Problems After Using Hair Conditioner Prompt An FDA Warning

Hair products aren’t at the top of most people’s health worry list, but the Food and Drug Administration is investigating a surprisingly high number of reports of problems after people used a particular cleansing conditioner.

As of July 7, the FDA had received 127 complaints of “hair loss, hair breakage, balding, itching, and rash” after people used WEN by Chaz Dean cleansing conditioner products — more reports than the agency has ever received for a cosmetic hair product.

“This kind of report is very rare,” says Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist in Vallejo, Calif. “For the most part, shampoo products out there are all very safe.” The agency’s safety alert says it has not determined a possible cause for the problems reported.