new thread
Story in last week's Chicago Tribune about a woman who shelled out over $10,000 to some guy who peddled an all natural hair regrowth remedy. _Naturally_ (I hate puns) it didn't work.
Once again the lesson is that there are three remedies: Finasteride, hair transplants and Rogain (and its generics) -- anything else based on anything other than genuine clinical trials such as testimonials, and pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo won't work.
Link with photos and reply comments below.
Text:
Her friends thought she was crazy, but Shelley Lindsay was convinced something was wrong.
The 40-year-old hairdresser could see the difference in old photos. The one from five years ago showed her with a much thicker head of hair. So did the one from just a year before.
Desperate to reverse the trend, the Gurnee resident went to the Natural Hair Growth Institute in Deerfield and spoke to the owner, Steve Bennis.
Bennis agreed she had a problem. Although her hair appeared thick and wavy, there were spots where she was thinning. He showed her testimonials from other clients. He told her not to worry. His program would stimulate hair follicles, causing hair to rejuvenate and grow.
The treatment was pricey, but it came with a money-back guarantee. If she didn't get results, she'd get all of her $10,800 back.
She figured that if her hair grew back, it was worth the money. If it didn't, nothing lost.
"He wanted the money right there, upfront," Lindsay said. "And of course I made a bad decision."
Lindsay wrote a check Sept. 4 and began the six-month regimen. Twice a week, she spent 30 minutes under an NHGI laser machine, a slick contraption that looks like a hair dryer from "The Jetsons." She took three pills three times a day, dietary supplements supposed to aid the re-growth process. She used Bennis Hair Sciences shampoo, conditioner and cleanser. She applied two tonics— "morning formula" and "evening formula"—religiously.
Because the program was so expensive, Lindsay took her own before-and-after photos. She also shot video of her hair on the night she signed the contract and again several weeks ago.
She saw no results.
After the six months had ended, she complained to Bennis, who extended her treatments one more month, she said. When that month was over, she still hadn't seen a difference, she said.
Lindsay said she tried for about two months to schedule a final appointment to discuss getting her money back, but Bennis would not return her calls. On April 11, she sent him a certified letter. For weeks, he did not respond.
On April 30, Lindsay e-mailed What's Your Problem?
"If this treatment had worked for me and I saw increased thickness, I would have been tickled pink to tell people it works," Lindsay said. "But it doesn't look any darn thicker. . . . It's just as thin as the day I walked into his office."
The Problem Solver met with Bennis in his Chicago office Monday evening. He said his system worked for Lindsay. She just thought she paid too much, he said.
"This woman is trying to steal my money," Bennis said. "She will not get her money because she does not qualify."
In the contract Lindsay signed Sept. 4, it states that Bennis will take before and after photos. If the after photos show no progress, the contract states, she is entitled to a full refund. But the contract also states that if there is a disagreement about the results, Bennis' opinion "shall control."
Bennis said he has ruled in his own favor.
The businessman showed the Problem Solver the Natural Hair Growth Institute's before and after pictures.
"She grew a lot of hair," he said, pointing to the photos. "It's right there."
The photos were taken from different angles, making it impossible for the Problem Solver to tell whether the treatment was effective.
Bennis said he has accepted about 3,000 clients. Of those, he said, only two have complained his treatment did not work. One woman received a full refund, he said. The other is Lindsay.
She insists her hair is no different than when she started. "I did not walk in with a bald head," Lindsay said. "The density of my hair did not grow."
she has nobody to blame but herself. what a moron! you've got it coming to you if you pay 10k up front and agree that the owners opinion governs!! LOL. some people.
I had chosen to grow out my hair the natural way. No extensions, no transplants, no treatments that do not work, etc. By doing so, I can steer clear of hair scams. I hope I will never get male pattern baldness when I grow older, ever, either, or I will look terrible.
Regardless
My immediate first thought was that perhaps someone was practicing medicine without a license? If that were the case, in many jurisdictions the courts will not side with an unlicensed provider of services because the contract would have been illegal.
My second reaction came - and it was one of floor-rolling laughter - when I saw that the Tribune had put lots of hair loss ads on the page, some for outfits likely to be of the same genre as the outfit their article complained about. This was probably due to putting too much trust in software to pick on-topic ads. [grin]
Bill
UGH! It's sickening how people get taken advantage of for money. Speaking of finesterides, are you still taking Propecia? How is that going for you? I've been taking it for a little more than 2 months...so far so good. Take care Rob.
-Phil