Tamil Nadu releases Government Order to regulate cosmetology, aesthetics, and hair transplant clinics

The Tamil Nadu government has recently released an order governing the functioning of all aesthetics, cosmetology, and hair transplant clinics, calling for their mandatory registration under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments Act. Their functioning will be incorporated under the Rules thereof.

The Government Order (G.O.) is based on the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines on aesthetics and hair transplant issued on September 20, 2022, which have been incorporated into Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment rules. With the government finally stepping into regulation of these clinics, monitoring of this largely unregulated sector and the enforcement of punitive action for violations will be possible, experts said.

As per the order, all aesthetics clinics cannot be stand-alone units running as non-medical outfits. All of them will require a licence to operate. Hair transplant clinics are required to have a proper operation theatre set-up and hair transplants, and aesthetic and cosmetological procedures on skin and hair can be performed only by registered and qualified dermatologists or plastic surgeons. Similarly, the centres can be manned only by these two professionals.

Proper pre-anaesthetic and pre-procedure medical fitness tests should be performed as with any other surgery, and all these centres must have in stock all emergency drugs and equipment needed to handle any medical emergency situations that may arise during the surgery. The recommendations were made by an Empowered Committee at a recent meeting, and the government decided to accept the decisions and issued necessary orders.

“This is a welcome move. In fact, it is high time that this completely unregulated sector is brought under proper operating protocols,” said Benedit Regi, assistant professor of dermatology, Stanley Medical College and Hospital. He further explained that Kaviarasan, Tamil Nadu president of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL), has made various representations to the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu Medical Council to take action to stop quackery in these aesthetics clinics and hair transplant centres.

Dr. Regi said the number of cases of botched hair transplant or other aesthetics procedures had only been increasing over the years. “People have even lost their lives because of badly done procedures non-qualified personnel were performing with impunity at these clinics. The lack of regulation of these clinics was one major cause. Though the NMC had laid down the process for the operation of these clinics in 2022 itself, they were only in the form of guidelines, and therefore not enforceable,” he explained. The new G.O. will bring about a major change at least in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Regi added.