Just For Men Hit with Another Class Action Over Allergic Reactions

Last week, another class action lawsuit alleging Just For Men hair dye causes allergic reactions in users hit Combe Inc. this time in Missouri federal court.

Lead plaintiffs Bryon Belton and Randall Collins alleged in their class action complaint that Just For Men hair dye products contain a chemical that causes adverse allergic reactions in users. The plaintiffs further claim that the directions for testing for allergic reactions and potential side effects are not clear on Just For Men packaging.

According to the complaint, Combe, the company that produces and sells Just For Men, “knew or should have known that Just For Men products create an unnecessary risk of burns, scarring, allergic reactions, anaphylactic shock, skin depigmentation, and other severe injuries.”

The class action lawsuit states that Just For Men products contain a chemical called p-Phenylenediamine, or PPD. PPD, allege the plaintiffs, causes adverse reactions in more than five percent of the populations, but Combe does not include this information on Just For Men packaging. Nor does it describe the risks, the plaintiffs further allege.

“In omitting, concealing, and inadequately providing critical safety information regarding the use of Just For Men in order to induce its purchase and use, [Combe] engaged in and continues to engage in conduct likely to mislead consumers,” argue the plaintiffs.

According to the class action complaint, the skin patch test Combe does include on Just For Men packaging fails to adequately describe potential adverse reactions. The plaintiffs allege the test is insufficient because for the test to work, users must not disturb the dye for 48 hours, refrain from swimming, wearing clothing over the patch, or sweating.

“The burden to comply with defendants’ version of an allergy test is too high and essentially unfeasible,” allege the plaintiffs in their complaint. “The risk of accidental contamination renders the ‘test’ useless,” they continue.

Additionally, the test does not account for allergic reactions due to repeated use of Just For Men hair dye products, allege the plaintiffs in their class action lawsuit. This, in addition to the potentially high rates of allergic reaction in users and the severity of the reactions, as well as Combe’s failure to warn of such reactions on Just For Men packaging, was a failure on the part of Combe, allege the plaintiffs.

“Just For Men products have an unacceptable and unreasonable rate of adverse reaction in the general population,” according to the proposed class. “Further, the unacceptable and unreasonable rate of adverse reaction is even higher in certain population groups, such as African American men.”

The plaintiffs seek to represent a class of Missouri customers who purchased Just For Men. According to the class action, Combe violated the state’s medical monitoring law. The Just For Men maker faces another class action lawsuit filed in Missouri as well.

The proposed class is represented by John J. Driscoll and Philip Sholtz of The Driscoll Firm PC.

This Just For Men Burning Hair Dye Class Action Lawsuit is Belton, et al. v. Combe Incorporated, et al., Case No. 4:16-cv-00220, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

UPDATE: On November 14, 2016, the Belton v Combe Just For Men class action lawsuit was dismissed.