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The following article appeared in The Louisiana Weekly, a black newspaper, on June 20, 2008
HAIR WEAVE HARVESTED FROM SHIHTZU DOGS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Using the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood as a location, veteran hair care product manufacturer and educator turned-consumer advocate Lucky White founder and executive director of the consumer advocacy group HAIR ALERT NOW! blew the whistle today on the hair care industry dirty little secret.
My spirit would not allow me to remain silent any longer, admits the Louisiana-born beauty. I was taught that business was about making money by serving the needs of a customer, not putting their health at risk and making fools of them, she says. White. a hair care product manufacturer for 30 years turned consumer advocate to expose that much of the so-called human hair that fills hundreds of warehouses around the United States and is sold in beauty supply stores in every neighborhood, is actually hair that has been harvested from dogs.
White explains that the breeds of choice for this deception are the Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso because the hair on these dogs can quickly be grown to a length of 36 inches or more. She learned the hair comes from mainland China, but suspects some hair producers may even be hidden in the United States, too. The practice probably came about because of the shortage of actual human hair, huge demands of the product for augmented hairstyles and profits that are too big to pass up.
In the trade, hair producers refer to the dog hair product as protein-based hair.
Apparently, they have worked hard to keep this secret from the consumer. The potential health risks are obvious. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes that many dangerous effects from parasites that can easily be transmitted from dogs to humans, says White. Those dangerous parasites include fleas, lice, mites and ticks.
This problem is indeed international because of the millions of men, women and children who wear augmented hairstyles. This includes all falls, weaves, wigs, hairpieces, braids and ponytails. There are certainly hundreds of thousands of Americans at any given time wearing a head full of dog hair without a clue. It is simply not in the best interest of the consumer for this unhealthy deception to continue, White concludes.
It appears her claims are not without merit. I know that the hair they (hair stores) sell as 100% human hair is anything but that, says long time cosmetologist Veda Fields. Fields who uses the product in her Los Angeles shop says she tells clients the truth.
Those hair sellers who label animal hair 100% human hair are deceiving the public, Fields says. This type of deception cant be good business or healthy. What is interesting is people in every ethnic community use augment hair styles. Some use the product to add fullness to their own hair, while others use it to replace hair they once had. Some just use the hair to make a statement in a fashion-conscious society where long, flowing hair is a status symbol, White says. As a health
issue, this cuts through any racial barriers and includes all of us. Men, women and children of all ages everywhere, use this dog hair to adorn themselves regularly. And the practice is increasing in popularity."
White concluded the press conference with a demand for an immediate, 180-day national moratorium on theimport and sales of all hair products from Asia to the United States. She believes this time will allow U.S. Customs, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health, U.S. Congress, local governments and most importantly, the consumer to investigate this deceptive and potentially dangerous business practice of selling hair harvested from dogs, as human hair.
The biggest problem is that no studies have been done on what health problems this dog hair can cause in humans. At the very least, those consumers who are allergic to dogs should shun this product immediately. White says, If I still wore an augmented hair style, I would be the first to take the hair back to the store where I bought it and ask if it was dog hair. White is right on target. In a free society the consumer certainly has a right to know. Once the consumer knows the truth, better decisions as to what products to use can be made.
FYI: Lucky White is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable veteran hair care product manufacturer, educator and consumer advocate. She is the first to blow the whistle on hair care little secret and is available for interview, as she will continue to speak out about this issue until all consumers know the truth and health risks. She is currently writing her first book entitled In the Eye of the Beholder: The Quest for Beauty.
Wednesday, November 24th 2010 at 2:16PM
Siebra Muhammad
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