FDA Launches Investigation into WEN by Chaz Dean Hair Products

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The FDA has launched an investigation into the hair care products from maker WEN by Chaz Dean following a concerning number of adverse event reports submitted to the agency.

The FDA website states, “As of July 7, 2016, the FDA had received 127 adverse event reports directly from consumers about WEN by Chaz Dean Cleansing Conditioner products, the largest number of reports ever associated with any cosmetic hair cleansing product, including cleansing conditioners.”

In addition to the adverse events reported to the FDA directly, there are many more adverse effects that are also being investigated that have been reported directly to Chaz Dean Inc. and Guthy Renker, LLC, the companies responsible for the manufacture of the products.

“FDA is also investigating more than 21,000 complaints reported directly to Chaz Dean, Inc. and Guthy Renker, LLC that FDA learned of during inspections of manufacturing and distribution facilities,” the FDA reports.

WEN by Chaz Dean Cleansing Conditioner products became immensely popular following their introduction on infomercials and endorsements by celebrities. The product is advertised as natural and Chaz Dean said he was inspired by the herbs in his garden when formulating the products.

Consumers have reported a variety of issues after using WEN by Chaz Dean hair care products. The most commonly reported reaction is hair loss following product use.

Women, men and children using the product detailed countless stories about how they used the product expecting improvements in the health of their hair, only to find that they began losing their hair in large quantities.

Other commonly reported reactions included breakage of hair, bald spots, chemical burns, rash, and itching.

A number of individual and class action lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturer of WEN by Chaz Dean alleging that the hair care products caused serious damage. One such lawsuit includes more than 200 former WEN users who say they have lost one-quarter to one-third of their hair following the use of the hair products.

One woman in the large class action lawsuit said after using the products, her hair began to come out by the handful as she was taking a shower.

Another woman said she used the product on her daughter for two years, and at the current age of five, she had developed bald spots on her head. Following testing by a family doctor and dermatologist, testing for the little girl came back negative and they were unable to determine the cause of the baldness.

The mother then read that some users were reporting baldness using WEN products online and stopped using the products on her daughter, hoping that her hair growth would return.

The allegations in the lawsuits claim that the manufacturer knew about the complaints of adverse events, yet continued to sell the product and refused to take any corrective action.

Following the class action lawsuits and adverse reports, WEN issued a statement saying, “With well over 10 million WEN products shipped since 2008, our customers’ overwhelmingly positive response to WEN is a testament to the benefits it can deliver for its users. These benefits are reflected in consistently high rankings from independent consumer product sites as well.”

The company also stated, “There is no scientific evidence to support any claim that out hair care products caused anyone to lose their hair. There are many reasons why individuals may lose their hair, all unrelated to WEN. We intend to vigorously contest the allegations made.”

The FDA is seeking help from consumers as they proceed with their investigation. Consumers who have experienced adverse events as a result of using WEN by Chaz Dean products are encouraged to file a report directly with the FDA and may do so though their MedWatch reporting website.

UPDATE: The WEN Hair Care Products Class Action Settlement is now open! Click here to file a claim.