The Centre plans to enforce strict safety standards for hair transplants

The distinction is critical: salons provide non-invasive services such as styling, while surgical practice involves invasive medical procedures, including hair follicle transplantation, requiring anaesthesia, sterile conditions and specialized surgical expertise.

The Minimum Standards for Hair Transplant Centres, drafted by the National Council for Clinical Establishments (NCCE)—India’s central statutory body responsible for healthcare quality and safety—mandate that only qualified medical professionals, specifically dermatologists and plastic surgeons with recognized medical degrees, be permitted to perform these procedures.

“The new rules aim to eliminate ghost clinics by specifying that only holders of a medical degree, specifically dermatologists and plastic surgeons, are permitted to carry out these procedures. While frequently marketed as a simple cosmetic salon service, hair transplantation is a surgical procedure involving anaesthesia and risks such as severe infection and medical shock," said one of the three government officials, on the condition of anonymity.

The reclassification follows the Delhi high court's May 2022 order, which held that hair transplantation is an aesthetic surgery that must be performed by qualified dermatologists or trained surgeons with the patient’s informed consent.

However, the the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) will notify the final rules only after the Madras high court's judgment on a related petition.

The sector is expected to grow from $252 million to $1.7 billion by 2033, according to market research firm IMARC Group. Major chains operating in this space include DHI India, Eugenix Hair Sciences, Dr. Batra’s, Kaya Skin Clinic and VLCC, among others.

With techniques such as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Direct Hair Implantation (DHI), men account for about 79.5% of the sector’s revenue, according to market research firm Mordor Intelligence.

About 350,000 hair transplant procedures are performed annually in India, and at least six patients have died from complications since 2016. Reported causes include anaesthesia overdose (lidocaine toxicity), anaphylactic shock, sepsis resulting from unhygienic conditions, and tissue necrosis.

“Many budget centres currently lack the necessary emergency equipment and skilled expertise. By bringing these centres under strict medical regulations, the government intends to ensure that facilities are equipped to handle complications and prevent risks to consumer lives," said the second government official, on condition of anonymity.

The discussion on minimum standards for hair transplant centres took place during the 16th meeting of the NCCE on 9 September 2025, which was chaired by the director general of health services (DGHS), Dr Sunita Sharma.

"It was apprised that the Hon’ble Delhi high court, directed the MoHFW to frame national-level medical protocols for hair transplantation centres following a death due to a faulty procedure by a technician. In compliance with the court directives, Minimum Standards for Hair Transplant Centres were finalized," showed the minutes of the meeting reviewed by Mint.

“Meanwhile, Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (IAAPS) submitted a representation objecting to the inclusion of MDS (Maxillofacial Surgeons) for performing hair transplant procedures, and IADVL (Tamil Nadu Branch) has filed writ petitions before the Madras high court challenging the Dental Council of India (DCI) guidelines dated 06.12.2022, which permit MDS (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery) to perform hair transplants," the minutes said.

While the standards are finalized, the NCCE has decided to wait for the Madras high court judgment before notifying them, said the first official.

“A hair transplant is not a beauty salon service; it is a medical service. The procedure is a standard operation. The primary issue in India is that the practice has become dangerously trivialized. Internationally, these procedures are highly regulated, providing legal safeguards that prevent the kind of tragic mishaps recently seen in India," said a third government official, on condition of anonymity.

Queries emailed to the spokespersons of the health ministry and the DGHS remained unanswered.

Medical experts concur with the government’s view.

Dr Aparna Santhanam, dermatologist and head of medical operations at Kaya Ltd said the move is both timely and absolutely necessary. “Hair transplantation in India has grown into a ₹1,600-1,700 crore industry performing over 350,000 procedures a year, but for far too long it has operated in a regulatory grey zone. We have seen a proliferation of ‘ghost clinics’, salons, and small setups where procedures are carried out by technicians or unqualified personnel, often without any doctor on site."

The consequences are not cosmetic alone, she said, adding that across the industry, clinicians are increasingly treating patients with severe infections, poor graft survival, scarring, nerve injury, and permanently disfiguring outcomes from botched procedures. There have also been documented cases of serious complications and deaths linked to unsafe practices.

“The rules will protect consumers, restore credibility to the sector, and ensure that India’s leadership in medical aesthetics is built on ethical, evidence-based and safe clinical practice rather than price-driven shortcuts," Santhanan said.

Dr Dinesh Kumar Devaraj, former president of the IADVL (Tamil Nadu), and an active advocate for medical regulation in aesthetic surgery, added that transplantation is far more complex than it appears. “On the surface, it looks simple—moving hair from the back to the front. However, it is a precise science involving specific extraction techniques and angles. It isn't just taking a plant from a backyard and putting it in a front yard; it requires deep medical understanding."

Devaraj further warned of the dangers posed by “quacks". “Due to high profit margins, many untrained technicians and even dentists have entered the field. We are fighting to stop quackery through writ petitions because this is not the domain of those trained only in dentistry. Reading about teeth and ending up doing hair surgery doesn't make sense."

The hair transplant companies termed the regulations as necessary for the shift from a "beauty service" mindset to one of rigorous medical safety.

Dr Manisha Mareddy, founder of Hyderabad-based Shlok Dermatology & Wellness Clinic, termed the hair transplant standards as long overdue. “There is a rampant rise in non-doctors performing surgical procedures in unsafe environments. Patients are often tempted by pocket-friendly deals, unaware of the risks. Clear guidelines will finally settle the debate on who is qualified to perform these procedures," she said.

She added that mandating dermatologists and plastic surgeons for these roles brings much-needed accountability. “Hair transplantation is not a procedure that can be done without specialist supervision. Every surgical step—safe anaesthesia, strict sterilization, and emergency preparedness—must be followed to avoid fatal complications."

Sowmya Ramasubramanian in Mumbai contributed to the story.