TGMC Files 10 FIRs Against Hyderabad Clinics for Unqualified Hair and Skin Treatments

The Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) has launched a major crackdown on medical malpractice in Hyderabad, conducting around 60 inspections and registering over 10 FIRs against clinics employing unqualified practitioners for specialized hair, skin, and aesthetic treatments. Since late 2025, the council, alongside district health authorities, has targeted establishments where individuals without recognized qualifications in dermatology were performing specialized procedures.

Nearly 30 of the inspections took place this year alone, resulting in several establishments being sealed by district health authorities. The regulatory action covered a range of clinics and online treatment providers, including major brands, following rising patient-safety concerns in the rapidly expanding aesthetic sector.

During the operations, the council discovered that practitioners of alternative systems of medicine were administering specialized skin, hair, and aesthetic treatments. National Medical Commission (NMC) 2019 guidelines restrict these procedures to qualified dermatologists holding an MD or DNB degree, and plastic surgeons with MCh qualifications.

Dr Jalagam Vijay, a dermatologist and former co-opted member of the TGMC’s legal and anti-quackery committee, explained that practitioners without these specific qualifications lack the expertise to safely diagnose and treat such conditions. He noted that several inspected clinics were operating with ineligible staff.

The council also raised serious concerns over online hair-loss consultation models. Inspections revealed that some companies generated treatment plans based solely on uploaded photographs and questionnaires, without any direct video interaction between patients and specialists.

According to Dr A Sunny Davis, chairman of the TGMC’s legal and anti-quackery committee, some centers employed non-medical personnel as "hair coaches" to conduct preliminary assessments. These reports were then forwarded to remotely located MBBS practitioners rather than qualified dermatologists or plastic surgeons.

Additionally, some facilities functioned more like retail outlets, lacking proper registrations and clinical oversight, according to Dr Karthik Nagula, who accompanied the council during the inspections. Other clinics prescribed "hair kits" containing a mix of ayurvedic and allopathic medicines, violating regulations that prohibit a facility from simultaneously operating under both systems without proper compliance.

Following due verification, the TGMC will issue official notices to the non-compliant centers. The council also plans to write to the Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) to launch an inquiry into the safety, scientific standards, and regulatory compliance of the marketed hair-treatment kits.