DUBAI // A “hysterical” beauty salon customer called police when her hair started falling out in clumps due to an out-of-date dye being used, the Court of Misdemeanours has heard.
The 26-year-old Moroccan woman, S A, said she screamed at the top of her voice when she saw the result of the stylist at the Umm Suqeim salon using a dye that she had not asked for and one that’s date had expired.
“The Tunisian worker put the colour on my hair and covered it with the plastic hat. Then, after one hour when she took me and started washing my hair, big hair clumps started falling down,” the Moroccan said. “I screamed so loud other employees came.”
It was found that the product was out-of-date and not the one she agreed to. A report said S A suffered from diffuse thinning of hair over the scalp.
A 53-year-old Moroccan witness, M A, worked at the salon at the time but said she was sacked after refusing to testify against S A.
“I was asked [by the salon] to testify against S A but I refused because it’s not fair. After I testified with the truth, they terminated my services from the salon,” M A said.
She added that, on the day, she heard the screaming and rushed to see what was wrong.
“She was hysterical and screaming as her hair was falling down and breaking,” said the witness.
The woman said that the customer asked for a L’Oreal colour but, without her knowledge, the stylist used another, out-of-date brand.
“The stylist told S A she can cover the expenses of her treatment but refused to give her cash in hand, which caused the two to argue, and S A then took the case to police,” said the witness.
M A added that later on the day of the incident, she saw salon workers, under instruction of the owner, throwing many hair colour products out. “When I asked them why, they told me the owner wanted to get rid of them before inspectors arrive because they were expired,” she said.
The beauty salon’s receptionist was also fired after testifying that a large quantity of expired hair dye tubes were being used at the salon.
“When S A called police and they arrived, I told them about the tubes and the hair that was falling off, I told them the truth and then I was fired,” said Filipina R M, 42.
“The owner forced the stylists to use expired hair colours.”
The Tunisian hair stylist, S W, 35, denied a charge of causing harm to a person and said S A was pulling her own hair and blackmailing them to pay her money.
“I used the brand she requested but she had replaceable hair on and started pulling it and asked that we pay her money,” said the defendant.
She denied the testimonies of her ex-colleagues about the expired products.
The Tunisian was charged, along with the Syrian salon owner, N A, 29, with posing a risk to the safety of others by using expired products.
They were both convicted and fined Dh5,000 each.
salamir@thenational.ae
