New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- Amid a rising number of complaints over botched hair transplants, the Centre plans to reclassify the procedure from the 'cosmetic salon' category to a strictly regulated 'surgical practice' to rein in malpractices in the $252 million industry, according to three government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.

The distinction is critical: salons provide non-invasive services such as styling, while surgical practice involves invasive medical procedures, including hair follicle transplantation, requiring anaesthesia, sterile conditions and specialized surgical expertise.

The Minimum Standards for Hair Transplant Centres, drafted by the National Council for Clinical Establishments (NCCE)-India's central statutory ...