Aesthetic Medicine and Hair Transplant: Where we stand?

To

Maxillofacial Surgeons,

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the field of dentistry which has reached far beyond oral cavity. There are huge number of oral surgeons who are routinely performing complicated surgical procedure related to orofacial clefts, TMJ, head and neck tumors, vascular malformations, facial trauma, plastic and reconstructive procedures, flaps and grafts, distraction osteogenesis, etc. successfully and very efficiently. We are the first doctor in mind of our fellow dentists whenever any kind of surgical complication or medical emergencies arise.

In past several years, various oral surgeons have learned and excelled the art of aesthetic surgery and hair transplant. After all it was not very different and difficult of what we were doing or learning. Aesthetic surgery is part of OMFS academic curriculum, we have knowledge of skin, scalp and other anatomical units of head and neck, knows how to handle medical emergencies, oral surgeons have surgical skills and eye of an aesthetician. The oral surgeons are capable of harvesting various flaps and grafts from distant areas. 

Yet where our community stands?

The IHRS, AHRS entitles M. Ch. Plastic Surgery, M.D / Diploma in Dermatology, M. S General Surgery, M. S ENT, DORL for membership but does not recognizes MDS oral surgery. The DCI consider our valuable skills but is silent on the question of eligibility to perform facial aesthetic procedures and hair transplant surgery. There have been instance where state MCI has concluded MBBS doctor to be ineligible to perform hair transplant but overall their stand has been indecisive. The AOMSI include several cosmetic surgical procedures of head and neck such as rhytidectomy / facelift, browlift / blepharoplasty, otoplasty, rhinoplasty, septoplasty, cheek augmentation, chin augmentation, genioplasty, neck liposuction, hair transplant, lip enhancement, injectable cosmetic treatments, botox, chemical peel etc. still many of the above invasive procedures are performed by graduate dentists, allied healthcare professionals, spa and parlors.

There are workshops and fast track courses which are conducted almost daily providing certificate to every dentist and allied professionals to claim themselves as cosmetologists or even trichologists. The biggest question which should arise among all of us should be how we are different from  quacks, ineligible or half baked doctors and beauticians who lacks bare minimum knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, emergency management, hardly has undergone any surgical training and their centres are devoid of standard sterilization and disinfection protocols, emergency medicines and appropriate surgical infrastructure.

Such frivolous practice will only bring increased risks and complications, failures, negative publicity and disrepute to dental fraternity. It is not a social, mental and financial loss of oral surgeons but even grave risk to patient’s life and health. It is important that the issue should be raised globally. The governing council should lay down rules and regulations to practice aesthetic surgery and hair transplant by the general dentists, graduates and other professionals who do not have valid medical qualification.

It’s time to see a larger picture. Until and unless we raise our voice and concerns, request DCI to bring cosmetic surgery and hair transplant within the four corners of maxillofacial surgical procedures to be performed by qualified medical doctor/surgeon/oral and maxillofacial surgeon, lay down strict rules and regulation against short term workshops and courses for aesthetic surgery, cosmetology, hair transplant to ineligible professionals, the illegal and unethical practice of cosmetic surgery will keep on rising and there may be a situation where even deserving qualified doctors are refrained from practicing this novel art.

Thank you

PS:- This is a public and personal request to all my fellow oral surgeons to consider this matter and forward it to concerning authority (DCI, AOMSI, IDA, ISHRS, etc.) and also forward a signed response in favour /comments on this request to omfsclinics2013@gmail.com . All your responses will help in fighting for the cause with much strength.