Can Esthetician Do Microneedling
If you’re looking for a way to improve your skin and want something more than just makeup, then microneedling could be the right treatment for you. It’s easy enough for anyone to do at home and it doesn’t cost too much money either. Just make sure that if someone other than a licensed physician performs this procedure on you (such as an esthetician), they have proper training first!
In this guide, we find out Can Esthetician Do Microneedling, who can do microneedling in california, microneedling license requirements, and What techniques does an esthetician use?

Can Esthetician Do Microneedling
Microneedling is a great option for many people who want to improve their skin’s appearance. It’s been around for quite a while, so there is plenty of evidence that it works. You’ll probably see results within two to six weeks after getting the treatment done. However, not all microneedling treatments are equal and you should know what you’re getting before you decide whether or not this procedure works for your needs.
Can an esthetician do PRP/microneedling?
The short answer is yes, an esthetician can do microneedling. The long answer is that it depends on where you live.
The laws surrounding PRP/microneedling are different in every state; some states require a medical license to perform the procedure while others don’t. It’s important to check with your local Board of Cosmetology or Medical Board before having any kind of treatment done by an esthetician and make sure they have the right training and experience for what you want done (i.e., if you’re looking for anti-aging treatments).
The rules and regulations regarding microneedling vary from state to state.
The rules and regulations regarding microneedling vary from state to state. In some states, only physicians can perform the procedure; in others, estheticians are allowed to perform microneedling. Check with your local regulations before getting the treatment done.
In Georgia, only a licensed physician can perform the procedure.
In Georgia, only a licensed physician can perform the procedure. If you want to do it yourself or with an esthetician, you need to find a physician who is willing to perform microneedling. This can be difficult in some states because there aren’t many doctors who are willing to do this type of treatment outside of their office (and even then they might not).
The same is true for Tennessee, but the rules are more relaxed in some other states.
In Tennessee, only medical doctors are allowed to perform microneedling. In other states, there are more relaxed rules regarding who can perform the procedure. For example, in California and Florida–and several other states–anyone with a valid esthetician license may perform microneedling on their clients as long as they use an FDA-approved device (such as one made by MicrodermMD).
There are many different types of micro needling devices available today; it’s important to know what you’re getting when you decide which one suits your needs best!
It’s a good idea to check your local regulations before you get the treatment done by someone.
It’s a good idea to check your local regulations before you get the treatment done by someone.
- Check with your state’s medical board. They’ll tell you if there are any laws or regulations requiring estheticians to be licensed in order to perform microneedling.
- Check with your state’s cosmetology board. They may require that all professionals who perform skin treatments have certifications from an accredited school and/or certification exams administered by another agency such as NAHA (National Association for Holistic Aesthetics).
- Check with your state’s health department. They should have information on whether or not any specific ingredients used in cosmetic products need approval before they can be sold in stores or given out by professionals like aestheticians and cosmetologists in their jurisdiction (i.e., state).
Also, check with your medical insurance provider because many policies only cover medical procedures performed by medical doctors, not estheticians.
You can also check with your medical insurance provider to see if microneedling is covered under their policy. Many policies only cover medical procedures performed by medical doctors, not estheticians. If your policy does cover microneedling and you want to get the treatment done, it’s best to make sure that your doctor will refer you for it first (if necessary).
Does microneedling actually work?
Microneedling is a safe and effective treatment for skin rejuvenation. It can be used to treat a variety of skin conditions, including acne, scars, fine lines and wrinkles and stretch marks.
Microneedling works by creating tiny wounds in the top layer of your skin that induces collagen production in the deeper layers. This causes your body to produce new collagen which then helps increase elasticity in your skin as well as reducing fine lines or wrinkles.
This procedure has been around for quite a while, so there is plenty of evidence that it works.
Microneedling is a popular procedure that has been around for a while now. The use of needles to create micro-injuries in the skin can be used to treat many different skin conditions, including acne scars, pigmentation and fine lines. In fact, there’s even evidence that it works!
The latest technology has allowed us to improve on an old concept by using shorter needles than ever before. This allows us to target deeper layers of the dermis with greater precision than ever before–which means better results for you!

You’ll probably see results within two to six weeks after getting the treatment done.
Microneedling is a treatment that’s done by an esthetician and can be used to treat acne scars, fine lines, and even stretch marks. It’s also used as a cosmetic procedure for those who want to improve the appearance of their skin without having any other major procedures done.
The results you see from microneedling will depend on several factors: the type of treatment you get (there are different types), how long you have had your problem with your skin, and what kind of results you’re expecting from it in general.
In general though, most people see results within two weeks after getting their first treatment done but might not see full effects until about six weeks later when new collagen begins forming under their damaged surface layer which helps fill out any sunken areas or scarring left behind by acne breakouts over time
It’s legal for a nonphysician to perform microneedling in many states, but it can be hard to know exactly what you’re getting if you go that route
You might think that if you’re getting microneedling done by a licensed esthetician, you can rest easy knowing that it’s legal. But that isn’t necessarily true.
If your state doesn’t have regulations for nonphysician practitioners (NPPs), then there’s no guarantee that the person doing your treatment has been trained in microneedling or understands how to use it correctly. You should check with local law enforcement agencies and/or state boards of cosmetology before scheduling any type of cosmetic procedure with an NPPA–and always ask what qualifications they have and how long they’ve been practicing their craft.
If your state does allow NPPAs, but requires them to be supervised by doctors or nurses during their education and training phases, then there may be additional restrictions on when those NPPAs can perform certain treatments without supervision after graduation from school–and these rules are likely different depending on where exactly you live within those states’ borders too!
who can do microneedling in california
Microneedling is a popular procedure in med spas, but many owners and practitioners do not know if aestheticians can legally perform the treatment. As is the case with many regulatory issues in the medical spa industry, the answer can vary depending on what state you practice in. In much of the United States, however, the answer likely is no.
Also known as collagen induction therapy, microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that is designed to rejuvenate the skin. A device with fine needles creates tiny punctures in the top layer of the skin, which triggers the body to create new collagen and elastin.
Is It Medicine?
An aesthetician’s license does not permit him or her to perform medical treatments; rather, aestheticians may only perform procedures for the purpose of beautification. Many med spas look at these standards and assume that aestheticians can perform microneedling; however, many state regulatory boards specifically are classifying microneedling as medical treatment, no matter whether the needles actually penetrate the outer layer of the skin.
Illinois and California, for example, specifically listed microneedling as medical treatment in 2016 because they classified the device as medical equipment. At an American Med Spa Association Medical Spa Boot Camp in San Jose, Calif., Kristy Underwood, executive director of the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, gave additional details as part of a 30-minute Q&A session.
“This isn’t new—aestheticians cannot penetrate the skin,” Underwood said. “They also can’t use any metal needles, period. [California] aestheticians are prohibited from using metal needles.” She added that they cannot use anything that might be disapproved by the FDA.
For more business and legal med spa best practices, attend an AmSpa Medical Spa & Aesthetic Boot Camp near you.
Supervision & Delegation
In some states, however, people holding aesthetician licenses can perform certain medical procedures. These states differentiate between an aesthetician and a person who is performing medical procedures under the supervision and delegation of a physician.
This means that if the patient is first examined by a physician or a mid-level practitioner—a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant—an individual working in a medical spa may perform microneedling. However, it is very important to note that if aestheticians are going to perform this procedure under this caveat, they cannot represent themselves as aestheticians while doing so. This means aestheticians must flip over their aesthetician name tags and take down any certification they might have hanging on the wall.
The state may allow an aesthetician as a person to perform this procedure under proper medical supervision; however, the regulatory board does not cover this under an aesthetician license.
This sounds onerous, and it is certainly involves more effort than a facial or another aesthetician service, but this does not have to be a deal-breaker for offering microneedling services in your medical spa. The supervising physician does not need to be in the room watching the aesthetician perform the procedure and, in many states, does not need to see the patient before each treatment—just the first one.
microneedling license requirements
For people familiar with the treatment, Microneedling has become one of the most popular skin resurfacing procedures for tackling wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and other signs of aging.
But what exactly is microneedling?
What is Microneedling and What is it Used For
Also known as micropuncture or collagen induction therapy, dermal rolling, cosmetic dry needling, and percutaneous collagen induction, microneedling involves the use of tiny needles to create precision micro-perforations where the dermis and epidermis meet. The result is controlled wounding that stimulates collagen and elastin production and skin renewal and repair. It is also often used to prepare the skin for topical ingredients, as the micro-perforations allow skincare ingredients to more efficiently penetrate the skin.
Microneedling alleviates fine lines and wrinkles, repairs sun damage, lifts and tightens skin, improves the appearance of scars, and reduces the size of pores. It is therefore the desired esthetics procedure for addressing:
Microneedling can also be performed on the body to address issues such as stretch marks and scars.
Traditional microneedling tools include stamps and rollers on which needles, arranged at fixed depths, are attached. Although these devices are still widely used, many of today’s estheticians gravitate toward automated microneedling devices that feature adjustable needles on a pen-like wand. These programmable devices allow estheticians to choose the depth at which the needles penetrate the skin, thereby customizing each procedure to a client’s specific needs.
Performing The Microneedling Procedure in Your Esthetics Practice
Before a microneedling procedure is performed, the skin is cleaned with alcohol and collagen-stimulating topical products are applied. Depending on the patient’s comfort level, a numbing agent may also be applied. After the microneedling process is complete, any number of hydrating and/or healing topicals and masks may be applied to assist in the skin’s recovery.
Some of the topicals applied prior to treatment include hyaluronic acids, vitamin E, antioxidants, and peptides, all of which hydrate, fortify, and rebuild the skin.
For some patients, the application of alpha/beta hydroxy acids and retinols a few weeks prior to treatment help prepare the skin for treatment.
Following the microneedling procedure, clients may experience slight redness and swelling, although downtime is usually minimal. Microneedling can be performed every 4 to 6 weeks until the desired effect is achieved.
Client consultation is an important aspect of this procedure. Those with active acne lesions, skin cancer, or any other serious health issues are not candidates for microneedling.
What Estheticians Need to Know About the Legality of Microneedling Devices
According to Skin.com, although microneedling has proven to be an efficacious procedure for improving the skin, it is “fraught with legal issues.”
In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that microneedling devices with needles longer than 0.3 mm must be classified as a Class 1 medical device. As a result, the FDA has implemented cease and desist actions against several companies selling microneedling devices longer than 0.3 mm for esthetic purposes.
In short, under FDA guidelines, estheticians can only use microneedling devices of less than 0.3 mm and only those that do not make medical claims. If a device is less than 0.3 mm but makes medical claims, it also cannot be approved for sale or use.
In addition to using only microneedling devices that conform to FDA standards, you must ensure you are operating within the scope of your esthetician state license before performing a microneedling procedure. Because the esthetics industry in the U.S. continues to be highly fragmented, requirements vary considerably from one state to the next.
For example, in Washington State, only master estheticians are permitted to perform microneedling, while in California, microneedling is considered an invasive procedure by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and is therefore not allowed to be performed by licensed estheticians under any circumstance.
In Florida, licensed estheticians are allowed to perform microneedling, while in Utah, master estheticians are allowed to perform microneedling, provided the needle depth does not exceed 1.5 mm. General supervision by a licensed healthcare provider is required if the needle penetration exceeds 1.5 mm.
Advanced Esthetician Training in Microneedling
If you are legally allowed to perform microneedling under your esthetics license or if your license requires you to complete a microneedling program, you can find a host of training programs and courses through esthetician schools, as well as through manufacturers and distributors of microneedling devices. Microneedling is not included in any initial esthetician program leading to state licensure.
What techniques does an esthetician use
Estheticians are state-licensed skin care professionals who have been trained through apprenticeships or formal esthetics programs to perform treatments that promote the health and beauty of the skin, including procedures like waxing and peels, while also educating clients on cleansing, diet, and the application of skin-care products at-home.
Thanks to aging baby boomers, many of which are seeking non-invasive treatments to help them look more youthful, along with an increase in disposable income among many Americans, esthetics is experiencing an “explosion of growth,” according to Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP).
Esthetics (or aesthetics as it is sometimes spelled) is rooted in the branch of philosophy that is directly related to the relationship between the senses and matters of beauty, art, and taste. However, in the beauty industry, esthetics refers directly to the health and beautification of the skin.
Esthetics, in more technical terms, refers to the application of various techniques to the epidermal layer of the human body. The practice of esthetics covers a wide array of techniques that may include (but certainly is not limited to) steaming, waxing, extraction, chemical peels, and pore cleansing.
Understanding the Role and Legal Limitations of an Esthetician
Estheticians are state licensed health and wellness professionals, with the exception of Connecticut’s estheticians, who are not required to be state licensed. Estheticians must complete a course of training and/or education and pass specific state written and practical examinations to earn licensure through their state board of cosmetology or department of health.
A few states (including Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State, and Washington D.C.) license master estheticians, as well, who are allowed to perform more advanced treatments, such as lymphatic drainage.
The work of estheticians involves applying treatments and performing procedures to the skin as a way to maintain its health and vitality, improve its overall appearance, and combat the effects of sun exposure and aging.
Estheticians are trained in skin wellness, most often helping their clients combat complexion problems through a number of therapies and practices. In addition to engaging in therapies that are designed to improve the tone, texture, color, and youthfulness of the skin of the face and neck, estheticians may perform a wide range of body therapies, as well, such as salt or sugar scrubs, body wraps, and hair removal.
Waxing, threading, or using depilatories to remove unwanted hair is a common practice for estheticians, as is the application of makeup. In spa settings, estheticians often perform procedures and treatments that are just as much about the mind and the spirit as they are about the body. As such, therapies such as hot stone massages, mud baths, and aromatherapy are popular additions to the repertoire of many estheticians.
Many times clients seek out estheticians to perform treatments that fight lines and wrinkles or dry skin, eczema, or acne, while many clients make appointments with their favorite esthetician to enjoy a rejuvenated or refreshed complexion. Finally, some clients view a trip to the esthetician as a luxurious indulgence, where they can relax and unwind.
What Estheticians Cannot Do
Although the term “medical esthetics” is often thrown around, esthetics is not a medical practice and estheticians are not allowed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat skin conditions or diseases. Instead, medical skin care services are left strictly up to licensed medical professionals, such as dermatologists.
Estheticians are sometimes found working in offices of medical practitioners, such as dermatologists and plastic surgeons, but their expertise is solely in cosmetic skincare, with any type of invasive procedure always left to medical professionals who specialize in disorders of the skin.
Their work in these medical settings often includes providing patients with complementary and support therapies. However, estheticians are trained to recognize a number of medical conditions affecting the skin and may therefore refer their clients to a medical professional in these instances.
The Services Estheticians Perform and The Places They are Employed
Estheticians may use a variety of techniques and treatments on their clients, from basic steam facials to trendy treatments like seaweed wraps and paraffin facials. Their work involves the use of creams, lotions, masks, serums, and wraps, many of which are created with antioxidants, botanicals, essential oils, and infused scents that provide the client with a sensory experience that promotes relaxation and rejuvenation.
Estheticians also often use mechanical or electrical appliances and devices, such as microdermabrasion machines, brushing machines, electric pulverizers, atomizers, and galvanic current to achieve the desired effect.
A small sampling of the services provided by estheticians includes:
The Associated Skin Care Professionals recognizes that the majority of estheticians provide skincare services in a spa, salon, or private practice setting, while the remaining generally provide more “health-care oriented” services and therefore work in clinical settings alongside medical doctors.
The increase in luxury destination spas throughout the U.S. has also allowed the field of esthetics to experience rapid growth. It’s estimated there are more than 143 million spa visits in the United States every year, with the majority of visitors going to day spas.
Estheticians may also find a wealth of opportunities freelancing for the film, music, theater, and fashion industries and some estheticians may focus their careers on a specific area of esthetics, such as hair removal, makeup artistry, or laser procedures.