How to Become an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse | Salary 2025

Considering a career in aesthetic cosmetic nursing? Learn how to become an aesthetic nurse, their salary and education requirements, certifications, and more.

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What Is an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse?

An aesthetic nurse, also known as a cosmetic nurse or aesthetic nurse practitioner, specializes in providing cosmetic treatments and procedures to enhance a person's appearance. These nurses typically work in settings such as medical spas, dermatology clinics, plastic surgery offices, or cosmetic surgery centers. 

Aesthetic Nurse Duties

• Injectables: Administering injectable treatments like Botox, dermal fillers, and collagen stimulators to reduce wrinkles, add volume, and rejuvenate the skin.
• Laser treatments: Using lasers for hair removal, skin resurfacing, tattoo removal, and treatment of vascular or pigmented lesions.
• Chemical peels: Applying chemical solutions to exfoliate and improve the texture and appearance of the skin.
• Microneedling: Using a device with fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries in the skin, stimulating collagen production and improving skin texture.
• Skincare consultations: Providing personalized skincare recommendations and advice tailored to individual needs.

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How To Become an Aesthetic Nurse

If you want to become an aesthetic nurse, you’ll need to complete the following steps. 

• Earn Your Degree (2-4 years)
  

  Becoming an aesthetic/cosmetic nurse begins with a registered nurse degree, which you can earn through either a 2-year associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a 4-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. 
  
  

• Pass the NCLEX-RN & Become Licensed
  

  Once you've earned your RN degree from an accredited nursing program, you'll then need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed by one or more states. 
  
  

• Gain Experience (2+ years)
  

  As part of your aesthetic nurse training, you must gain experience, spending at least two years working in core competencies with a board-certified physician in plastic/aesthetic/cosmetic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery, or ophthalmology.
  
  Sabrina Caires, an aesthetic nurse injector practicing out of Bellevue, WA, also recommends watching as many YouTube videos as you can on the basics of neuromodulators and different types of commonly used dermal fillers. 
  
  

• Build Your Network
  

  Attend conferences, join professional organizations, and make use of LinkedIn! Sabrina recommends following as many practices in your area as possible and all of their employees. Send personalized messages, sharing your passion for the industry, and when they have an opportunity for you, reach out to them.
  
  She also suggests following injectors in your area. Engaging with their content and reaching out to them! She says to ask them about their experience as an injector, if their practice is hiring, for shadowing opportunities, and if they have any advice for you. You can also ask them for shadowing opportunities. 
  
  

• Earn a Certified Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse Specialist Credential 
  

  To position yourself for the best aesthetic/cosmetic nurse jobs, consider earning an aesthetic nurse certification. There are several options to choose from: Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist (CANS), Certified Plastic Surgery Nurse (CPSN), Dermatology Nurse Certified (DNC), and Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner (DCNP). With these courses, you’ll learn more about the basics of Botox and fillers and get some hands-on experience. 
  
  

• Maintain Your Certification 

  Aesthetic nurses who meet the requirements for CANS status must recertify every three years. Requirements for recertification include: 45 contact hours with at least 2 hours related specifically to patient safety. At least 30 contact hours must be in the core specialties: plastic/aesthetic/cosmetic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery, or ophthalmology.
  
  Nurses could also retake the CANS exam every three years to maintain this certification. There’s no training course required for recertification.

• Be Patient

  Sabrina shared that it took her almost a year to get into the industry. "I applied to numerous practices, had several interviews, and was rejected over and over. But I pressed on every opportunity, knowing I would eventually get in, and I did.  Don’t give up, babes - you got this!" -- Sabrina Caires, BSN, RN, CANS

Aesthetic Nurse Specialties

One of the best parts of becoming an aesthetic nurse is the many unique opportunities to help patients feel and look their best! Aesthetic nursing is a rapidly expanding field due to the introduction of new treatments and technologies, and there are many exciting specialties to choose from.

 

Aesthetic Nurse Resources

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 Next Steps

Beyond reading job descriptions, one of the best ways to determine whether medical aesthetics is the career path for you is to speak directly to a cosmetic/aesthetic nurse currently practicing within a private practice or medical spa. You can also reach out to pharmaceutical companies that sell fillers or Botox, as some offer free training and resources for nurses as an incentive to sell their product in medspas, etc., where those RNs will go on to work. 

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FAQs 

• What Does an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse Do?

  • Beyond providing inpatient and outpatient cosmetic services such as laser hair removal and skincare treatments, dermabrasion, Botox injections and fillers to provide a more youthful appearance, they also work by the side of physicians such as dermatologists and plastic surgeons as they perform clinical and surgical procedures for patients.

• What Are the Educational Requirements to Become an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse?

  • The path to becoming an aesthetic/cosmetic nurse starts with completing an ADN or BSN degree and passing the NCLEX-RN exam to be licensed in your state. Though certification with the PSNCB is not required, it is available and preferred by many employers in this healthcare field.

• How Much Does an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse Make?

  • According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for an aesthetic/cosmetic nurse in the United States is just over $89,970. Keep in mind this average reflects advanced practice nurses (APRNs) as well as entry-level nurse salaries.

• How Long Does it Take to Become an Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse?

  • Once a registered nurse has their license, they can apply for jobs as an aesthetic nurse immediately. If you are interested in being certified as an aesthetic/cosmetic nurse by the PSNCB you will need two years of experience, including one year in a related specialty area.  

• What Are the Certification Requirements for Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurses?
  

  • Aesthetic/cosmetic nurses who meet the requirements for CANS status must recertify every three years. Requirements for recertification include accumulating 45 contact hours with at least two hours related specifically to patient safety. At least 30 contact hours must be in the core specialties: plastic/aesthetic/cosmetic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery, or ophthalmology. Nurses could also retake the CANS exam every three years to maintain this certification.

 

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$70,000 - $90,000 Aesthetic/Cosmetic Non-Bedside RN