A dispute between dermatologists and dentists over who is authorised to perform hair transplantation and aesthetic and cosmetic surgeries has taken a legal turn. The Kerala High Court is expected to hear a writ petition related to the issue soon.
The disagreement between the two came to the limelight when functionaries of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL) came out with a public statement in March 2025 to highlight their concerns related to quackery. Dental surgeons objected to the reference against members of their community who practise cosmetology and dermatology, terming it an attempt to brand them as quacks.
The IADVL then issued a clarification “regretting any unintended hurt for any concerns arising from the generalisation in our communication” and acknowledged the competency of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (MDS-OMFS) in performing hair transplantation procedures.
Two deaths
However, K. Ruxana, chairperson of the anti-quackery committee of the IADVL, says that two deaths were reported in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh following hair transplantation surgeries conducted by dentists in the subsequent months. This was followed by reports of severe side-effects in a patient who underwent a similar procedure at a private hospital in Kochi. Dr. Ruxana points out that the association thought of a legal recourse against the backdrop of these incidents. The writ petition was filed in March this year.
