Effective August 25, 2026, Ohio House Bill 377 will revise the law governing light-based medical devices used for hair removal. The law modifies physician delegation standards related to hair removal lasers and creates specific provisions for advanced practice registered nurse and physician assistant delegation.
Under Ohio law, a physician may delegate use of a light-based medical device for hair removal to a physician assistant, a nurse (RN or LPN) or a “laser hair removal professional.” Laser hair removal professional is defined as an individual who was licensed as a cosmetic therapist under Ohio law as of April 11, 2021, or completed a cosmetic therapy education course for a minimum of 750 hours and received a passing score on the certified laser hair removal professional exam administered by the Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal.
The new law eases several aspects of physician delegation under ORC 4731.33, specifically:
- Prior Physician Evaluation: Eliminates the requirement for the delegating physician to evaluate a patient before and after the first application of the light-based device, except when delegating to a laser hair removal professional.
- Number of Supervisees: Allows the delegating physician to supervise up to five laser hair removal professionals/nurses at the same time (increased from two).
- Off-Site Supervision: Allows the delegating physician to provide off-site nurse supervision if the nurse has completed a 40-hour training and education course on light-based medical devices used for hair removal that is approved by the physician. Unlike when delegating to laser hair removal professionals, off-site supervision of nurses is not limited to established patients.
The law expands the authority of advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to delegate and supervise the use of light-based medical devices for hair removal to nurses or laser hair removal professionals. The law specifies that the advanced practice registered nurses may do so only if not prohibited by a standard care arrangement. Similarly, a physician assistant may only delegate and supervise if there is an effective supervision agreement in place with a physician. Delegating advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants are subject to the same requirements as a delegating physician. This new law does not change the Board regulations governing the use of light-based medical devices for other purposes, including non-ablative procedures, as set forth in OAC Ch. 4731-18.
Finally, the law modifies the definition of light-based medical devices to mean a device that can produce electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths equal to or greater than 180 nanometers but less than or equal to 1,064 nanometers, reconciling the delegation statute with definitions set forth in OAC Ch. 4731-18.
If you have questions, please contact your Dinsmore healthcare attorney.