Cult Favorite Hair Care Brand Causes Hair Loss, Lawsuit Alleges

Olaplex is being sued amid claims that the popular hair care line has caused bald spots, blisters and more forms of damage.

Olaplex, a fan-favorite hair care line, is currently under fire after multiple customers filed a lawsuit, claiming the beauty brand caused various types of damage to their hair, including hair loss and bald spots.

According to ABC News, the suit against Olaplex was filed jointly by nearly 30 women on Thursday, Feb. 9, as a result of allegations that the high-end products left some customers with bald spots, allergic reactions, blisters and hair that is "dry, brittle, frizzy and dull."

44-year-old Jessica Auriana said she was looking to hydrate her dry hair after a summer in the sun when her hairstylist recommended Olaplex, which promises healthier, shinier hair. However, after two months of using the shampoo, conditioner and clarifying shampoo, Auriana says she suffered significant hair loss.

"I think by that point I had probably lost 20 percent of my hair," she told Good Morning America. "I'm outside daily...I started to feel the wind and air on my scalp in places that I've never felt it."

Another person claimed in the lawsuit that the Olaplex products left her hair looking broken and damaged, "as if it were cut with a weedwhacker."

Collectively, the plaintiffs are seeking more than $75,000 in damages, which co-counsel on the lawsuit, Rachel Bentley, said is "for the injuries our clients sustained."

"We are seeking punitive damages to deter Olaplex from engaging in any further wrongful conduct," she told GMA. 

The company has already issued a statement to deny the allegations, stating that its products "do not cause hair loss or hair breakage," and that the products are "safe and effective."

“We have publicly released test results from independent third-party laboratories, going above and beyond industry standards, to demonstrate this. We have full confidence and believe in the safety and efficacy of our products,” an Olaplex spokesperson said, per CNN. “There are a wide variety of reasons for hair breakage or hair loss, as medical and scientific experts have publicly stated, including lifestyle, various medical conditions and medications, the aftereffects of Covid, skin conditions and more."

The brand also added that it is “prepared to vigorously defend our company, our brand, and our products against these baseless accusations.”

Olaplex has not recalled any of its products.