India's health ministry has issued the first binding standards to regulate the country's $2.1 billion cosmetology sector, effective immediately. The new rules restrict clinics to registered dermatologists and surgeons, aiming to improve safety and quality in a market that ranks among the world's top 10 aesthetic procedure hubs by volume, according to livemint.com.
The standards establish mandatory safety protocols, minimum space requirements, and staffing norms for cosmetology clinics. These measures come after repeated complaints about unqualified practitioners causing patient harm. The government’s move targets clinics offering procedures such as Botox, fillers, and chemical peels, which have seen rapid growth in India and the Asia-Pacific region, the report said.
India’s cosmetology market is one of the fastest-growing in Asia-Pacific, trailing only behind countries like the US, Brazil, South Korea, and Germany in procedure volume. The sector’s expansion has raised concerns about unregulated operators, prompting the health ministry to intervene with formal regulations. This aligns India with global standards and aims to protect patients while supporting sustainable industry growth.
The new regulations mark a significant step in formalizing the cosmetology industry, which is projected to continue expanding. Clinics must comply with these standards to operate legally, with enforcement expected to begin immediately, ensuring safer practices across the $2.1 billion market, per livemint.com.