June 22, 2007
Whom would you trust to use a laser on you? As more spas offer service, some people seek regulation
Laser treatment for skin imperfections and unwanted hair has expanded into spas and salons. Some say employees are adequately trained; others worry about customer safety.
(June 24, 2007) — Laser treatment, which zaps away layers of skin or follicles to eliminate wrinkles and hair, is beginning to flourish outside doctors’ offices because New York state has no apparent laws regulating the industry.
Dermatologist offices have used lasers for years to eliminate sun spots, wrinkles, acne scars and other imperfections. But the increased scope of the machines has led to the treatments moving out of doctors’ offices and into spas, even hair salons, as a way for those businesses to offer another self-improvement service.
Michael Spitale hair salon in Brighton opened a laser spa at its Monroe Avenue location in February. Whether there are more salons or spas here offering the service is not known, but the laser business overall has boomed in recent years, treating more than 1 million people annually in this country.
Some states, such as New Jersey, have banned people outside the medical field from using lasers amid tales of customers being burned or scarred because of improper treatment. But New York state apparently has no regulations, opening the door for anyone who wants to buy a laser machine and use it on people.
Read the rest of this article.
State regulations
The following information on laser regulation in other states was culled from news reports:
In Washington: Stricter regulations were passed last year requiring all medical lasers be used under the supervision of a doctor or a physician’s assistant, who must do an initial examination of the customer and be available within an hour if something goes wrong.
In Texas: Its medical board passed a rule in 2003 that would have restricted laser treatments to doctors or people working under their supervision. Opponents sued and won a restraining order. A new proposal would require laser technicians to earn a certification.
In Florida: The Board of Medicine says laser use is a practice of medicine, meaning that only physicians or physician’s assistants should do it. However, those licensed to do electrolysis are now allowed to do laser treatments as well.
In New York: A bill, which appears to have been introduced in the Legislature in 2003, seeks to make it clear that use of certain high-level lasers is the practice of medicine and that only physicians or supervised nurses can do laser treatments. There appears to be no movement on the bill. Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, D-Cohoes, Albany County, and Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre, Nassau County, sponsored the bill.
