A group of women have filed a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of WEN Cleansing Conditioner alleging that the hair care products were falsely advertised to repair damage and instead caused customers to experience significant hair loss.

The plaintiffs claim that they relied on the extensive marketing campaign of WEN makers Chaz Dean and Guthy-Renker, who used infomercials and television advertising with celebrity testimonials aimed at women who wanted shinier, stronger, more manageable hair or those who wanted to repair the damage caused by various hair treatments such as coloring.

The WEN lawsuit states that the advertisements encouraged consumers to use the hair care products in large amounts, claiming that the WEN products “[aren’t] like an ordinary shampoo so you want to use more of it, not less. You can never use too much! The more you use, the better the results.”

Plaintiffs Caryn C., Kym H., Kris M., Cindy P., Carol S. and Amanda T. all claim to have had similar experiences with WEN products. They state that the advertisements touting healthier hair led them to purchase WEN merchandise, only to suffer extreme hair loss and damage.

According to the WEN class action lawsuit, the manufacturer is liable for breach of express warranty by marketing the product as safe and more effective than other hair care items on the market.

The plaintiffs also claim that WEN violated California’s False Advertising Law by concealing and consciously omitting information to consumers knowing that they would rely on the advertisement and packaging in order to purchase the products.

WEN Cleansing Conditioner Overview

The plaintiffs claim that WEN hair care products come in a variety of scents including Coconut Mango, Cranberry, Fig, Lavender, Pomegranate, Sweet Mint Almond and Tea Tree.

According to WEN.com, a three week study found that 100 percent of consumers noted their hair was more moisturized, 97 percent noted more shine and 95 percent reported that their hair became more manageable after use. However, the defendants admit in much smaller print that the results are “not typical.”

The cleansing conditioner is supposed to take the place of five different hair products including shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. According to the instructions, consumers should use 10-16 pumps for short hair and 16-24 pumps for medium hair. 

In contrast to the enthusiastic advertisements, online reviews of the product tell of extreme hair loss side effects after using the product.

According to the WEN class action lawsuit, one review from an individual who only claims to have used the product one time states: “In my first use I lost 100x’s the amount of hair than I do in an average shower. I was literally pulling clumps of hair out of my head and I had hair balls running down my legs into the shower drain.”

WEN Hair Products Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

In 2014, plaintiff Amy Friedman of Florida filed a WEN class action lawsuit over allegations that she started losing abnormal amounts of hair after two weeks of use, and continued to lose hair for an additional three weeks after she discontinued using the product. This WEN class action lawsuit is now in mediation.

Another WEN hair products class action lawsuit involving 200 plaintiffs is also headed to mediation.

If you experienced hair loss after using a WEN product you may have a legal claim. Contact an attorney to find out if it would be better to file a lawsuit as an individual or join a WEN class action lawsuit.

The WEN Hair Products Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-01974 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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