Check the named surgeon

Ask for the surgeon’s full name before you book. For a UK doctor, use the GMC medical register to check their current registration and licence information. Ask about their experience with the procedure and hair characteristics relevant to your case.

Clarify who performs each surgical stage and who remains responsible for your care. A registered doctor’s name on a website does not by itself tell you how a particular operation is staffed.

Check the regulator for the treatment location

Check the regulator for the location where your treatment will take place. In Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales provides healthcare service and inspection information. If your operation is arranged in England, check the Care Quality Commission’s guidance and the provider’s registration. Confirm the actual surgical venue before booking.

Check the actual surgical address and services covered. A consultation venue, marketing brand and surgical provider may have different details. Ask the clinic to explain that relationship if it is unclear.

Expect a treatment plan that fits your hair loss

The assessment should address the cause of the loss, donor supply, medical history and the change you want to achieve. Ask why the proposed method and graft distribution suit those findings, and what alternatives exist.

Discuss the limitations as well as the intended improvement. Ask how further thinning could affect the result and whether additional treatment might be considered later.

Read the patient evidence carefully

Before-and-after photographs are more useful when they show comparable angles, lighting and hair length, with the follow-up interval stated. Ask whether the examples involve similar hair characteristics, treatment areas and starting points to your own.

Clarify who performed the work and where it took place. Examples from a wider clinic group should be identified accurately. Photographs help explain a procedure; they cannot establish your suitability or promise your result.

Confirm costs, consent and aftercare

Get the treatment plan, price, inclusions, cancellation terms and follow-up arrangements in writing. Ask which number you use for an urgent concern and who will assess you. Find out how an additional review or corrective procedure would be handled and charged.

Read the consent information and raise anything you do not understand before paying. If an answer remains vague, ask again before deciding whether to proceed.

Preparing for a Cardiff consultation

Read Dr Harpreet Kalra’s profile and bring your medical history, current medicines, previous treatment details and questions. The consultation preparation guide helps organise those questions.

Dr Harpreet Kalra

Hair transplant surgeon and practising GP · GMC 7126076

About Dr Kalra

Questions and answers

What should I check about the person doing the surgery?

Ask for the surgeon’s name, check the relevant medical register and discuss who performs each surgical stage. A clinic brand or a consultation with a sales adviser does not answer those questions.

What makes before-and-after photographs useful?

Look for comparable lighting, angles, hair length and a stated time after treatment. Ask whether the examples are relevant to your pattern and hair characteristics. Photographs cannot guarantee your result.

What should be clear before I pay a deposit?

You should understand the proposed treatment, limitations, risks, total price, cancellation terms and follow-up arrangements. Ask for clarification if any of those remain unclear.