DALLAS – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert about a line of cleansing hair conditioners after receiving a slew of complaints about hair loss, bald spots, itching and rashes.
The Wen cleansing conditioner line by celebrity stylist Chaz Dean is the subject of an ongoing class action lawsuit filed in 2014, but the sheer number of complaints prompted the FDA to issue an alert on July 19th.
"As I was shampooing my hair with it, I was noticing handfuls of hair," former customer Cindy Peterson told WFAA in 2015. "Because my hair was so thick I didn't notice it right away."
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The FDA says it has received 127 direct complaints from consumers, the most ever about a cosmetic hair cleansing product, including cleansing conditioners. The FDA is also investigating more than 21,000 reported complaints alleged in the lawsuit against Guthy-Renker, the company that makes and markets the products.
"Consumers who experience a reaction ... should stop using the product and consult with their dermatologist or other health care provider," the FDA said in its recommendation. The cause of the alleged side effects is not yet known, and the FDA is urging anyone who experiences them to contact them.
Chaz Dean Inc. issued the following statement: