Choosing a Hair Transplant Clinic in the UK: GMC and CQC Checks
To choose a hair transplant clinic in the UK, first check that the clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission (in England) and the surgeon with the General Medical Council, then compare clinics on who performs each step, how many procedures run each day, the written plan and the total price, rather than on adverts or headline prices; London prices typically range from about £3,199 for a package to £11,900 for a large session.
| Check | How | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic registration (England) | Search the CQC website | Registered for surgical procedures at the address where surgery happens |
| Inspection report | CQC website | Recent report; any concerns addressed |
| Surgeon registration | Search the GMC register | Full registration with a licence to practise |
| Who does what | Ask at consultation | Clear answer on which steps the surgeon performs |
| Daily volume | Ask at consultation | A realistic number of procedures per day |
| Assessment | Consultation | Diagnosis, donor check, graft estimate, risks |
| Written plan and price | After consultation | Graft count, technique, total payable, aftercare |
| Before-and-after photos | Ask | The clinic's own patients, unedited, at 12 months |
At Hair Transplants London surgery takes place in a CQC-registered clinic and procedures are led by GMC-registered doctors. Use this checklist on us as well as anyone else.
What is the best hair transplant clinic in the UK?
There is no single best clinic. The best clinic for you is one that is properly registered, gives you an honest diagnosis, explains what is realistic for your hair, tells you exactly who will do what, and provides a clear written plan and total price. It should also be easy for you to reach for follow-up during the 12 to 18 months your result takes to mature.
Estimate your own graft count and typical London price with our hair graft calculator.
How do you check a clinic's CQC registration?
In England, any clinic carrying out hair transplant surgery must be registered with the Care Quality Commission for the regulated activity of surgical procedures.
- Go to the CQC website and search for the clinic's name or postcode.
- Check that the location listed is where your surgery will happen, not just where you have your consultation.
- Check that it is registered for surgical procedures.
- Read the latest inspection report and rating, if it has one.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, independent clinics are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the RQIA respectively.
How do you check a surgeon on the GMC register?
- Ask for the surgeon's full name and GMC reference number.
- Search the GMC register.
- Check they have full registration with a licence to practise, and look for any conditions or warnings.
There is no separate GMC specialist register for hair transplant surgery. Hair restoration surgeons come from backgrounds such as dermatology, plastic surgery and general practice, with further training in hair restoration. Ask about their training and how many procedures they perform. Membership of professional bodies such as the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery or the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery shows an interest in the field, but these are memberships, not regulators.
Who performs each step of the surgery?
This is one of the most important questions. A hair transplant includes several stages: consultation, hairline design, extraction, making the recipient incisions and implanting grafts. In many clinics, trained technicians help with some stages under a surgeon's supervision. Ask:
- Will I meet the operating surgeon before surgery day?
- Who designs my hairline?
- Who performs extraction?
- Who makes the recipient incisions?
- Who implants the grafts?
- Is the surgeon present throughout?
The recipient incisions set the angle, direction and density of the new hair, so many surgeons consider them the most important surgical step.
How many procedures should a clinic do per day?
Ask how many patients are treated on your surgery day and how many the surgeon is responsible for at once. A hair transplant takes most of a day. A very high number of procedures per surgeon makes it unlikely the surgeon is performing key steps personally.
Next step
Find out what a transplant could do for you
Send us a few details and we will be in touch to arrange a hair assessment. There is no obligation to go ahead.
Request a hair assessmentWhat should a good consultation include?
| Part of consultation | What to expect |
|---|---|
| History | Hair loss pattern, family history, health, medication |
| Examination | Thinning areas and donor area, often with magnification |
| Diagnosis | Likely cause; whether surgery is suitable now or later |
| Plan | Technique, graft estimate, hairline design approach |
| Long term | How future hair loss will be managed |
| Risks | Infection, scarring, poor growth, shock loss and others |
| Price | Total payable in writing, with inclusions |
You should be seen by a doctor before you commit to surgery. If the only person you meet before booking is a sales adviser, ask when you will see the surgeon.
How do you judge before-and-after photos?
Photos should be of the clinic's own patients, unedited, taken in similar lighting and at a stated time after surgery, ideally 12 months. Ask to see typical results, not only the best ones, and cases similar to yours in hair type and extent of loss. Be cautious of photos with wet hair, different angles or styling that hides the scalp.
What are the red flags?
- Pressure to book on the day, or time-limited discounts.
- Guarantees of results or graft survival.
- Very large graft numbers promised without examining your donor area.
- Reluctance to name the surgeon or explain who does what.
- Surgery offered to very young men with rapidly changing hair loss, without a long-term plan.
- No in-person or video assessment by a doctor before surgery.
- Reviews that look copied or appear in large batches.
Does location matter?
Yes, for aftercare. Follow-up visits during the first year let the clinic check healing, growth and your long-term plan. A clinic you can reach easily makes those visits realistic. Harley Street has many clinics, but the address is not a qualification. Our guide to Harley Street hair transplants explains what to check there, and our guide to hair transplant clinics in London covers comparing clinics across the capital.
How should you compare prices?
Compare the total payable for the graft count each clinic recommends for you, including consultation, medication, PRP and follow-up. A lower price is not always worse value, and a higher one is not always better, but you need like-for-like figures. Our hair transplant cost guide explains per-graft and package pricing.
Request a hair assessment
A doctor will examine your scalp and donor area and give you a written plan with your graft estimate, technique, risks and total price, along with the clinic's CQC details and your surgeon's GMC number. Request a hair assessment through our online form, in person or starting by video.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a hair transplant clinic is legitimate?
Do hair transplant surgeons have to be GMC registered?
Should the surgeon do the whole hair transplant?
What questions should I ask a hair transplant clinic?
Are Harley Street clinics the best in the UK?
Related guides
Next step
Find out what a transplant could do for you
Send us a few details and we will be in touch to arrange a hair assessment. There is no obligation to go ahead.
Request a hair assessment