Hong Kong doctor, clinic operator held over illegal hair transplant procedures

A Hong Kong doctor and a clinic operator were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation by Police and health authorities on a Causeway Bay medical facility suspected of performing high-risk hair transplant procedures without a valid licence.Authorities raided the clinic located in the Cameron Commercial Centre on Hennessy Road after receiving a tip-off that it was offering Regenera Activa (RGA) – an autologous cell transplant treatment for hair loss – despite not having the required day procedure centre licence.During the operation, officers seized medical devices and instruments that could be used for RGA procedures along with patient records, and arrested a doctor and the person in charge of the clinic.“The doctor involved is suspected of performing high-risk medical procedures on premises without an appropriate licence, thereby failing to act in the best interests of patients,” a Department of Health spokesman said.The Department of Health says the investigation is ongoing. Photo: Handout“The investigation is ongoing, and prosecution will be considered based on the evidence collected,” he said, adding the case has been referred to the Medical Council.RGA is a hair regrowth treatment that uses a patient’s own cells to stimulate thinning hair. During the process, a doctor extracts small micrografts – tiny skin samples just a few millimetres wide – from a healthy part of the scalp.