Credentials · a license
Licensed esthetician
A state license for skin care. Where it ends for peels, devices and needling is set by each state.
What it is
An esthetician license covers skin care services, as the state defines them.
Where esthetics ends and medicine begins, for peels, lasers, microneedling and similar treatments, differs from state to state. Some states write it down in detail; the state pages summarize what official sources say.
What it doesn’t guarantee
- That a given peel depth, device or needling treatment is within the license in this state
- Medical training, or the ability to prescribe
- Supervision by a medical provider, where one would be needed
How to check it
- Search the state board that licenses estheticians. It may be a cosmetology or barbering board; your state page lists it.
- Read the license type the lookup returns.
- If a treatment needs medical supervision in your state, ask who provides it, and look up that license.
Look-alikes
Titles and licenses that get confused with this one:
Also heard: “Medical esthetician”, “Paramedical esthetician”. Ask what license sits underneath.
The question to ask
Is this treatment within an esthetician license in this state, and if it needs medical supervision, who provides it?
What this license allows in your state is on your state page, with sources. We don’t say whether anyone is qualified to treat you.