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Best of Both Worlds? What You Should Know About Facilities that Offer Medical and Cosmetic Treatments

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There is an increasing number of manicurists and estheticians who work in trendy “med-spas” or facilities that offer medical procedures and cosmetic treatments such as pedicures and facials. The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (Board) does not license medical facilities, however, if manicuring or esthetic services are provided as described in the Board’s law, then the facility as well as the professionals providing those services must be licensed with the Board.
Some of these services may include:

Manicuring:

• Cutting, trimming, polishing, coloring, tinting, cleansing, or manicuring the nails.
• Massaging, cleansing, or beautifying the hands or feet.

Esthetics:

• Providing facials, skin care, makeup and eyelash application, and hair removal by use of depilatories, tweezing or waxing.
• Beautifying the face, neck, arms, or upper part of the human body by use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams.
• Massaging, cleaning, or stimulating the face, neck, arms, or upper part of the human body, by means of the hands, devices, apparatus, or appliances, with the use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions or creams.

Licensed manicurists and estheticians, while skilled and trained in providing the services above, may never perform any act which affects the structure or function of living tissue of the face or body. They may never use razor-edged instruments to remove skin (such as calluses, moles or skin tags), penetrate the skin by needle, use lasers, or perform medical-level dermabrasion or skin peels. Those types of treatments must be performed by qualified medical professionals.

Manicurists and estheticians who work in med-spas must have a valid license issued by the Board. The facility where the manicuring or esthetic work is performed must also be licensed with the Board.

For further information, visit our web site at  www.barbercosmo.ca.gov, or contact the Board at (800) 952-5210. If you would like clarification on medical procedures, visit the State Medical Board’s web site at www.mbc.ca.gov.

– Reprinted from the California Stylist, April 2009 issue