Combe Inc. Facing Lawsuit in Missouri

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Combe Inc., maker of Just for Men hair dye maker, for deceptive advertising.  The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleges that Just for Men brand hair dye does not properly warn consumers about its ingredients and the potential side effects of those ingredients, such as chemical burns and severe allergic reactions.
 
The complaint asserts that even if used as directed, the defendants failed to adequately warn against the negative effects and risks  that include “burns, scarring, allergic reactions, anaphylactic shock, skin depigmentation, and other severe injuries” associated with prolonged use, the complaint asserts.

The class action lawsuit points to p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) as especially harmful, citing that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has linked the ingredient to “severe dermatitis,” “renal failure,” “vitiligo”  and “convulsions and comas.” The complaint claims PPD is also considered a “strong sensitizer” by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and was once named “allergen of the year” by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.
 
The plaintiff, Ronald Povich, states that he purchased and used Just for Men hair dye in August 2014. He seeks to represent a class of all Missouri residents who purchased the hair dye for personal use, and asks for damages for violations of Missouri unfair trade practice laws.
 
The Just for Men hair dye class action lawsuit also alleges the Combe defendants violate Missouri consumer protection laws by failing to warn of the increased risk of multiple uses of the hair dye, and for recommending an improper and ineffective skin test before use.
 
Povich is represented by John J. Driscoll and Philip Sholtz of The Driscoll Firm, PC, and Richard W. Schulte of Wright & Schulte, LLC.