Olaplex Causes Hair Loss, Lawsuit Claims, But The Company Hasn't Recalled Any Of Their Products
Olaplex – a popular haircare brand that claims to "repair, protect, and strengthen hair" – is now facing a lawsuit after allegedly causing hair loss in some women.
According to a recent lawsuit, Olaplex products have reportedly caused some women hair loss, blisters, yeast infections, bacterial infections, burning, and open sores. The California-based company is being sued by 28 women claiming that the harmful chemicals in the products left their hair in worse condition.
The Olaplex products are said to "repair broken bonds and rejuvenate hair," and have been championed by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Drew Barrymore. The lawsuit was filed a week ago in a district court in California by plaintiffs who say they "have lost their hair – in some cases more than half and leaving bald spots in others." They claimed that Olaplex left their hair "dry, brittle, frizzy, and dull."
The suit writes, "The hair has split and broken, causing it to look unkept and as if it were cut with a weedwhacker." The documents also mention lilial and panthenol, ingredients that Olaplex reportedly contained. These chemicals are said to lead to hair loss and conditions such as "inflamed, blistered, flaking, or scaling skin." The Law Centre of Amy E. Davis – one of the legal firms involved in the lawsuit – released photos of their plaintiffs with bald spots supposedly caused by Olaplex. Plaintiffs are now collectively seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
Image Source: Amy. E. Davis
In 2022, lilial – also known as butylphenyl methylpropional – was discontinued from being sold to consumers in the EU. The ingredient has been linked to infertility and may adversely affect reproductive health. A scientific committee in 2019 for the European Commission concluded that lilial "cannot be considered safe." The haircare brand appeared to have removed this chemical following the ban.
The company, which was launched in 2014, has not recalled any of its products. On February 16, Olaplex took to Instagram to address the claims. "Fact: OLAPLEX does not cause hair loss," they shared. They continued, "We want to reassure our community of Professional stylists, customers and fans that they can continue to use our products with confidence."
The caption added, "To demonstrate this, we have publicly released test results from independent third-party laboratories, going above and beyond industry standards. We are prepared to vigorously defend our Company, our brand, and our products against these baseless accusations."
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