Delhi: Man loses life after botched hair transplant treatment

A Delhi man who wanted to regain his confidence with a full head of hair died in agony recently. The reason can be chalked up to a botched hair transplant treatment. The 30-year-old Athar Rasheed victim experienced multiple organ failures due to suspected medical malpractice during the treatment at a municipal clinic.

Rasheed, the family's lone provider, leaves behind his mother and two sisters, who are left searching for answers. They have filed a police report, and so far four people have been detained in connection with his death.

Rasheed had rashes all over his body following the treatment, lost the use of his kidneys, following which several other organs failed, resulting in a horrible death, according to his mother, Asiya Begum. Rasheed's death is not the first time a hair transplant treatment has gone wrong.

A 31-year-old hair transplant patient died in Gujarat in September 2021 from anaphylactic shock. In 2019, a 43-year-old businessman from Mumbai died two days after receiving a hair transplant. Why do hair transplant treatments go wrong, and how does errors result in people dying?

How can a hair transplant treatment go wrong?

Hair transplants, while not generally a life-threatening treatment, can nevertheless go awry owing to medical incompetence. The clinic must ensure a patient's safety. Using general anaesthetics rather than local anaesthetics increases the likelihood of complications which could lead to death. As the surgery is extensive and time-sensitive, a surgeon is more likely to make a mistake under pressure.

FAQ

What exactly is a hair transplant?

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure that transplants hair to bald or thinning parts of the scalp.

How long does hair transplantation last?

New hair begins to grow three months later (90 to 100 days) and continues to grow at a regular rate.