Is It Ok for a Nurse to Inject Juvederm Instead of a Physican?

Although the laws governing who can do cosmetic injections vary by state, most allow physicans to delegate to a medical professional such as a nurse. If the practice has a nurse specialist who does injections all day, she may very well be more experienced than the supervisong physician or another doc who does injections part time. The key variables are training and supervision. Nurses are not allowed to practice independently so if it isn't clear who the responsible MD is, then be wary.

If I had to choose between a nurse with 10 years of daily dermal filler experience and a doctor with 1 year experience, I'd probably go for the more-experienced choice.  

That said, in most cases, a doctor is usually going to have more training and more experience, especially a board certified plastic surgeon since they spend years studying aesthetic medicine and have been reviewed by a panel of their peers (the board) as far as their ethics, artistry and skills.   

Some patients are really cost-concious, but a difference of $100-200 is really worth it to get it done right.  If you compare the results from a pysician who is really skilled and experienced specifically in Juvederm (and injects it daily) vs. a newly-trained nurse or a doctor who practices other types of medicine and recently started injecting, or does occassional injections "on the side," you can almost always tell the difference in my opinion.

The best injectors of fillers, regardless of being a physician or nurse, are those who pay attention to detail, anatomy, and your overall picture and your desires. There are some excellent nurse injectors and some poor physician injectors. Experience is very important as well as an aritistic eye. Understanding the anatomy and the physical properties of the different fillers is important in determining your best treatment. Some states regulate the ability of nurses to do injections differently than other states.

Experience matters. I know of several nurse injectors who are skillful, meticulous and experienced. I also know of some physicians who occassionally perform injections, but do not have much expertise in this area. You need to do your diligence on the experience and performance of the practitioner whether s/he is an RN or an MD.

While I suppose it is Okay to have a nurse inject filler materials, I know if I was the patient, I would want the doctor to do it.