States » SouthPosted at: Oct 16 2026 6:56AM


Hair transplants are surgery, not cosmetic shortcuts; NMC stresses trained doctors

Kochi, Oct 16 (UNI) The National Medical Commission's (NMC) guidelines stipulating that hair transplantation must be performed by appropriately trained and licensed doctors assume significance in the wake of a serious infection reported following a hair transplant procedure in Kochi, Kerala.
The guidelines issued by the commission's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) make it clear that hair transplantation is a surgical procedure requiring specialised medical training, adequate infrastructure and arrangements to manage complications.
The guidelines state that any procedure involving an incision in the skin to harvest tissue or prepare the scalp or body to receive tissue constitutes surgery, irrespective of whether conventional techniques or robotic systems are used.
The document assumes relevance in the context of a reported hair transplant complication in Kochi, where a patient allegedly suffered a serious infection following the procedure. However, there is no official confirmation that the guidelines were issued specifically in response to the Kerala incident.
The NMC has stipulated that doctors undertaking hair restoration surgery must possess adequate education, specialised training and current clinical competence. They should have a sound understanding of hair physiology, scalp anatomy, different forms of hair loss, patient selection, contraindications, surgical techniques and the management of complications.
The commission has stated that hair transplantation should preferably be performed by doctors with formal surgical training, particularly those holding MCh/DNB qualifications in Plastic Surgery or MD/DNB qualifications in Dermatology with adequate training in dermatological surgical procedures.
Preoperative evaluation, surgical planning, donor hair harvesting, hairline design, creation of recipient sites and postoperative care must be undertaken by qualified Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs), the guidelines specify.
The commission has also clarified that attending workshops or watching videos on YouTube and similar platforms does not constitute adequate training to begin performing aesthetic surgery, including hair transplantation. It has ruled out allowing untrained individuals to undertake such procedures under the pretext of exceptional circumstances.
Assistants and operation theatre technicians should have a medical background and receive structured training in surgical assistance, disinfection, sterilisation and patient communication. They must work under the supervision of an RMP.
Emphasising patient safety, the guidelines call for properly equipped operation theatres, trained personnel, strict infection-control protocols, appropriate sterilisation of instruments and proper biomedical waste management.
Centres performing hair transplants should have anaesthesia support, emergency drugs and resuscitation equipment, including a crash cart. Doctors must ensure appropriate preoperative medical clearance and provide facilities for postoperative monitoring and recovery.
Clinics conducting day-care surgeries should also have reliable access to a nearby hospital with intensive care and critical care facilities to handle emergencies. Proper patient records, including preoperative and postoperative photographs and documentation of complications, must be maintained.
The guidelines underline that aesthetic procedures, including hair transplantation, can lead to complications and require appropriate patient selection, clinical expertise and adequate infrastructure. The document was issued by Dr Yogender Malik, Member of the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board.
UNI DS
Tags: #Hair transplants are surgery# not cosmetic shortcuts; NMC stresses trained doctors
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