Woman claims hair removal product was added to conditioner she purchased at Dollar General
A woman from Oklahoma claims that hair removal product was added to a bottle of conditioner, purchased off the shelves of her local Dollar General, and she now believes she is the latest victim of the potentially dangerous viral practical joke.
Leeann Buxam, a mother of ten from Heavener, Okla. says that she was left shaken after her hair started to fall out in chunks in the shower and felt her scalp begin to burn.
"It felt like it was falling out so bad that I was going to have to shave my head, I figured what was wrong was there something inside of me making me sick," Buxam told KFSM. Scarier still, Buxam had also used the product purchased from Dollar General on two of her daughters' hair.
Buxam, a cosmetology student, and her instructors believe that the products she purchased were contaminated with Nair, after doing some research online that lead them to the viral prank. In July 2019, a Wisconsin woman purchased a bottle of conditioner from Walmart, allegedly filled with Nair, which resulted in her in having to visit the emergency room and shave her head, however, YouTube videos of the prank date back to at least 2010.
"I don't think they understand that Nair is what it is, and I don't think they understand that it can really hurt somebody," Buxam said. "It's not funny, and I am praying for you, and I feel like you are hurting somewhere in your life. You just want something more. You want to hurt somebody because you're hurting."
Nair, and other hair removal products, while safe for people to use, can have dangerous side effects for people with sensitive skin or allergies. Those allergic to the product may form welts, rashes, or hives, and it may even cause breathing difficulties and dizziness. If such hair products are left on too long, even on a person who does not have sensitive skin, a chemical burn could occur.
According to the product's website, the hair removal lotion begins working in just three minutes. A warning is also listed on the directions, in capital letters to emphasize the importance, "DON'T LEAVE ON LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES."
Buxam will not let this cruel prank change her mind about the world in general.
"There is so much worse ... it's just hair. I have a bald spot here a bald spot somewhere back here this is just hair, and there is so much worse out there," Buxman told the station. "The world is not ugly, and I refuse to think it's ugly."
Buxam informed both the police and the store's manager of the incident but does not plan to take legal action. According to KFSM, the manager informed Buxam that they will keep Nair products behind the counter going forward.
While Dollar General did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment, they provided the following statement to KFSM: "Dollar Generals strive to provide excellent service and safe, quality products that meet our customers' needs. We are currently investigating the matter at our Heavener, Oklahoma store and have reached out to the customer for further discussion."
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