Hyderabad: Dermatologists in the city are raising the alarm after receiving patients who have undergone skin treatments from untrained and unauthorised practitioners, including beauticians.
These quacks range from dentists (with degrees in BAMS, BHMS, and physiotherapy) to practitioners of Ayurveda, homoeopathy, naturopathy, and Unani and beauty parlour staff. They also include individuals holding unrecognised or overseas degrees such as postgraduate diplomas in clinical cosmetology, DSc and MSc dermatology, and even some doctors holding only MBBS degrees.
“While even regular graduates are claiming to be skin specialists and practising, the highest number of quacks in dermatology remains dentists. Usually, they first complete BDS and then do online courses in facial aesthetics or cosmetology. These are merely vocational courses teaching hair colouring, manicure, pedicure, and other things, but they are instead conducting complex cosmetic procedures,” said Dr Rajetha Damisetty, a dermatologist and chairperson of the anti-quackery cell of the India Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists & Leprologists (IADVL), Telangana.
She highlighted an example of a staff-turned-clinic manager of a laser and cosmetic centre in Hyderabad. “That person used to be only an attendant but is now performing under-eye fillers while charging around 38,000 for one ml, while even senior dermatologists charge around 25,000,” she said.
The cosmetic procedures performed by unqualified persons involve lasers and chemical peels for conditions such as pigmentation, rejuvenation, acne, botox, fillers, and others. However, doctors say that this has led to a rise in skin complications in the city over the past few years, leading to burns, scars, skin necrosis (dead tissue), nerve damage, hair loss, and disfigurement of the skin. According to doctors, unqualified practitioners also administer topical steroids to patients for temporary relief, which has led to severe skin complications and often results in irreversible damage.
A 52-year-old woman with hyperpigmentation (dark skin patches) visited a cosmetologist clinic in Hyderabad in late 2024. She paid 3.5 lakh and was advised an “unlabelled cream”. After using it for some time, the pigmentation gradually disappeared and her skin turned dramatically fair. However, dark patches started appearing again on the skin when the woman stopped applying the cream. “She was administered a topical steroid over which she got dependent because it is an artificial process that turns the skin fair but in long run damages it,” said Dr Damisetty.
IADVL Telangana president, Dr V Ramesh, claimed that quacks were now also performing laser surgeries along with dental procedures. “In Hyderabad, most of the hair transplant surgeries are now performed by dentists only. While I specialise in giving various laser treatments, my expertise is limited to skin-related procedures. But I do not have adequate training to perform procedures inside the mouth, so how can a dentist perform cosmetic surgeries without proper qualification?” he asked.
“I came across a gynaecologist, who recently started laser treatments and now refers to herself as a cosmetic gynaecologist. Hair transplants, which are supposed to be done by plastic surgeons only, are also being done by quacks. All this amounts to encroaching the field of a dermatologist,” Dr Ramesh said.
Doctors also pointed out that social media is playing a big role in letting unqualified practitioners influence people, posing a significant challenge. “With the advent of social media, advertising has also become more accessible now. These quacks either establish a website or accounts on social media platforms to advertise themselves,” said Dr Damisetty.
In Feb this year, the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) registered cases against eight fake doctors in Hyderabad for practising allopathic medicine without proper registration while it issued notices to 18 cosmetic surgery practitioners in 2024, directing them to furnish their educational qualifications. “Dermatology is one of the most affected areas due to quackery because Ayurveda, homoeopathy, and dentist graduates are also practising it unethically and illegally. We have been conducting more outreach programmes for more awareness, advocacy for updated laws, and vigilance on these unqualified practitioners,” said TGMC vice-chairman G Srinivas.
Dr Ramesh emphasised that a boundary needs to be drawn between quacks and dermatologists. “A few years back barbers in Warangal also protested against corporate salons. While we correct skin and facial deformities after learning, anybody treating skin diseases without proper qualifications and skills is wrong. The authorities need to mark a hard and fast rule for these untrained practitioners quacks.”
