The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) Issues an Important Public Warning
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), in an official statement, urges public awareness regarding the growing number of non-physicians performing medical procedures in hair transplant surgeries—practices that place patients at serious risk.
An increasing number of individuals who have undergone hair transplant procedures by non-physicians are now seeking ISHRS-certified doctors to correct significant errors and complications caused by these earlier interventions—often performed either by unqualified individuals or inadequately trained physicians.
ISHRS Warns: Patient Safety and Final Outcomes Are at Risk
The ISHRS cautions that both patient safety and the quality of outcomes are being compromised and urges individuals considering hair restoration to be aware of the following:
Even modern hair transplant techniques—often described as minimally invasive—require surgical expertise. Today’s hair restoration procedures involve two main methods of graft harvesting: FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Excision).
Throughout the course of a hair transplant procedure, critical clinical decisions must be made—decisions that require medical knowledge and hands-on clinical experience.
ISHRS Statement on the Requirements of Modern Hair Transplant Surgery
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) emphasizes that, regardless of the hair transplant technique used, critical diagnostic decisions must be made, and full-thickness surgical incisions are required on the scalp or skin.
In modern Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation, in particular, hundreds or even thousands of such microscopic incisions are made in both the donor and recipient areas.
Only appropriately trained and licensed physicians—or, where legally permitted by national regulations, licensed healthcare professionals acting strictly within the scope of their professional license—are qualified to perform specific steps before, during, and after a hair transplant procedure
These steps include:
- Pre-operative diagnostic evaluation and informed consent
- Design and execution of the surgical procedure (including graft harvesting, hairline design, and preparation of the recipient area)
- Management of medical issues and any potential complications or adverse reactions
Laws governing who may perform these procedures vary from country to country. In some regions, even non-physicians are allowed to participate in medical treatments—posing significant concerns.
The ISHRS firmly states that only a licensed physician with proven knowledge and experience in hair restoration surgery should perform all surgical aspects of hair transplantation, including any incisions, extractions, or excisions involving follicular units.
When physicians promote their credentials and then delegate the actual surgery to unlicensed personnel (non-physicians), patients are misled—and placed at serious risk
How to Choose a Qualified Hair Transplant Physician
When unlicensed personnel (non-physicians) perform hair transplant procedures requiring advanced surgical skills, the risk increases for:
- Misdiagnosis or poor evaluation of the patient’s condition
- Inappropriate or unnecessary procedures being carried out
- Undetected scalp conditions that may be signs of more serious underlying diseases
If these conditions go undiagnosed and the patient undergoes a hair transplant, they may face serious long-term medical consequences.
“You can read the official ISHRS announcement in English, here.”
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