World Hair Transplant Restoration Day - November 11

When performed by a qualified physician trained in the art and science of hair transplantation, hair restoration surgery is an excellent procedure for the safe and effective treatment of hair loss. In the wrong hands, hair transplants performed illegally on the black market can have disastrous results.

To help individuals who have fallen victim to failed hair transplants performed illegally by unlicensed technicians, primarily in countries such as Turkey, Mexico, and others, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) — the world’s leading medical authority on hair loss and hair restoration — organizes “World Hair Transplant Restoration Day” every year on November 11. The event is part of the ISHRS’s global Fight the FIGHT campaign, which was launched in 2019 in response to public awareness of this widespread problem and the significant risks it poses to patients. Fight the FIGHT is an acronym for Fight the Fraudulent, Illicit, and Global Hair Transplants.

Dr. Anastasios Vekris, as a member of the ISHRS, President of FUE Europe and Founder of Advanced Hair Clinics, is participating as a speaker and chair at the ISHRS conference in Bucharest dedicated to World Hair Transplant Restoration Day and encourages patients who have been affected to learn more through the campaign website at HairRepairDay.org. community to learn more through the campaign website at HairRepairDay.org.

“Every year, countless patients around the world suffer irreparable results due to hair transplants performed by unqualified individuals,” said Dr. Vekris. “We have seen firsthand how permanent visible scars, infections, areas of weak, sparse hair, bald spots, and scars in donor areas after hair transplants can have devastating consequences for patients. By participating in the ISHRS Global Hair Transplant Restoration Day, our goal is to help victims of botched hair transplants performed by unlicensed technicians by providing them with the opportunity to undergo corrective surgery at no cost.

Dr. Vekris explained that many clinics around the world promote themselves as hair restoration specialists, attracting vulnerable patients with low prices and false advertising that presents misleading information, but operate illegally and fraudulently, without the proper knowledge or training. In many cases, doctors are not even present to perform the surgery.

According to the results of a new survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), 51% of ISHRS members reported that there are black market hair transplant clinics in their cities. According to the organization, there is a year-on-year increase in the number of hair restoration patients seeking treatment to correct previous surgery performed by clinics where the doctor did not perform the surgery.

The ISHRS is committed to patient safety and constantly strives to achieve the best results for all patients by offering doctors superior education and training to improve their techniques. To ensure that patients have the information necessary to make informed decisions about who will perform their hair restoration surgery, the ISHRS urges patients to do a thorough check on the costs, risks, and short- and long-term benefits and planning.

“The best advice I can give patients to avoid falling victim to black market clinics is to do their research when choosing a doctor to perform their hair transplant,” said Dr. Vekris, encouraging affected patients in the community to learn more through the campaign website at HairRepairDay.org.