Mediation Begins In Class Action Lawsuit Against WEN Hair Care Product
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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM ) – There are new developments to a consumer justice investigation CBS11 Consumer Justice reporter Cristin Severance broke details on last month.
Two sides are finally in mediation regarding a class action lawsuit filed by a Dallas law firm against WEN Hair Care by Chaz Dean, and marketing company Guthy-Renker. A lawsuit was filed in September after consumers said the product made their hair fall out. WEN is a popular hair product that claims to improve the health and appearance of hair.
More WEN users called the CBS11 Consumer Justice Hotline with concerns after the story aired. Consumers from Missouri, Tennessee and California have reached out. CBS11 also spoke to a New Jersey mother, Alysha Monteferrante, who said WEN caused bald spots on her child's head.
Monteferrante has used the product on her 5-year-old daughter for two years. When her child's hair started falling out, Monteferrante went to the doctor and a dermatologist for an evaluation but all her tests came back negative. Two weeks ago, Monteferrante saw the CBS11 report online and was very concerned.
"I saw a video that you guys posted and it was very similar to my daughters," she told CBS11. "It looked like someone shaved the inside the top of her head."
Monteferrante has since stopped using WEN products.
The lawyer who filed the suit, Amy Davis, said the lawfirm will refrain from any other statements until after mediation. WEN has always stood by their product saying, "With well over 10 million WEN products shipped since 2008, our customers' overwhelmingly show positive response to WEN. It is a testament to the benefits it can deliver for its users and there is no scientific evidence to support any claim that our hair care products caused anyone to lose their hair."
CBS11 reported in November 2015, on the lawsuit in which 200 women, claimed WEN causes hair loss, rash, scalp irritation and breakage. The lawsuit alleges the product contains ingredients that act as "depilatory and caustic agent" destroying the hair strand or follicle. The lawsuit representing plaintiffs from 40 states claims Wen causes hair to fall out, thin or break. Texas is the state with the most number of victims and the lawsuit includes parents on behalf of their children.
Among the plaintiffs is Susan Browning, a Dallas woman who said she bought the product for her fine hair after watching the infomercials.
"In the shower when I squeezed the water out of my hair, I'd have handfuls of hair coming out," said Browning.
This is a developing story. Click back to CBSDFW.COM or watch CBS11 News for updates.
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