Caution: Dangers of Unlicensed Technicians Performing Hair Transplant Surgery
Our community specializes in prescreening and recommending hair transplant surgeons who continually perform state of the art hair restoration surgery with world class results. View our demanding standards for recommendation. However, there are many clinics where surgeons are barely involved and instead, unlicensed and/or unskilled technicians are performing the majority of the procedure. While hair transplantation is a team effort and requires the experience and skill of many people, it’s crucial that an experienced and skilled surgeon is involved in the procedure or at least overseeing the process. But how do you know who is performing your procedure? How can you be sure that the one whose hands are on the tool is skilled and licensed to ensure you are obtaining the very best results?
Selecting a hair transplant physician/clinic who has a proven track record of producing outstanding results will help provide peace of mind. Also, selecting a physician who is more “hands-on” can minimize doubt and ensure an excellent outcome. Furthermore, it’s important to become familiar with the laws and regulations of each country/state. Some countries / states may allow non-physicians to score the skin (which is how surgery is defined) while others may not. Thus, learning whether or not technicians are allowed to perform surgery in a particular area can at least show patients whether or not physicians/clinics are ethical and abiding by state/country law.
Some highly skilled surgeons do use technicians for a larger part of the procedure and still produce excellent results. In fact, it is common practice for technicians to be more involved and even harvest the donor via follicular unit extraction (FUE) outside of the states. Does this mean that the results will be subpar? Not necessarily. But it may require more research from the patient which includes getting to know the skill and experience of each staff member working on their scalp. Regrettably, patients who blindly choose clinics who use unlicensed technicians and/or inexperienced doctors are likely to regret their decision and end up with poor hair growth, complications or bad scarring.
So how can patients minimize risks and feel confident that they’ve selected an excellent physician/clinic to perform their hair transplant procedure? The answer is simple. Be sure to research all physicians/clinics you are considering and select doctors who have a proven track record of continually producing outstanding results. Our hair restoration discussion forum can be a valuable resource for those considering hair transplant surgery. Be sure to use the “search” feature and research all physicians you are considering. Read real patient reviews or share your own. You can also visit or create your own hair loss patient website full of testimonials, photos, videos and physician ratings.
At the end of the day, research is key and knowing who is performing your procedure will help guarantee you get the very best results.
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Bill
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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