So you’ve decided to start a business. An aesthetic business is in the running. More specifically, an aesthetic laser business, perhaps focusing on laser tattoo removal or laser hair removal. First, great idea – the industry is growing continuously and rapidly. Second, kudos to you for researching how to make it happen. Last, follow the guidance here and in the accompanying 60-day Countdown to Starting an Aesthetic Business webinar, to ensure you’re in a great position to open your clinic doors with a solid, lasting foundation that will yield treatment results your clients can count on, in addition to a substantial return on investment for you. The aspects we will address include:
- Navigating licensing and regulations for lasers and laser services, regardless of your background or previous licensure.
- Training and certification for the aesthetic treatments to be offered and business operations. (So many training academies exclude instruction on the business itself, but what good is knowing how to offer a safe and effective treatment if the clinic it’s provided in is an operational disaster?)
- Setting the business up for success with aesthetic laser equipment – and support – that aligns with your goals.
Can I even start an aesthetic business? Navigating rules and regulations.
Aesthetic businesses can be regulated at several levels – federal, state, and county. Keywords: Can be. They are not always. If you have ever thought, ‘but… I’m not a doctor’ regarding your legal capacity to own an aesthetic laser business or operate an aesthetic laser device, keep reading.
Just because there may be regulations where you intend to establish your business, it does not mean opening the business will be complicated if you are a first-time entrepreneur, non-medical professional, registered nurse, or mid-level practitioner. This is because what is regulated ranges from the technology itself to treatment administration to physical location. Before you close this tab because of any potential red tape, know that in the vast majority of the fifty states, opening an aesthetic business with laser tattoo removal is very straightforward. Other aesthetic businesses with laser services, such as hair removal or skin resurfacing, while still simple, do require more time spent on licensure ahead of performing treatments.
It’s important to understand the governmental boxes that need checking before investing much money in your aesthetic business. From the federal level, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that any aesthetic laser used for commercial purposes in the United States be cleared. Aesthetic lasers that have not gone through this clearance process cannot be legally used for business purposes. This applies to everyone in the U.S., regardless of any degree, prior training, or experience with medical or aesthetic laser technology. Any company attempting to sell you a laser should be able to send you the 510k for the system and point you to the listing on the medical device section of the FDA website.
It is at the state level where who can fire a laser is addressed. If you are going to be the owner and operator of the aesthetic business, you will need to meet your state’s licensure or training requirements. Most states simply require FDA-cleared technology, laser safety training, and device and treatment-specific training to comply. A small handful of states require extensive training – hundreds of hours – or some level of nursing license to operate a medical aesthetic laser.
Just one state, for one specific treatment, limits the firing of a laser to physicians. The odds of you being in that state and wanting to build your aesthetic business around that one application are slim.
How do you find out the specific to-dos for you and your situation? States have laser regulations published online, but that can be a lot to wade through with the combination of legalese and medical terminology. For example, a tattoo removal machine is not referred to as such, but a string of more technical words dependent on the specific type of device such as – non-ablative actively Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser.
If the regulations have been published – and if they exist at all – we know where to find them and can give you our interpretation of them, along with the best practices of existing clients. At the county level, rules or laws are not device or treatment specific, but may regulate the business location concerning zoning.
Whether you are in the tattoo industry, an aesthetician, an RN, or an aspiring medical spa owner, call Astanza and speak to one of our helpful business development managers. We will guide you through regulations and all of the other aspects that may seem intimidating, but we can assure you, are not.
I know I can do this. Now I need training.
Training and certification are uncomplicated in most states in the union. Since state training requirements—when they exist—are specific to the device and treatment, it’s best to choose your technology first and then consider the necessary training. Any laser company worth its weight in optics – or fiber optics if you are opting for a laser hair removal machine – will provide you with ample training to be confident in your ability to fire the aesthetic laser device and talk with prospects far and wide about the aesthetic laser service you will offer. This training should happen at your location, upon installation of your equipment, and be tailored to that device and its applications.
Some folks take a more prudent approach and prefer for part of their business research to be treatment-specific training. For example, if you are confident that you will open a laser tattoo removal business, you could consider taking a laser tattoo removal training course. This training would expose you to the treatment, flow of operations, and give you a – hopefully! – broader basis of knowledge to then leverage when setting up the aesthetic business.
I have identified which training approach fits me best. But what do I want to be trained on?
This is where you can utilize the wealth of resources available to you to determine which aesthetic services you wish to provide, what single service or list of services have the greatest opportunity in your market, what you like and dislike about a laser company, and simply, what feels right. Sure, you can opt for a service that you have had done yourself, find a cheap laser online, have it delivered, and you may never need any kind of support – technical, clinic, or business. The odds of that though… extremely slim.
Astanza’s business development managers are on the phone with new clients weekly for the first several months, and at least monthly for the first year. Buying a laser hair removal machine and starting that business is far more than plug-and-play. Even if you have never had an aesthetic business, it does not have to be trial and error. Similarly, owning a tattoo removal machine is far more than erasing unwanted tattoos. There are physics and chemistry and rarely biological complications. If you choose the appropriate technology for your service, it should be provided by a company that guarantees strong support. You can launch your new aesthetic business with confidence – that is a recipe for success.
To zoom in on the steps needed to open a laser aesthetic business including and far beyond the above, watch our 60-day Countdown to Starting an Aesthetic Business webinar. This on-demand webinar will guide you through the steps to opening the doors of your aesthetic business with a two-month timeline. Think of it as a T-minus countdown where the grand opening of your new laser business is day zero! What you should do 60 days out, 45 days out, even up to a day or two before the big day–all is spelled out by the experts who have assisted a wide range of new businesses. Register today for more complimentary consulting and happy zapping!
Get Started with Astanza Laser Technology and Support
Ready to start now? Questions? Reach out now! We have you covered. Call (800) 364 – 9010 or fill out the form on this page.
