California Hair Transplant
Regulations
Regulatory body: Medical Board of California
Who Can Perform
Physicians (MD/DO)
Can perform hair transplant surgery
Physician Assistants
May assist under direct physician supervision; cannot independently perform surgical steps
Nurse Practitioners
California does not grant full practice authority to NPs for surgery; must work under physician supervision for surgical procedures
Technicians
PROHIBITED from performing surgical steps
Key Regulations
Delegation Rules
Medical Board of California issued a formal warning (Summer 2019) that hair restoration surgery is the practice of medicine and may only be performed by properly trained, licensed physicians and surgeons or licensed allied health care providers authorized to perform such procedures within their scope of practice.
Specific Prohibitions
- ✕Physicians may NOT delegate hair restoration surgery to medical assistants (unlicensed individuals)
- ✕Medical assistants may NOT perform invasive procedures such as creating holes or slits in a patient's scalp
- ✕No unlicensed person may perform these procedures regardless of title (hair restoration technician, surgical technician, etc.)
Violation of Business and Professions Code section 2052 can result in a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment, or imprisonment in county jail for up to a year, or both
Facility Requirements
Most hair transplants use local anesthesia with oral sedation; accreditation may not be required for local-only procedures but is recommended
Informed Consent
Informed consent is required for hair transplant procedures in California.
File a Complaint
If you believe a hair transplant provider has violated medical practice regulations in California, you can file a complaint with the state medical board.
Medical Board of California →Clinics in California
Beverly Hills Hair Restoration
Beverly Hills, CA
Medical Hair Transplant & Aesthetics
San Francisco, CA
Bosley Hair Restoration
San Francisco, CA
Rosanelli Medical Associates
San Francisco, CA
Pacific Hair Center
San Diego, CA
Sara Wasserbauer, MD — Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, CA
