Dr. Yazdan visited Prague this past weekend while attending the 25th annual ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons) world congress.
The ISHRS is the world’s leading hair restoration surgeon association, with over 1200 surgeons participating across 70 countries. The ISHRS sets standards and guidelines which dictate safe practice techniques, inform of new advanced methods of surgery, and offer accreditation to experienced and skilled hair surgeons. The ISHRS also offers continuing education so that surgeons can hone their skills and maintain a high level of professionalism.
The focus at this year’s conference was centered around a consumer alert regarding hair transplantation being done by technicians versus surgeons. The ISHRS has found an alarming number of patients reporting their surgery being conducted by a technician rather than a certified hair transplant surgeon. This is believed to be contributing to the high number of ‘botched’ hair transplant surgeries worldwide.
In any field of practice, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest techniques, procedures, and concerns facing your practice. Dr. Yazdan was happy to participate in the conference, honing his skills and gaining new knowledge of trends effecting his patients.
Recent research by the ISHRS has suggested an increase in facial hair transplant procedures as well as hair transplants for both male and female across the board.
Tag Archives: ISHRS
Does it really matter which hair transplant surgeon performs your surgery?
The answer to this question is a resounding – yes! Not all hair transplant surgeons are created equal. The last thing anyone who is seeking a hair transplant surgery wants is to come out of the surgery with a worse situation than before. We’ve seen this time and time again: quality matters. It is much more difficult to fix a botched surgery than it is to do it right the first time. This can happen if you don’t do your due diligence in researching an expert hair restoration surgeon.
So how we can make sure our potential hair transplant surgeon is the right fit?
First and foremost, do your research. A qualified surgeon with expertise will have before and after pictures, plenty of information on their practice, and positive reviews.
Next, ask lots of questions. It is important to know what types of surgeries your doctor performs, if he does them by hand or machine, and what his success rate is. A qualified hair restoration surgeon will be more than happy to answer any questions, making you feel comfortable and confident in proceeding with surgery.
Above all else, utilize your resources. The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons is the leading authority on hair loss. If your potential doctor isn’t a member of the ISHRS, there may be a reason; it’s possible they may not be certified as a hair transplant surgeon.
Dr. Yazdan is not only a member of the ISHRS but he has over 10 years of experience with hair transplants and has conducted thousands of successful surgeries. There are a plethora of case studies, before and after pictures, and testimonials available right here on our website.
While hair transplant surgery is minimally invasive, it is important to realize that is a surgery requiring extensive medical expertise. Protect your hair and appearance and ensure your surgeon is qualified, has had proper training, experience, and certifications.
Dr. Amir Yazdan Supports ISHRS Position Statement on Scalp Surgery
A growing trend of medical assistants performing hair transplant surgery has caused the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), a not-for-profit medical association focused on medical and surgical outcomes excellence in the field of hair restoration, to issue a position statement on recommended qualifications for scalp surgery. Dr. Yazdan, who is also a member of the ISHRS, has grown concerned about the increasing number of unqualified professionals performing hair transplantation on patients.
“Thanks to new technology and improved hair transplantation techniques, hair restoration is much less surgically invasive than it used to be,” said Dr. Yazdan. “With recent developments of robotic and automated hair transplant systems some medical practices and spas have adopted these devices and delegated the surgery to non-medical personnel. Some of these hair transplantation techniques are less invasive for the patient and therefore some practices don’t classify it as surgery. I believe this to be false and a very dangerous practice and I’m so glad the ISHRS has issued this statement of qualifications for scalp surgery to spell out exactly what the organization constitutes as surgery.”
The ISHRS has taken the position that any procedure involving a skin incision for the purpose of tissue removal from the scalp or body, or to prepare the scalp or body to receive tissue, (e.g., incising the FUE graft, excising the donor strip, creating recipient sites) by any means, including robotics, is a surgical procedure. A properly trained and licensed physician must perform such procedures. Physicians who perform hair restoration surgery must possess the education, training, and current competency in the field of hair restoration surgery. It is beyond the scope of practice for non-licensed personnel to perform surgery. Surgery performed by non-licensed medical personnel may be considered practicing medicine without a license under applicable law. The Society supports the scope of practice of medicine as defined by a physician’s state, country or local legally governing board of medicine. In the state of California, it is against the law to practice medicine without the proper licensure.
When an individual without proper licensure or specialized training performs a hair transplant, the patient’s safety is at risk, as well as the outcome of the hair transplant. There is also a possibility that the unlicensed technician may not be covered by malpractice insurance. A licensed practitioner with a specialty in hair restoration has the specialized training to handle all facets of a hair transplantation procedure.
“It’s very important for patients to do their homework when considering hair transplantation,” said Dr. Yazdan. “One of the questions they need to ask is if the doctor will be performing all aspects of the hair transplantation. The doctor shouldn’t just be in the office – he or she should be handling the procedure from start to finish.”
