Suit Alleges Wen By Chaz Dean Products Lead To Hair Loss
A group of 200 women have filed a class action lawsuit against the company behind the successful Wen By Chaz Dean line of haircare products, alleging that they cause hair loss and damage. The products advertise themselves as a cleansing conditioner that will clean and condition hair without the sulfates commonly found in shampoos. Since they were introduced through QVC in 2008, Wen products have sold over 10 million units.
The women behind the suit claim that usage of Wen products has led to bald spots, visible breakage, and scalp irritation. Wen says that there is no scientific validity to those claims, saying the women’s issues are unrelated to their products. In a statement, the company said “There are many reasons why individuals may lose their hair, all unrelated to Wen hair products. We intend to vigorously contest the allegations made against our products.”
Experts in the field are split as to the possible validity of the claims.
New York based cosmetic surgeon and hair loss specialist Carlos Wesley told Allure that he believed only using cleansing conditioner products such as Wen’s and no shampoo could contribute to hair loss.
“Although many people believe the myth that shampooing your hair can lead to fallout, the real problem with not cleansing the scalp periodically is that our scalp oil contains a trace of dihydrotestosterone, which is the androgen implicated in causing hair to cycle and thin out.”
However, Papri Sarkar, a Boston dermatologist disagrees with Wesley. She told the same publication, “If the hair loss were due to the product buildup of Wen, I would expect a more diffuse hair loss that would affect the whole scalp” as opposed to the more localized cases described by the claimants.
