In response to ongoing questions and concerns about its position regarding laser surgery—including but not limited to laser tattoo removal—the NC Medical Board has created additional resources to clarify its perspective.

The Board has published a detailed guidance document, including FAQs that address questions commonly asked by patients and/or individuals who currently provide or are interested in providing laser procedures such as laser hair or tattoo removal. In addition, the Board voted in March to amend its position statement entitled, “Laser surgery,” to specify that laser tattoo removal is considered a form of laser surgery.

The five page guidance document addresses such issues as:

• Who may operate the laser during a laser hair removal or laser tattoo removal procedure


• The supervising physician’s responsibilities related to supervising laser hair removal and/or laser tattoo removal, when services are provided by a non-physician


• The potential consequences of failure by a physician to adequately supervise laser hair removal and/or laser tattoo removal


• Who may and may not lawfully own a practice or business that provides laser hair removal or laser tattoo removal


• Consequences for providing laser hair removal or laser tattoo removal without appropriate supervision by a physician


• Ways that someone not licensed and approved by the Board but already owns/operates a business providing laser hair removal or laser tattoo removal can modify the business to avoid the unlicensed practice of medicine.

Read the new laser surgery guidance document.