Elasta QP Relaxer caused 2nd Degree Burns to my Scalp

deontaer

Member
Now, I know in a post about about a month ago regarding relaxers that we didn't like, I posted that I didn't like this one and would never use it again...I guess I should have truly listed to MYSELF. Today, I just came from my doctors office having received a tetnus shot and a prescription for silverdene - a prescription for severe burns. My doctor said he NEVER seen a burn like this because of a relaxer...needless to say, everyone is telling me to call my lawyer.

I gave myself this relaxer January 1st. Now, before anyone asks, I've been given myself relaxers for YEARS, YEARS, YEARS. So I know exactly how to do it. I've been asked if it's possible that I left the perm in too long ...NO... the relaxer suggests 15 to 20 minutes, I barely made it to 10 because I texlax, but it was BURNING to the point where I was jumping up and down trying to get in the shower to rinse it. I noticed that as I was rinsing, the hair right behind my ears wouldn't budge and I thought that strange, but kept on neutralizing. I must have used half the bottle, but the hair still stuck to the side of my head. I just thought "that will be a scab I'll have to deal with in a week, and didn't think anything of it. I put in my deep moist. cond. and left it in for the rest of the night, got up in the morning, rinsed, through in my leave ins, bunned then wrapped with a scarf. Later that afternoon I was on my way out to the bss to buy another phoney poney and took the scarf off. HOURS LATER the side of my head is still wet! I got a little scared, but by the time I actually left the house, it had dried so, I still kept it moving, but saying silent prayers cause I just knew something was wrong. When I got home, I wrapped my scarf on my head again and continued with my day. About an hour later, I noticed that my head felt wet again. I take off the scarf and look and the mirror and it looks as if I still had shampoo in my hair...this was PUSS. I turn to compare the other side - HORROR!!!! The other side has the same issue just on a smaller scale. I look at my scarf and there is a brownish tinted spots which means there there was some bleeding...I officially enter silent panic mode. My hair is atleast an inch, maybe 2 below bsl and all I could think of was the potential of 2 bald spots on both sides of my head. This was Tuesday. I finally didn't decide to go to the doctor until this morning...after the blisters appeared last night and the oozing continued.

You would think that I'd be in tears right now, but it hasn't happened yet...I guess because I can't see the REAL DAMAGE yet. I can just see the puss and feel it. I don't know if this has resulted in hair loss or not, but I'll say this much, this has NEVER happened to me before and I have NEVER heard of it happening to anyone else. I have left SUPER perms in my hair longer then this REGULAR perm. I would like to post pictures for you guys to see, but MY HEAD IS WRAPPED IN GAUZE FOR THE NEXT 5 DAYS!

Do you guys think that this could have been a bad perm? Side note, when I was combing the relaxer through, some of it fell on my toilette seat, when I whipped it off, the color had rubbed off completely!!!! Like pure bleach! I feel that maybe some ingredient was missing or something, I don't know... I don't know......I don't even know when I should return to my regular wash cycle and what I should use now that I have a damaged scalp. Does anything have any suggestions on what products I should use now? I guess this is my first step to natural hair, cause I'm never relaxing again.
 
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SohoHair

New Member
Oh my goodness!!! I'm so so sorry this happened to you, I can't even imagine how you must be feeling right now. Take pictures of your scalp and toilet seat, call a lawyer, gets statements from your doctor and whatever else needs to happen!!

I really hope that no serious damage happens, but prepare yourself for the possibilty for losing some hair in those spots, so at least you won't have to go through another mental shock if it happens. :sad: I hope your scalp gets better soon!!

ETA: Take POLAROID pics so that no one can claim you photoshopped the pics!!
 

Mystic

Well-Known Member
OMG:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I was transfixed reading your story. Horror beyond horror:eek: :eek: I would not want to be in your shoes for a minute and I cannot even imagine what you are going through. Where did you purchase this relaxer? Something sounds VERY wrong because I have NEVER hurt of anything like this before. Even after washing and neutralizing, your scalp was still burning!!:eek: :eek: I would investigate this further and let the company who manufacture the relaxer as well as where you purchased it know what happened. I would also take the left over to a lab and get it tested. Document everything. I have no suggestions AT ALL because I can't even imagine what I would do under that situation. Do not manipulate your hair at all for a while until it thoroughly heals. So very sorry for your pain:confused: Please keep us posted.
 

p31woman

Well-Known Member
SohoHair said:
Oh my goodness!!! I'm so so sorry this happened to you, I can't even imagine how you must be feeling right now. Take pictures of your scalp and toilet seat, call a lawyer, gets statements from your doctor and whatever else needs to happen!!

I really hope that no serious damage happens, but prepare yourself for the possibilty for losing some hair in those spots, so at least you won't have to go through another mental shock if it happens. :sad: I hope your scalp gets better soon!!

ETA: Take POLAROID pics so that no one can claim you photoshopped the pics!!

ITA!! I'm soo sorry this happened to you!!!
 

CAPlush

New Member
:eek: Where did you purchase the relaxer? Sally's, on-line, a private BSS??? Wherever, I would go to the store and ask the manager to remove that shipping of relaxer from their shelves because there is an obvious problem with the relaxer. You don't want any other poor soul to go through what you are going through. Did it smell any different that usual???
 

deontaer

Member
CAPlush said:
:eek: Where did you purchase the relaxer? Sally's, on-line, a private BSS??? Wherever, I would go to the store and ask the manager to remove that shipping of relaxer from their shelves because there is an obvious problem with the relaxer. You don't want any other poor soul to go through what you are going through. Did it smell any different that usual???

No, it didn't smell any different and it didn't look any different. I was so mad that I almost threw the jar out, but I'm glad I kept it, and I had considered getting it analyzed... but now that it was mentioned, I think I will. I just changed my dressing and the oozing has stopped, but my hair is still plastered to my head and you can see the holes where it was bleeding, but, my hair doesn't "look" damaged at all. This could be wishful thinking and seeing..I'm trying to keep hope alive. I was putting neosporin and vit E on it before I went to the doctor, so atleast the hair in that area had some oil based coverage which was good for the hair but bad for my scalp since it was an oil placed on a burn - think of crisco in a hot frying pan and you understand the effect. I'm going to go out a buy a polaroid camera tomorrow, thanks for that tip SohoHair...considering that I'm a graphic designer, how easy would it be for someone to say I photoshoped the picture. I will definately keep you guys posted.

Oh...the bss was called BeautyMax. It's in Laurel, MD. They are a pretty good store and they know me personally cause I'm in there atleast twice a week. I'll be paying them a visit tomorrow.
 
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kbragg

Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry! Almost the same thing happened with me with Motions (The hair on my nape was stuck to my scalp, but nothing as horrific as you went through). I prayed and prayed and put Aloe Vera Gel on my scalp. Thank the Lord it healed and I didn't have any hair loss, but I took that as a sign from God to transition. I'll say a prayer for you tonight. :(
 

MrsQueeny

Well-Known Member
Wow I am soo sorry this happened to you. Yes it sounds like it was a bad batch or something. The ladies gave you some excellent tips. I am glad you went to the doctor and I will be praying for your healing. Keep us updated. Q
 

Priss Pot

Makeup + Bench Pressing
This is so sad. I hope that your scalp heals from this. I've never been anti-relaxer, but I must say that it's good that you've decided to transition after this incident. The health of your scalp and hair is far more important than any chemical.
 

prettynina

New Member
oh my god:eek: i just read your story in horror ,i wish there was something i could do ,im just gonna pray for you tonight and you start investigating tomorrow
 

LocksOfLuV

New Member
Goodness, I hope you are feeling okay. Personally I would skip the trip to the BSS store and meet up with a lawyer. This sounds serious and IMO they should not get away with this. I would take pictures of my hair and scalp NOW while it is at it's worst and go from there. I think the relaxer may have been a faulty batch and for that they should reimburst you for time off work/school/home-making, hospital fees, and mental damages.

Just to be sure, are you sure you mixed the activator that comes with the relaxer with the cream? If so, did you do it well enough? I would save the left over relaxer and seal it real good. But whatever you do do not put it in the fridge. It sounds to me like this batch had too much chemical in it and you do not want anything to decrease the chemical properties of this faulty relaxer. Good luck and our prayers are with you.
 

crlsweetie912

Well-Known Member
Locks I was going to say the same thing? Is elasta pre mixed or mix it yourself? This is soo horrible. I can't imagine. I agree about the pictures (I used to work for a lawyer). I would get someone else to take them because they can get all angles and views of the damage. I would def. go back to the store where you purchased. I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else and I would also call Elasta to alert them. Maybe they can do a recall.

I am sorry this happened to you.
 

sweetcashew

Well-Known Member
Wow.:eek: I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Elasta Qp is the only relaxer I can use that does not burn me. Which one did you use? Lye or no lye?
This definitely had to be a bad batch because I can't understand why you'd get so badly burned from leaving it on the recommended time.
Again, I'm sorry this happened.
 

Minx

Well-Known Member
awwwww, honey.:(
I am so, so sorry that this has happened to you.
I'm sitting here with my mouth hanging open, with my hand over it, shaking my head.

I will keep you in my prayers, and thank you for informing everyone.
Like someone suggested, inform the company/manufacturer in case there was a faulty batch.

I'm sure they don't want a class action law suit like the one from the "Rio" disaster back in the early '90's ( remember, Debbie Allen was spokesperson, it was supposedly all natural,from Brazil....so natural that the man pretended to eat some of it from the jar on the infomercial!).

Stay encouraged,
dk
 

isioma85

Well-Known Member
I was literally shaking as I read this. :( My God. ((((hugs))))

I do think it's a wise move to keep the jar to be analysed, and in the process of the investigation not to let anyone take the entire jar away, only samples. You never know who may try to switch up the jar's contents and make it seem like it was you at fault as opposed to a bad batch of relaxer.

I'll pray for you.
 

SparklingFlame

New Member
As I read your story I was shaking my head in disbelief. AAAAWWWW man I am so sorry this has happened!

I think you have gotten some great advise. DEFINATLY take the pics w/ the polaroid ASAP and get a lawyer. Good luck on everything and keep us posted.
 

KhandiB

Well-Known Member
Sorry About that :eek:

You should first go to the BSS, some are KNOWN to keep old relaxers for sale...

Take pics, and you sould consult with a lawyer ..
 

beauty

Member
I am sorry this happened to you. Small relaxer burns hurt. I cannot begin to imagine how this feels. Please follow up on the analysis of this and get this investigated thoroughly! My prayers are with you.
 

Candiss

New Member
That is really horrible. I hope you heal quickly. I know that most of us don't do a strand test every time we relax. But this is a good argument for why we should.
 

lovelymissyoli

New Member
I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. You've been given some great advice about documenting this --- as well as going back to the bss and making sure they don't sell this stuff to anyone else!

I hope your scalp is doing better!
 
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