NEW RICHMOND, Wis. – A shower turned into a scary situation for 21-year-old Ashley Robinson of New Richmond, Wisconsin.
On Sunday, Robinson began losing her hair in the shower after using conditioner she purchased that day from Walmart.
“My hair just started falling out in clumps on the floor, and it just kept coming out and coming out and coming out and I screamed,” Robinson said.
She went to the emergency room with a burning scalp where they diagnosed her with chemical burns.
“We were at the doctor’s office and they said it smelled like Nair. It had a very distinct smell to it,” Robinson said.
Nair is a hair removal product anyone can buy.
“Somebody had to have tampered with it,” Robinson said.
Robinson said she bought the bottle of conditioner at a Walmart in New Richmond.
New Richmond police said they’re working with the Walmart as part of their investigation. And the store handed their surveillance footage over to police and they’re weeding through it to see if anyone tampered with that bottle.
New Richmond Police Chief Craig Yehlik they are investigating this as product tampering.
“It could be a substantial fine and include jail time,” Yehlik said.
Robinson hopes sharing her story will serve as a warning to others.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” Robinson said. “I’m not going to buy any products unsealed because of this.”
For now, Ashley shows off her shaved head proudly – comforted knowing it will grow back.
Pantene made the conditioner. WCCO reached out to Procter & Gamble. They said they’re aware of the incident and they’re working with Robinson.
