The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, has filed a lawsuit against two Chicago based hair growth institutes, The Natural Hair Growth Institute, Omega Hair Group, and their owner, Steve Bennis.

“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.

The Natural Hair Growth allegedly failed to provide consumers with full refunds for its service which carried an average cost of $8000 - $12,000.

Natural Hair Growth Institute uses laser therapy, scalp massage and topical hair products that it says will help consumers in regrowing hair within six months. A 100% refund is promised by the defendants if consumers are not satisfied with their results. The lawsuit alleges that the treatment method used by the defendants fails to produce the results advertised, and that the company then refuses to provide full refunds to consumers after repeated requests.The Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau has reported that nine consumer complaints have been filed against the Natural Hair Growth Institute.

The lawsuit also alleges that the company falsely claims that its “Orbit Laser Light” treatment is similar to laser light therapy that has been in use in Europe for 25 years and that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently approved for use in the United States. The lawsuit claims that the defendants’ laser light is not the same as the FDA-approved one.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan is asking the court to permanently ban the defendant from operating in Illinois in her lawsuit. She also requests full restitution for affected consumers and civil penalties of $50,000 for each violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act.

Reference: http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/224084-lawsuit-brought-against-illinois-hair-regrowth-institute

I checked the Better Business Bureau and found that 24 complaints were filed against The Natural Hair Growth Institute. It also states “Based on BBB files, Natural Hair Growth Institute has a BBB Rating of F on a scale from A+ to F.”

These complaints concerned:

1 regarding Advertising Issues
5 regarding Contract Issues
1 regarding Customer Service Issues
10 regarding Guarantee or Warranty Issues
7 regarding Refund or Exchange Issues

I hope that this lawsuit helps to bring some peace and justice to those who have felt they were wronged.

I guess I started noticing my hair loss after the birth of my daughter, 21 yrs ago. I have always had fine beautiful naturally golden blonde hair. But, when it started thinning, I resorted to perms. Most of the time I just looked fuzzy..Then I pulled it all back in a pony tail and clipped it up in the back… that seemed to be the last way I remember wearing it. before I made the LEAP..and it was a big one into hair systems. I guess it took me about 8 yrs to get to this point where I felt complete desperation.My hairdresser and long time friend, talked me into going to a salon out of town where she had heard about this guy who did hair weaves. I finally got brave enough to go. After his ‘thourough’ examination of my hair, he told me what I was not prepared to hear. The only thing that I could do at this point in my hair loss was to go to a track and glue hair system. He said it would be no big deal, just cut my hair a little bit in this track around the top of my head, then adhere the piece to it. No biggie…I told him I’d have to think about it for a while. I remember crying and crying over the fact that it was my only option, I had to do something… I felt as if this were some sort of social death sentence.So, I went back to his salon where, by the way, he did his hairpiece business upstairs away from his other clients. This I was happy with. I had had enough stares and rude comments from co-workers and even some family members to last a lifetime. I was ready for the humiliations I had suffered to stop. Well, he begins to cut my hair on top, then without warning begins to shave the entire top of my head. I was in shock and began crying …”what are you doing?” He said this is what he had explained to me the week before. I’m telling you…I don’t remember ever hearing about the shaving the head part. But at that point, it was too late…there was no turning back. He then proceeded to place on my head the most horrible thing I’d ever seen in my entire life…It was ashey grey in color..not even blonde. The hair was so thick you could barely get your hands through it. I sobbed and sobbed in that chair as he tried to thin it out and give me a totally different hair style than I was wearing before. He said “no one will even notice, they’ll think you’ve just got a new hairstyle”. He cut it in a “Florence Henderson” style (from the Brady Bunch)…said it would look more natural that way. Well it looked anything but natural, it looked like a little old ladies wig. I was completely devastated…I did not leave my house the entire weekend. But, I had to return to work on Monday and I dreaded it like nothing I’d ever dreaded before. [click to continue...]

The title may seem to be surprising.. but, actually, when analyzed accurately.. it is not. I have been an AGA sufferer for a few years now. and I AM SICK OF THIS SITUACION. What I want now is only “to have this situation solved one way or another. Either grow back or fall out completely. So that I can resolve it and move forward.” Based on my prior experience I know that grow back is impossible. You may say I gave up. Yes, I did. Because there is no point trying to fight with anenemy you don’t understand and one you are blind and deaf against. You will only go through better and worse times, being moody so that people around will not stand you anymore. Curing uncurable puts you in a perpetual state of false hope. You neither have decent hair nor a good replacement; You’re betwixt and between.I have had enough. Finished medical treatment and wait for so little hair to shave it off. Be beautiful for myself when totally bald. I can accept it. And being beautiful to people around who have no idea, when wearing the best available vacuum wig. Just hard times for me when the final hair loss comes. Wish me strength. I hope I manage.”I am literally a shell of my old self and I am quite frightened. Sometimes I just want to shave my head and get a full best quality undetectable wig so I don’t have to see anymore hair in the shower drain, sink, bathroom floor, back of my shirt, etc. I don’t want to have a partial replacement system on a clip, as it is just inconvenient.I don’t want to have a partial replacement system based on adhesives as I would never accept my looks with severe typical men’s baldness. I want to shave my head and become beautiful again. And I will.Nobody can understand me. But I do not care. This is only my life and my best times (I am 24)

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Dear Gosia,

Thank you so much for writing your story. Your thoughts are my thoughts. Your feelings are my feelings. On more occasions than I can count I have wished for there to be some finality to this never ending hair loss nightmare. Some closure…anything. I’ve felt the torture, the decline and slow death of my self esteem tear away minute by minute, day by day and year after year. You reach a point where you throw your hands up in the air and say “if I’m going to be bald then fine let it happen all now and let me get on with my life, because this strand by strand thing is eating me alive.” [click to continue...]

I am actually going for a consultation for Reprieve hair on Monday. I have also been to 2 other consultations for hair replacements. I am sooooo lost right now. I am currently using provillus (5% minoxidyl) and Toppik. I am not too thrilled with shaving my head for bonded toppers, but I am done with not having hair. Any advice for me??? Does anyone know if you have to be shaved for the Reprieve system - just curious since I haven’t had my consultation yet.~Alicia

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Hi Alicia,

Unfortunately I have so little information about wearing hair because I haven’t thoroughly researched it for myself yet. I am glad you are taking the initiative to have consultations and educating yourself so that you can possibly wear hair in the future. I know Julie has worn Reprieve Hair (here are her pictures) and absolutely loved it. She probably could answer your questions best about that system. I am going to email her to let her know this question is on the blog. But based on the little information I have read about the system I don’t think you have to shave your head for it. How did your two other consultations go? I am interested in learning about the different processes myself since that my be an option in the near future.

If anyone has experience with wearing hair, bonded toppers etc, please let us know your thoughts. Alicia, please keep us updated with how your consult goes with Reprieve and what you learn.

~Y

Julie has sent me over her pictures of before and after pictures taken approximately 6 months ago. She was chosen as a model for Reprieve Hair, and these are the pictures from the shoot. Since her hair loss conditioned has worsened and her hair is very fragile, she can no longer wear it.
Julie, I just want to say how proud I am of you and how much I admire you for being able to be such a strong person, and for also being such a strong voice for women suffering with hair loss. You are incredibly beautiful inside and out. Through reading your story and through reading other women’s comments, I start to feel better, because I don’t feel so alone. I find that there is hope and that I may be able to accept myself one day. To move on and appreciate all I do have. So thank you. Read more about Julie’s Story