If you normally use antiperspirants, you might want to stop. The company is being sued for $5 Million dollars after claims were being made that their deodorants gave them chemical burns and rashes.
Old Spice’s deodorant has caused thousands of customers to suffer chemical burns and rashes, a lawsuit claims.
The grooming company is being sued for $5million as part of a class-action suit, which says a range of their products gave ‘unsuspecting customers’ health problems.
The lawsuit names 13 Old Spice products among them, Old Spice Lionpride and Arctic Force High Endurance deodorants, that it says have affected “Hundreds, if not thousands, of customers.”
According to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus, there have been hundreds of online complaints about the products.
“In addition to blog complaints, YouTube features numerous videos also documenting armpit irritation, rash(es) and burning caused by Old Spice deodorant,” the lawsuit states. “Indeed, the problem is rampant, and rather than acknowledge the serious issue, Defendant is concealing it, in order to continue selling the product and reap windfall profits.”
Virginia plaintiff Rodney Colley filed the suit against Procter & Gamble in early March. He claims he bought the product after seeing the popular, “smell like a man” ads.
After only a few uses of the Old Spice product, Colley suffered severe rashes, burning and discomfort requiring Colley to immediately cease using the product,” the lawsuit states.
He is not alone either, many people have made complaints online, The consumer affairs website and Old Spice’s Facebook page are full of photos shared by users, showing painful irritations and reactions after using the product. Many people describe the rashes as “chemical burns,” and some reported emergency room trips.
“I need to put burn cream on it to help ease the pain,” one woman wrote on Consumer Affairs. “And it hurts to put my arm down or wear sleeved shirts. It’s seriously unbearable and it seems like it’s only getting worse.”
But, according to Procter & Gamble spokesperson, Damon Jones, the products are safe to use. Stating that the small number of consumers that are experiencing problems are not experiencing chemical burns, but skin reactions that can be caused by a range of factors or ingredients, such as alcohol and fragrance.
“We go to great lengths to ensure our products are safe to use, and tens of millions of men use this product with confidence and without incident every year,” Jones said in a statement. “A small number of men may experience irritation due to alcohol sensitivity, a common ingredient across virtually all deodorant products. For men who have experienced a reaction to a deodorant, an antiperspirant may be a better option because they have a different formulation.”
In his statement Jones also urges users to switch to an antiperspirant if they notice any harmful or negative reactions to Old Spice deodorant since the formula is different than straight deodorant. But, aside from that, there is no word on whether or no they will take the blame. So, perhaps in the meantime, it would be best to switch to a different antiperspirant or even make your own chemical-free version! Better safe than sorry.