With the rapid expansion of the hair restoration market around the world, there is a dangerous parallel trend arising: under-regulated providers - often called “dark clinics. These “dark clinics” are a threat to the market — undermining brand credibility, patient safety, and the ability of legitimate practices to compete effectively.
Low-standard practices
According to industry forecasts, the global hair transplant market is projected to grow from roughly $9.2bn in 2025 to more than $49bn by 2034, a compound annual growth rate exceeding 20%.
This growth reflects rising demand, technological advances, and wider aesthetic acceptance.
At the same time, it creates fertile ground for opportunistic, low-standard practices.
In South Africa, temporary clinics focused on volume and low pricing are increasingly visible.
Many lack proper theatre standards and skip rigorous sterilisation protocols, post-operative care, or qualified medical oversight.
These lapses compromise patient safety and undermine trust, damaging the sector’s overall reputation.
Reputable practices must justify their value to discerning patients in a crowded market.
Permanence matters. Registered practices operating within regulatory frameworks demonstrate long-term commitment and accountability.
That stability signals professionalism to patients and business partners alike.
Low clinical quality
Flash promotions and steep discounts generate attention.
But they often indicate compromised staffing and lower clinical quality.
Providers driven by price and volume risk over-harvesting grafts, poor implantation, scarring, and other complications.
The consequences extend beyond patients.
Additional corrective procedures increase operational costs and reduce differentiation for reputable practices.
Every botched case inflates turnaround times and shifts conversations from trust to damage control.
For context, one London-based regulated clinic reported a 43 % year-on-year increase in corrective hair transplant cases in 2025, averaging nearly two repair requests per week — a trend linked to poor-quality procedures overseas and from temporary providers.
Medical accountability: non-negotiable
Hair restoration in South Africa is classified as a surgical procedure requiring the involvement of an HPCSA-registered doctor.
Practices that fail to disclose responsible practitioners invite regulatory scrutiny.
Without clear accountability, they risk legal exposure, reputational damage, and diminished patient confidence.
Setting the standard
Temporary providers threaten the sector’s sustainability, while ethical practices succeed through continuity of care, consistent outcomes, and evidence-based methodology.
Hair restoration is not transactional — it requires planning, documented case histories, and disciplined execution.
Protecting patients, outcomes, and market credibility demands strong operational standards, transparent credentials, and vigilant oversight.
As the industry grows, providers who prioritise accountability, compliance, and reliable results will define what success looks like.
These organisations will secure sustainable growth and set the standard for the future of hair restoration.
