Why is India an emerging hair transplant hot spot?

From the quality of surgeons to pristine hygiene standards, India’s hair transplant industry is gaining international recognition

When it came to getting a hair transplant done for himself, Harjit Singh Lodwal, 40, an NRI based in Chicago, US chose India after a lot of meticulous research.

Lodwal says he selected a cutting-edge clinic in Jaipur for two reasons: the expertise of its surgeons and equally importantly, the high standards of hygiene implemented there. "I did a lot of research about hair transplant treatment options available in the US and Europe. Hygiene was a key factor for me. What I found was not only were the procedures too expensive, the hygiene levels in clinics offering them were too low in these countries," says Lodwal.

While Turkey continues to be the hair transplant capital of the world', India is emerging as a preferred option, of late, with it even being ranked among the top 10 countries in the world for the same. Dr Nitin Soni, head counsellor at Medispa hair transplant centre, Delhi and Jaipur, lists out a few reasons for it. "Hair transplantation is both medical and artistic work. It is an aesthetic procedure where drawing the hairline and giving a natural look to the client is the primary goal. And in India today, we have more professional and skilled surgeons who are capable of rendering that compared to other countries." Also, while it may not be a major surgery, Soni says that clinics in India take care of every tiny detail.

"We make sure that the operating room has every medical equipment in place including a defibrillator for any emergency. There's no room for carelessness," he says. Surgical instruments from scalpels to forceps undergo stringent sterilisation to eliminate potential pathogens. Additionally, the implementation of disposable materials, such as single-use gowns, drapes, and covers for equipment, further contribute to maintaining aseptic conditions. "This