IADVL and APSI have advised patients to verify doctors’ qualifications and confirm registration with the State Medical Council before undergoing any skin, hair or cosmetic procedure. File | Photo Credit: AFP   The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) and the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India (APSI) have raised serious concerns about patient safety following permissions granted to Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) doctors by the Dental Council of India under provisions of the Dentists Act, 1948 to perform certain aesthetic procedures and hair transplantation. It has advised patients to verify doctors’ qualifications and confirm registration with the State Medical Council before undergoing any skin, hair or cosmetic procedure and to remain vigilant and avoid misleading advertisements or treatments offered by unlicensed practitioners. According to the medical bodies, these procedures have traditionally been conducted by specialists such as dermatologists and plastic surgeons trained under the regulatory framework of the National Medical Commission. IADVL president Vinay Singh said, “Dermatology and aesthetic procedures require extensive specialised training. In addition to an MBBS degree, dermatologists undergo three years …