Chemical Burns Lead to Old Spice Deodorant Lawsuit

A man from Virginia has initiated a class action lawsuit against the makers of Old Spice deodorant, alleging the product has been causing serious chemical burns.

Plaintiff Rodney C. is suing Procter & Gamble Co., which has owned the Old Spice brand since 1990 and today manufactures deodorant under that label. He says he’s used other deodorants in the past without developing any particular skin problems.

But after just a few uses of Old Spice deodorant, he developed “severe rashes, burning and discomfort” bad enough that he had to immediately stop using the product.

In papers filed with the court, Rodney includes photographs showing an area of skin under his arm that is visibly and substantially darker than the rest of his skin.

Complaints About Old Spice Deodorant

Rodney also quotes several complaints left on the website ConsumerAffairs.com by other consumers reporting similar experiences. Most commenters describe similar results: after using Old Spice deodorant, they developed a discolored and painful rash under their arms. Some say their Old Spice chemical burn continued after trying to wipe away and wash off the deodorant.

All the complaints Rodney cites are dated 2015, but one commenter claims to have seen other complaints dated as far back as 2009. Some said they got through to the company to complain but were not offered any meaningful response from Procter & Gamble.

Rodney claims the defendant’s actions violate several provisions of Ohio law, including the state’s Products Liability Act and Consumer Sales Practices Act. He claims Old Spice deodorant is defective both in design and manufacture and that it fails to conform to Procter & Gamble’s representations that it is safe for personal use.

He also claims Procter & Gamble failed to adequately warn consumers about the risk of an Old Spice chemical burn. He claims that hundreds and possibly thousands of people have reported their burns in various public forums, putting Procter & Gamble on notice that they had a problem to solve. Yet the company has failed to respond by issuing an appropriate warning, he says.

Though Rodney himself is from Virginia, he argues that Ohio law will apply to his claims since Ohio is Procter & Gamble’s home state. He further argues that the company’s actions may have also violated applicable laws in Virginia and North Carolina.

Rather than sue just on his own behalf, Rodney seeks to be the lead plaintiff representing a class of similarly harmed Old Spice users. His proposed class would include “[a]ll persons who purchased for their own use Old Spice deodorant which was manufactured, produced, or supplied by Defendant between 2012 to the present.”

Based on information from Procter & Gamble’s website, Rodney expects this class will include hundreds and perhaps thousands of Old Spice users.

Rodney seeks an award of damages to compensate himself and each affected class member, plus awards of punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs of the litigation.

This Old Spice Chemical Burn Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-CV-00225 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.