Why verifying hair transplant clinics matters
The global hair transplant market is large, competitive, and often difficult for patients to assess. People comparing clinics have to weigh options across multiple countries, multiple languages, major price differences, and marketing promises that can be confusing or misleading. In that environment, aggressive lead-generation platforms, paid advertising, and low-quality directories create real risk. Displaying a long list of clinics is not the same as taking responsibility for a careful selection.
Trikkos was built to reduce that risk. We do not see our clinic comparison platform as a simple advertising marketplace. Our goal is to help patients compare options with more clarity and fewer hidden incentives. That means every clinic visible in our public directory has been reviewed and verified before being published.
This page explains in practical terms how we work and what our statuses mean.
How we identify clinics
We identify clinics through several channels, and we do not automatically accept unsolicited applications. Even a paid subscription does not guarantee inclusion in the directory. One important source is the professional ecosystem of the sector. Jean-Luc Waller, founder of Trikkos, has followed this medical field since 2016 through international conferences, specialist networks such as forums, and direct exchanges with surgeons and clinic managers. This helps us identify clinics known for their professionalism, not just those that are highly visible in online advertising.
When a clinic appears to have a solid track record in FUE, DHI, or Sapphire FUE, we may contact it to request information, documents, and clarification about how it operates. Patient feedback can also bring clinics to our attention that we were not yet following. These suggestions are useful, but they are never enough on their own to justify a listing. Every suggested clinic must go through exactly the same verification process.
Our verification criteria
A clinic must meet a consistent set of criteria before it can be considered publishable on Trikkos. We first verify the clinic’s legal ability to operate, as well as the regulatory framework of the relevant country or region. We then review the qualifications of the lead surgeon or surgeons: medical background, demonstrated specialisation in hair restoration, and, where relevant, membership in recognised professional organisations.
We also assess the clinic’s real level of specialisation. Trikkos focuses on clinics where techniques such as FUE, DHI, or Sapphire FUE are a core activity, not a secondary service. We analyse the clinic environment through photos, published materials, virtual tours, and, where possible, knowledge gained from past visits or direct professional relationships. We expect standards of hygiene, procedural seriousness, and patient care that are compatible with international expectations.
Transparency also matters. Clinics listed on Trikkos must provide the names of their doctors, indicative pricing, and a realistic view of the patient journey. We monitor public sources of information concerning each clinic. A history of unresolved complaints or serious inconsistencies may prevent a clinic from being listed in our directory or may trigger a new investigation.
What our Terms of Use mean
On Trikkos, Verified means that a member of our team has reviewed the clinic according to the criteria above. It does not mean that a clinic is perfect, nor that every patient outcome is guaranteed. It means that the clinic has met the minimum conditions required to appear in our directory.
Live means that the clinic is currently published, accepts contact requests, and that no recent signal justifies immediate suspension since its last review. A verified clinic may be temporarily offline if changes are underway, if information needs to be checked, or if the partnership relationship is temporarily suspended.
Who is responsible and how often we update
Jean-Luc Waller is responsible for the entire clinic evaluation methodology and for Trikkos’ editorial content. The Trikkos team contributes to this work, and all contributors are identified, unlike directories whose creators prefer to remain anonymous and avoid publishing their terms of use.
Clinic profiles are reviewed at least once a year, and the most visible profiles may be reassessed more often. When we receive credible information about a regulatory change, a surgeon’s departure, a change of ownership, or repeated patient concerns, we open a review and update the profile as quickly as necessary. In practice, we aim to update or suspend a profile within 7 business days when the evidence justifies it.
How to report a problem
If you have first-hand information showing that a clinic profile is inaccurate, incomplete, or no longer up to date, please let us know through our contact page. Every credible report is reviewed individually. We do not guarantee that it will always lead to a change, but every serious alert is investigated, because reliability matters more than directory size.
Frequently asked questions about our methodology
Q: Does Trikkos accept payments from clinics only to improve their position?
No. Position in the clinic ranking depends on several criteria, such as the skills of the medical team, the responsiveness of patient coordinators in following up on requests coming from Trikkos, pricing transparency, and whether pricing is aligned with popular demand. Clinics that pay us are automatically partners that meet all of these trust criteria. Paying alone is not enough to obtain a better ranking or improved visibility on Trikkos.
Q: Can a clinic be removed from the Trikkos directory?
Yes. We remove or suspend clinics that no longer meet our criteria, that do not respond to review requests, or that are the subject of credible negative signals.
Q: How is Trikkos different from a website dedicated exclusively to lead generation?
Websites focused on lead generation do not aim to provide genuine guidance and advice to people considering a hair transplant. Their only goal is to collect contact details and sell them to a few partner clinics, or use them for other purposes such as selling hair-related products. To secure strong online visibility, which is necessary for collecting leads, these sites often publish a long list of clinics, sometimes copied from Trikkos, or including many unverified clinics. Unlike Trikkos, they do not aim to help users identify the clinics that best match their needs and budget, and some of these sites do not even include a contact form for clinics.