Hair transplant deaths are extremely rare, with no reported deaths in the UK. But they can occur when procedures are performed in unsafe conditions, especially in unregulated or unsanitary clinics. Reported fatalities since 2016 mainly involve unqualified practitioners, allergic reactions, infections, or mental health complications.
It’s natural to be concerned about the risks of a hair transplant, including the risk of death. Here, we uncover real cases of rare fatalities, explore how to identify high-risk clinics, and outline the key steps to protect yourself, including choosing a licensed surgeon, recognising unsafe conditions, and managing your physical and mental health during recovery.
Key takeaways
Deaths linked to hair transplants are extremely rare, particularly in countries where high health and safety standards are strictly adhered to. But unfortunately, it is possible for a hair transplant to result in death.
Hair transplant deaths are normally linked to unsafe surgical practices, including unsanitary clinic conditions and unqualified practitioners performing the surgery. So choosing a clinic with robust patient safety measures can significantly decrease the risk of hair transplant complications that can, in rare cases, lead to death.
Yes, there are cases where hair transplant patients have died due to complications from their surgery [1-7]. At least 6 patients have died due to complications from a hair transplant since 2016. All of these were linked to clinics in either Turkey or India, where it’s easier for black market clinics to evade safety laws.
While the exact cause of death isn’t always revealed in the media, reports suggest these fatalities have been linked to:
While it’s still extremely rare for patients to die during or following a hair transplant procedure, there are certain risk factors that make it more likely. Here, we explore how and why these factors increase the risks.
Hair transplants in Turkey and India are popular due to their low costs, but these countries are also responsible for 100% of hair transplant-related deaths reported in the media. By comparison, there have been no hair transplant deaths reported in the UK or other Western European countries in the same timeframe (since 2016).
Many patients do travel abroad for a hair transplant and get good results. But it can be harder to find reputable clinics due to factors like language barriers and not meeting clinic staff in person prior to the procedure. So if you’re considering going overseas, it’s essential that you do plenty of research and watch out for certain hair transplant clinic red flags.
While they’re more common in countries like Turkey, black market clinics can operate anywhere. More than 59% of hair transplant surgeons say black market hair transplant clinics are operating in their city, and a further 22% are unsure whether they are [8]. It’s why the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons (ISHRS) launched their Fight the Fight campaign.
Black market clinics are characterised by:
Naturally, clinics don’t tend to advertise themselves as black market clinics. Professional-looking websites are easy and cheap to set up, and can give you a false sense of security. Seek out real patient experiences on sites like Trustpilot and Reddit to establish whether a clinic has genuine credentials, and check the clinic is registered with the appropriate health authority.
It’s common practice for a hair transplant to be performed and supervised by a licensed, qualified surgeon, and supported by a team of qualified technicians. In accordance with advice from the ISHRS and British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS), all skin incisions should be carried out by a licensed surgeon (not a technician) [9]. This is how we operate at the Wimpole Clinic, our award-winning UK hair transplant clinic.
But some clinics exploit lack of patient awareness around who should perform which aspect of hair transplantation. This leaves patients open to problems that can increase the risk of death. In at least two reported fatalities, an unlicensed person was performing the procedure [2, 6].
The ISHRS has also highlighted ‘bait and switch’ and ‘turnkey’ operations. In these cases, surgeons advertise their own credentials to get patients in the chair. But the actual surgery is delegated to underqualified/inexperienced technicians and/or automated devices, meaning patients aren’t getting the care or expertise they were promised.
Getting a hair transplant in nonsterile conditions greatly increases the risk of infection. If infection goes untreated, it can lead to sepsis, which is life-threatening and needs immediate medical attention.
Poor hair transplant aftercare is also a risk factor for infection. This includes touching the scalp before it’s healed, allowing other objects to come into contact with your scalp, scratching your grafts, exposure to heat and sweat, and not spraying your grafts with saline solution.
All wounds pose an infection risk until they’re fully healed, which is why it’s essential to take good care of your grafts and donor area for a good two weeks after your procedure, until all the scabs have safely been removed.
Patients with sepsis may display any of the following symptoms (not necessarily all of them). If in doubt, call 999 for urgent medical help or go to A&E if you experience any of these symptoms:
It’s very rare, but some people may be allergic to the local anaesthetic used to perform hair transplants. Severe allergic reactions can cause the throat to swell, making it difficult to breathe. This is known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, and has been known to cause death in at least one hair transplant patient [3].
All medical facilities should be equipped to recognise and deal with anaphylaxis quickly, and should refer you to a hospital for monitoring after any anaphylactic episode.
Your medical team should ask you about any known allergies, and whether you’ve had a reaction to any medicines previously. This can help them assess your risk of anaphylaxis against the drugs required to perform a hair transplant.
Patients in anaphylactic shock may display any of the following symptoms (not necessarily all of them). If in doubt, call 999 for urgent medical help or go to A&E if you experience any of these symptoms:
The hair transplant death rate is extremely low. In the UK, the mortality rate is virtually 0%, with no case reports of death due to complications from a hair transplant procedure in the UK. At least 6 deaths worldwide have been reported in the media since 2016 [1-7]
By comparison, more than 2.5 million hair transplants have been performed across the same time period by ISHRS members [8, 10-12]. The number performed by unlicensed practitioners is unknown.
If you’re considering a hair transplant, you may be worried about the risk of death when you’re in the chair. Rest assured that the risk is extremely low if you select a reputable clinic with a good surgeon.
Because hair transplantation is a very safe procedure under the right circumstances, you can make specific choices that will lower the risk of death and other serious complications. Here’s what to do to maximise safety and minimise risk when opting for a hair transplant.
Infection can lead to sepsis if left untreated, but most instances can be avoided or treated effectively. Here’s how to control infection risk before and after your hair transplant:
Do your research and find a clinic and surgeon you trust. This doesn’t just reduce the risk of complications; it increases the chances of getting great results.
You should feel completely confident in your decision before putting down a deposit for your hair transplant. Ask as many hair transplant consultation questions as needed in advance, and make sure you’re happy with the responses before choosing your clinic.
Questions to consider include:
Having realistic expectations of your hair transplant outcome is important, especially if your mental health is tied to your hair. As well as comparing your hair to before and after hair transplant images, your clinic should clearly explain what’s possible based on the extent of your hair loss so far, and the availability of grafts in your hair transplant donor area.
To this end, it’s a good idea to get a range of opinions from multiple clinics. That way you can recognise and remove any outliers from consideration.
More than one hair transplant patient has died by suicide, which media outlets have linked to body dysmorphia induced or worsened by their poor hair transplant results. In both cases, the patient had pre-existing mental health concerns [6, 13].
If you have any worries about your mental health before or after a hair transplant, it’s essential to get the support you need. Talk to a therapist, seek support from family and friends, and reach out to your GP for advice.
Additionally, many hair transplant clinics perform hair transplant repair services. The rate of hair transplant repair is growing year-on-year, rising from 3% of male procedures in 2020 to 4.1% in 2025 [8, 11]. So it may be possible to address issues stemming from a previous hair transplant.
If you’re feeling low, Samaritans is a free mental health support service you can access in the UK. Samaritans has a free 24-hour phone service; call 116 123 to speak to someone if you need help. Alternatively, Papyrus is a suicide prevention charity that offers free support to young people. Call 0800 068 4141 free to speak to a trained advisor.
The Wimpole Clinic is one of the longest-running hair transplant clinics in the UK, with an excellent safety record and a track record of fantastic results. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. So if you’re considering a hair transplant, we’ll discuss any safety concerns you have, and help you achieve long-term hair regrowth with low risk and high peace of mind.
Book a free consultation at your nearest clinic location to arrange a meeting with a friendly, professional patient advisor, so you can discuss all your questions and concerns.
Understand more about the risks of hair transplant surgery in these frequently asked questions.
Yes. If you travel outside of the UK to certain popular medical tourism destinations (such as Turkey and India), the risk of death is higher, as it’s easier for black market clinics to operate without detection. While these countries have regulatory standards, they’re not upheld as thoroughly as in the UK. Deaths have been reported in these countries.
However, the risk of death is still relatively small. You’re more likely to experience complications or poor results, so it’s also important to weigh up these risks against the cost savings involved with medical tourism.
Hair transplant surgery is a minimally invasive procedure with very few serious complications if performed with the right safety provisions. At the Wimpole Clinic, our hair transplant success rate is 97-100%.
If you’re a UK citizen or resident getting a hair transplant in the UK, you shouldn’t need additional health insurance. Most health insurance policies won’t cover hair transplants, as they’re normally considered a cosmetic procedure. Any necessary emergency treatment will be available on the NHS. So there may not be any additional benefit to taking out a health insurance policy.
Your clinic should have the appropriate insurance policies in place to cover their own liabilities. Ask the clinic to see a copy if required.
If you’re travelling to another country to get a hair transplant, make sure you have the required insurance to cover medical expenses in case you need emergency treatment. You should do this even if you’re confident in the clinic’s safety protocols.
While you’re unlikely to receive counselling or therapy at your clinic, most will be able to refer you to effective services if you need emotional support. Alternatively, you can speak to your GP about local or national mental health services available.
Wimpole Clinic Services:
Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
Talk to a specialist
Dr Mir Malkani MBBS, MISHRS, FRCS, aged 59, is a pioneer and leader in the field of FUE Hair Transplants in the UK. He has performed over 7,000 hair transplant procedures in the last 21 years and is an innovator in FUE surgery due to his extensive experience. In-fact, Dr Malkani is one of the first three FUE surgeons in the UK and has developed modern FUE surgery techniques and is registered with the GMC (4702052). He has been performing FUE surgery since January 2008 and for the last five years almost exclusively performs this technique. Dr Malkani takes a keen interest in every patient and their surgery results. He performs surgical aspects himself thereby ensuring a high standard of work and accountability for each individual patient whilst complying with UK Law.
After achieving a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1997, Dr Malkani had the opportunity to work in a range of specialties in Dublin, London, Sussex and The Midlands. This included Trauma Surgery, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Dermatology. Additionally, Dr Malkani has achieved qualifications in General Practice and has been a practising hair transplant Surgeon on a full-time basis since 2004. He worked for the Wimpole Clinic from 2013 to 2016 as a specialist FUE surgeon before setting up his own hair clinic in 2017 which eventually merged with Wimpole Clinic in 2019.
Since 2015 Dr Malkani has become the expert witness for the UK judicial system in order to provide expert medical opinions to the courts for hair transplant medical malpractices in the UK. He has been pivotal in helping the UK courts in improving the quality of hair transplant surgery in the UK and in patients suffering malpractice from poor unregulated work here in the UK. Dr Malkani has performed hair transplant surgery in England, Scotland, Ireland and in Sweden.
Dr Malkani has taken a keen interest in and practised facial aesthetics, body sculpting and hair loss for many years. His surgical qualifications, experience, skills and understanding of facial cosmetology has enabled him to master the most modern and advanced techniques and artistry of FUE hair Surgery. These outstanding skills have helped transform the lives of his male, female and transgender patients. He is one of the few around the world whose transaction rate (damage to grafts during extraction) is extremely low and is under 2%. This ensures a high volume of viable grafts and a good result without compromising the donor area. Dr Malkani is also one of a few surgeons in the UK who can harvest body hair in a hair transplant where there is a depleted donor area.
In 2008, Dr Malkani had the honour to be invited to lecture on The Art and Sciences of Hair Restoration surgery and Hair loss in the annual meeting of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors at The Royal College of Physicians in London. Dr Malkani has trained others in the specialty of Hair Restoration Surgery in The United Kingdom, Italy and Asia. He has worked on thousands of hair transplant patients over the past 16 years and has kept abreast of constant new developments in the industry.
Membership of professional bodies by Dr Malkani includes full membership of The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery and The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors and British Medical Association. He has been featured by the national press and BBC as one of the key seniors, versatile hair transplant surgeons in the UK.
GMC Registration No: 4702052
