Lawsuit alleges hair growth firms claims are bald Lie
The suit alleges the actual treatment fails to produce results as advertised and the company then refuses to provide refunds, even after repeated requests
Nov 2009
A Chicago-based company that claims its combination of laser therapy and scalp treatments can regrow hair is being sued for allegedly making false statements based on unsubstantiated scientific claims.
Atty. Gen.Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court against Natural Hair Growth Institute, claiming the company has failed to provide consumers with full refunds for services that average between $8,000 and $12,000.
According to the suit, which also names owner Steve Bennis as a defendant, the Natural Hair Growth Institute provides laser therapy, scalp massage and topical hair products that it claims help regrow hair within six months. It also promises a 100 percent refund if consumers are not satisfied.
The company’s marketing materials claim the institute can “closely determine the expected six-month outcome for each individual” and it is “the first effective hair growth program that guarantees to regrow your hair naturally,” a release from Madigan's office said
The suit alleges the actual treatment fails to produce results as advertised and the company then refuses to provide refunds, even after repeated requests. The Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau reports nine consumers have filed complaints against the the institute, which also has clinics in Deerfield and Oakbrook Terrace.
“The defendants in this case use highly sensational marketing slogans to convince consumers to pay thousands of dollars for a service that simply isn’t proven to be effective by modern science,” Madigan said in the release.
The suit also alleges the institute falsely claims that its “Orbit Laser Light” treatment is similar to a laser therapy used in Europe for more than 25 years and recently approved by the FDA. According to the lawsuit, the FDA-approved laser device is not the same.
Following laser treatment, according to the company's Web site, the client receives a "scalp detoxification" and massage, which "eliminates chemicals and DHT from the hair follicles that can cause hair loss."
The suit asks the court to ban the defendants from operating in Illinois and requests full restitution for affected consumers. It also asks for civil penalties of $50,000 for each violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act.
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