser hair removal on you should be conversant with the medical and technical aspects. You’d also expect that they would take refresher courses or continuing education on laser studies, as well as belong to laser professional associations and societies.

A referral or reference is fine, and often it is enough to put you in touch with a well qualified provider. Nonetheless, you should employ the considerations above, and use your own good judgment and gut feeling. While the cost of the service may also be a factor to you, don’t let that be the deciding factor in favor of one provider over another. Your mother always told you, “You get what you pay for.” And she’d be right about this, too. Even a specialist with high-end fees for their service may be willing to let you stretch payments or offer a discount for cash.

More information on laser hair removal regulations and licensing in New Jersey can be found at:

New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Tel: 609.826-7100
Web: www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/bme/bme.htm

Board of Cosmetology
124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
Newark, NJ 07101
Tel: 973.504-6400
Web: www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/boards.htm

Bear in mind, the interfaces for either website is not user-friendly. A better way to search for a physician trained in laser hair removal would be to do a standard Internet search, and then use the N.J. government sites to verify the credentials of a potential provider.