"Can a Korean medicine doctor perform hair transplants?" Medical community outraged as Korean medicine doctors expand their scope

[Financial News] The Korean Society of Hair Restoration Surgery has pushed back after the Korean Society of Integrated Laser Medicine, which studies laser treatments in Korean medicine, announced plans to hold a webinar on hair transplantation. KSHRS immediately issued a statement and called on the authorities to take swift action.
The physician-led academic society, which conducts research on hair and scalp health, released a statement on the 23rd titled, "KSHRS's Position on Unregulated Hair Transplant Training That Could Threaten Public Safety."
In the statement, the society said, "We recently confirmed that the Korean Society of Integrated Laser Medicine plans to hold a webinar for Korean medicine doctors under the slogan, 'Transplanting hair transplants into Korean medicine,' featuring the principles of hair transplantation, procedural methods, and actual demonstration videos." It added, "We make it clear that this issue goes beyond the interests of any particular profession and concerns public safety and trust in the medical system."
It went on to stress, "Hair transplantation is not a simple cosmetic procedure, but a highly specialized surgical medical practice that requires an accurate understanding of scalp anatomy and includes local anesthesia, follicle harvesting, follicle separation, follicle implantation, and postoperative care." It added, "Because it is a comprehensive medical procedure that covers everything from accurately diagnosing the patient's condition and determining indications and contraindications to diagnosing and treating postoperative complications, safe hair transplantation cannot be performed through limited training or a one-time demonstration alone."
The society called for specific measures from relevant institutions and the government. At the end of the statement, it urged, "Relevant academic societies and educational institutions must immediately stop hair transplant-related training and demonstrations that could be mistaken for medical practices beyond the scope of a license." It also asked, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare and other relevant authorities should thoroughly review the legality of the training and whether it may violate medical law, and take the necessary steps promptly."
Jeong Jin-wook, president of KSHRS, said of the issue, "Hair transplantation is not a simple procedure, but a medical practice that requires professional medical judgment and surgical skill throughout the entire operation." He added, "In particular, unexpected situations such as bleeding, adverse reactions related to local anesthesia, and damage to blood vessels or nerves can occur, so patient safety can only be ensured when the procedure is performed by a medical professional who has received sufficient education and training."
Meanwhile, the Korean Society of Integrated Laser Medicine will hold a webinar on the 29th under the theme, "Transplanting hair transplants into Korean medicine." The session will cover the basic principles of hair transplantation as well as practical know-how centered on specific procedural methods.
[email protected] Kim Hyun-sun Reporter