WEN and Hair Loss – What is the Buzz About?
The hair care forums and review boards have been all a buzz about the WEN hair care system by Chaz Dean. If you’ve been following the latest buzz like I have, then you’ve probably caught wind of some consumers negatively reviewing the product. As with any new product line, bad reviews are to be expected. After all, the product that makes my hair bounce with volume and shine with health probably won’t do exactly the same for your hair.
The reviews I’m referring to are a bit more rattling than the average consumer complaints. Some consumers are claiming that the WEN cleaning conditioner is causing hair loss. Now that I no doubt have your rapped attention, let’s see what the facts are.
WEN Reviews Hair Loss – Can it be true? Will my hair fall out if I use it? Before saying a single thing about the hair care product line in question, let’s talk about hair loss. The consumers writing reviews about WEN causing their hair to fall out all have very similar comments. They say they see more hair in the shower than usual.
Hair loss while showering is normal. What do you do when you wash your hair in the shower? You massage your scalp to work your shampoo into a rich lather before rinsing, correct? If you’re like me and millions of other women around the world, you answer yes to that question. After shampooing, what do you do? Once again, if you’re like me and many others you use a conditioner. Generally, we experience the most hair loss when rinsing out our conditioning treatment. Why?
As we shampoo and condition our hair, the action shakes loose hair that is about to fall out. Did you know your hair actually has a hair loss cycle? The cycle consists of three phases: Anagen, catagen, and telogen. Each phase is accompanied by varying amounts of hair loss.
During the anagen phase new hair pushes out dead hair follicles, causing the dead follicles to shake loose in the shower. In the catagen phase your hair rests. Follicles stop producing new hair and your hair gears up for shedding. The final phase, telogen, is when shedding occurs. The majority of dead follicles will fall out to make room for new healthy hair. The results of the telogen phase are what we most often see in the shower. If a lot of new growth as occurred, a lot of shedding will occur.
WEN Reviews Hair Loss – Should I avoid this hair care system? Currently, there is absolutely no evidence that WEN products are causing hair to fall out. If anything, the reviews about hair loss compared against what we’ve learned about the cycle our hair has shown that WEN just might be helping healthy hair take hold.
I don’t need some scientific review to know that this crap caused my hair to fall out in droves. Noticeably thinner, I could see my scalp shining like a beacon. The customer service lady at Wen, when I called to cancel, was rude and ridiculous, telling me that my hair was going through a cleansing process. Sorry, I’m not willing to go bald in order that my “scalp can be cleansed” and Wen can continue to make astronomical amounts of money off of suckers who buy into this theory.
Ok. First of all I am sure this isn’t the first time any of these women shampooed their hair in the shower. So to claim that they are reacting to natural hair loss is a bunch of bullocks. If you have been shampooing for years with minimal hair loss and you use a product and notice considerable hair loss plus thinning then its safe to assume that the product is an issue and to stop using the product. I understand that there are many women who love Wen and have no problem with the product, that’s fine. But don’t be so patronizing as to write this nonsense about the hair cycle as if you were responding to a bunch of toddlers. Nuff said.
This products sucks it made my hair fall out like crazy
I have been waiting for a product like this for so long I love it! I have read the reviews and before buying it,I had a friend give me some of hers to use,Well I have never loved my hair so much its so soft and managable.I would always get done shampo my hair and conditoner it,when I would go to blowdry it,it would come out so frizzy,not now its beauitful I dont even have to curl or straighten it,I can just leave it and go. This product makes my life so much easier I LOVE IT! I will never go back to shampo again.
Thank you chaz!
Thank you for those who are taking the time to leave a comment or review of WEN hair care products. It’s great to see a lot of people participate in the review of this product. People who are thinking about buying this product can be better educated when we have reviews whether negative or positive.
Thanks for participating.
Complaints sounds manufactured to me. I’m older so hair loss is something I have experienced prior to using Wen. I’ve been using Wen for 3 months now and my hair is fuller and richer than ever before. It’s very easy to berate a product anonymously. I question their motivation. I really like this product. I think my biggest problem is the price so I’m hoping as more people use it, the price will improve.
Have been using Wen for 3 weeks. My hair has been falling out too. I called the company and they told me it was the weak hair falling out. After seeing how many other people have had the same problem I am stopping use of it immediately- before I lose any more hair!
I’m a 29 year old African American with natural hair. I stopped relaxing it nearly 3 years ago. I began using the WEN conditioner in January of 2010. My hair has never been thicker or healthier. Too good to be true? That’s what I thought. See I suffer from hypothyroidism which can make your hair course, dry, brittle and fall out. I’ve experienced all of the symptoms just named, before using the WEN products. But after I allowed my hair to grow naturally and began cleansing my hair with WEN I noticed a huge improvement. In fact m,y hair stylist that braids my hair noticed an immediate difference in my hair after the first few weeks. So for the people who lost their hair to WEN I’m sorry for your loss. But that doesn’t mean it will happen to everyone because it didn’t happen to me.
I never thought that my hair loss was from using WEN, but after eliminating all other possiblities it became obvious it was from WEN. My hair fell out in the shower, in my brush and comb and I shed all over my shirts daily! I believe if I had not stopped using this product I would have ended up with irreversible hair loss . I have not used WEN in 4 months and I have so much new growth coming in and no longer am I losing my once very thick hair. My hair dresser says it will take years for my hair to completely recover.
My close friend also complained of hair loss while using this product, and this is how we discovered it was the WEN product and not some other source.
This product made my hair fall out also. Before using this product I had very thick hair. After one month of using the product my hair started falling out (AT THE ROOTS)!!! Now you can actually see my scalp!
I’ve read a number of these recent “hair loss” complaints on the web, and am shocked. But, I got to thinking: Why haven’t you folks gotten together and filed a class action lawsuit? Clumps of hair that still has not grown back?!? Sue for damages!!! And, quite frankly, when I first looked into Wen back in August 2010, I didn’t see any such claims or complaints. I’ll still try Wen, but I won’t be ordering through Gunthy-Renker. Their Customer Service is direly lacking in service.
I am not in the habit of leaving reviews, but will this time because I know how frustrating hair-loss can be. My review may not have as much weight because I have only used Wen (lavender) for three consecutive days, however, here are my two cents: If you have been dealing with genetic hair-loss, think twice about buying a full bottle of this product. A co-worker who has had lots of success with Wen gave me a little so I could try it… and I have to say that I really like the way my hair feels after use. Unfortunately since the first time I used it I noticed a considerably larger amount of hair falling off than usual. I will discontinue using this product because I apply Rogaine on a daily basis and cannot afford to undo all the success I have had regrowing my hair this past year. Bottom line, Wen is certainly NOT for everyone. Listen to your body and if you can, try before you buy.
There is something in Wen products that causes an abnormal amount of hair loss in a relatively short amount of time. It not only made my hair much thinner, but I have little bald spots. I used it for only about two weeks and I think I used it that long because it actually did work on the hair that remained on my head. It was shinier and softer at the ends, but at the roots my hair became brittle. The hair loss for me came at the roots. My thinning hair and little bald spots have not yet recovered. A class action lawsuit makes sense as I see I’m not the only person with issues. Some may not have problems, but for those of us who had problems, believe me they are real.
I began using Wen Sweet Almond Mint in July 2010 – absolutely LOVED IT!!! My hair was great..soft, shiny, manageable. I tried Pomogranite in October & Cucumber Aloe in January. Then in late Feb, my hair began fallin out at an ALARMING rate…5weeks later it is still falling daily in very large amounts. Other have noticed. I use NO HEAT products, NO DYES..no other products. I am on NO MEDS..the only reason I’ve lost over half my hair volume has to be related to WEN. I stopped using it Feb 20 & there is no improvement yet(3/29/11). I see no regrowth yet. I am crushed, as I have raved over these products to everyone & have many friends buying it now.
I have long, thick, curly hair and I want to try Wen but these reviews are too scary!
I am a 26 year old with very thin hair. My freind recommended WEN since her experience was so great. I tried it for three days and experienced exponential hair loss. The most alarming part is that the loss was from the root as most have mentioned abover. I stopped using WEN immediately. My hair is visibly thinner than to begin with and I am extremely disappointed. I agree that this product is not for everyone. Buyer Beware!
I have thick course hair and a reasonably dry scalp and normally wash it only once a week, and sometimes even wait ten days in between washing…I know to a lot of ppl that seems gross, but it actually never gets looking oily or greasy so my hairdresser told me it was fine. I recently started using the Wen system that includes the mist spray for in between washing. My hair has never felt or looked better, the texture and body is extremely manageable now!!! For ppl experiencing hair loss I read one that had used it for 3 days, then another that used it for two weeks! I think using it on a daily basis, as with anything, is overkill! I use Wen once every week and use the spray each morning to just give it a refresh and have experienced no hair loss at all…too much if a good thing can be bad, so I wouldn’t use it everyday!!!
I’ve been back and forth using the WEN cleansing conditioners with hopes that each time I use it, the results would change. Well they have not. I still get much more hair lost in the shower than using other products. My hair comes out in thick patches when I used this product. This is not a manufactured statement nor is it a statement to falsely accuse WEN. I’m simply stating my experience just as those who love it states theirs. I do still use the WEN oils (tree tree and fig). I simply will no longer use the cleansing conditioners.
I’ve been a dermatology nurse for over 6 years and in nursing almost 30 years. I have long very healthy brown hair. I started the WEN system about 8 weeks ago and LOVED it. About 4 weeks ago, I moved into a new apt. after 2 weeks I noticed my shower not draining and was irritated that the new place already had problems. My brother fished out a huge wade of brown hair from the drain. I was thinking how gross…must have been the previous owners. Then I noticed having to clean out my brush more…Before I started the WEN system I got a nice blunt cut on my ends. This morning I noticed my ends are thin, frayed and totally uneven?? I’ve also noticed that my ponytail (I have to wear my hair up) is thin and straggly. It’s so bad I thought I should see an endocrinologist. Then today at work, I decided to see if others who used WEN had the same experience and ….come on…there are numerous complaints of hair loss with this product to be a coincidence.
I canceled my subscription today.
Last May I tried a sulfate-free non-foaming cleanser (not Wen), and soon after found a 1×2-inch shiny bald patch on my head. I was devastated, but hopeful as the patch grew back in. Last month, I discovered another smaller patch, and have been monitoring it carefully, only to find that it is spreading, not filling in. Is this like anything like Wen users have experienced? I’m looking for a new shampoo and came across Wen but I would not like to aggravate my situation. Thank you.
OMG yes it made my thick hair come out, waste of money its not for everybody. It started off nice the first few months after that it was down hill. Im afro-american, MY HAIR HAS ALWAYS BEEN NICE AND THICK NOW ITS SICKLY THIN
I used Wen on and off for the past 3 years. I noticed a drastic difference in hair loss but it wasn’t as noticable when I mixed different formulas. This product really maintains hair color and blows out beautifully so I didn’t want to stop using. I just recently purchase a bottle of the Fig and used it without mixing with another formula. My hair is coming out in handfulls.!
To the people who think these reviews are manufactured..What would anyone possibly have to gain by sharing their experience? If you have great results that’s wonderful!! There is an obvious correlation with this product causing hair loss in many people that can’t be disputed. I hope the company delves into this issue to find the culprit ingredient that some can’t tolerate, and/or identifies a common thread in the people having the hair loss.
I lost about 1/3 – 1/2 of my hair after using WEN for 6 – 8 months. I had a LOT of hair to start with and the loss was not apparent until I had lost so much that it could not be missed. While I still look like I have healthy hair, anyone who has known me for a while, would think that I spent a few hours ironing it down to get my current look, when actually, I’ve been adding product and constantly fluffing it up. As soon as I stopped using WEN, the hair loss was greatly reduced, but I’ve not had regrowth yet.
I started to lose my hair soon after beginning menopause, which is very common. I even started to get bald spots. I saw the info about WEN and also read about how it was helping women to grow their hair back. I have been using WEN for about a year and a half and right away I noticed that my hair was not falling out as much. Then every month my hair started filling in the bald spots and getting thicker. It has now probably doubled, but not anywhere as thick as before beginning menopause, but I know it is getting thicker every month.
The one thing I have noticed is that one has a tendenacy to rub the scalp to try and make it bubble like regular shampoo, whenever I rub my scalp too much, that is the only times I notice any significant amount of hair rinsing out in the shower. As long as I am gentle on my scalp and not rubbing my hair off my scalp then I rarely notice any hair rinsing out. I think I have only had to clean the hair out of my shower drain one time since starting the WEN system.
My normally dry, frizzy, curly hair, is no longer dry or frizzy and feels so soft that I and others just want to touch it to feel the softness. I would think that even if you just use the conditioning treatment as a leave-in conditioner then your hair would be in a lot better condition. Maybe some who are losing their hair are having an allergic reaction to WEN or they are rubbing their scalps too hard as I have done. I would say to give it another try and just gently rub your scalp and see what happens, but I can only say that I am so thankful to have discovered WEN. It was the miracle my scalp needed.
God bless.
Did any of you might think that you’re using the wrong wen fragrance for your hair type? One reviewer said that her hair was great when she used Sweet Almond Mint, but horrible when she tried a different one. I LOVE WEN and I had the same problem with one of the fragrances but then I switched and it was fine
I ordered wen because I was losing hair. My hair was thin limp and did nothing. I ordered wen sweet almond mint and it stopped the hair loss for a little bit. My hair started looking a little dull so I switched up a little after ordering a set from qvc that has 5 different kinds of the cleansing conditioners. I’ve started noticing quite a bit more hair in my drain but my hair is thicker wavy and really shiny. Im convinced it is just new hair getting rid of my old crappy hair. I could not be happier with wen. Also if you loved wen hair products but your not getting the same results as before try switching between different formulas it really works.
For the person who questioned the ‘motives’ of those who have suffered from hair loss using Wen, I wonder whether you would also question someone who complained they suffered from an allergy while eating a peanut. I eat peanuts all the time without issue but there are people who’s throat can close up from one peanut and sometimes those people had eaten nuts for years before the allergy hit full force. If your hair is dropping from a product, any product, stop using the product and you have every right to warn others of your experience.
You have no idea how much I have cried over my significant hair loss from Wen. Using Wen is the WORST decision I’ve ever made. I used Wen for about 1 1/2 years and noticed it was getting thinner and thinner, but stupid me thought it was some sort of imbalance and thought using wen would HELP. All the while, it was the cause. I stopped using it about 2 months ago and I’m STILL losing hair. Somebody please tell me what product you used to get it to stop coming out and does it EVER grow back? I am now scraggly thin with pronounced and obvious bald spots.
I have been using WEN for years, have naturally fine and sort of thin hair and I have not noticed ANY thinning from the use of this product. Menopause has made my hair thinner, but not this product and I feel that if hair was going to fall out of anyone’s head it would be mine. I think the notion that people are rubbing their scalp more because they are used to having something that lathers, makes sense. The friction could be triggering hair loss. I am a clean hair freak and will sometimes wash my hair twice a day. No hair loss with this product even using it multiple times during the day.
I purchased WEN products and thought they worked great on my hair. Thought of using nothing else and told all my friends about it including my daughter. My daughter and I have been using WEN for about 3 months and we are losing our hair by the handfuls. Our shower drains are full of hair. We are exclusively using WEN. So there is no other reason for this huge loss of hair. I used to have thick hair now I can see my scalp. We are stopping it today before we are completely bald. How do you get your hair to grow back?
I was a WEN girl too, until I started experiencing a lot of hair loss this summer. I thought it might be female baldness syndrome, but I researched the internet and found many women having the same problem. I’ve stopped using the product and my hair is starting to grow back in. WEN is a wonderful concept, but may only be good for people with a lot of really thick hair.
My stylist believes the product clogs the hair follicle and clauses the root at the base of the hair shaft to die. The root is not receiving the proper nutrients and therefore shuts down. He’s had many clients come in and he can’t get the product out of their hair!
Manufactures are starting to develop new hair products that do not contain sulfates and other harsh chemicals. So, try something different and see what happens.
I have long, thick hair. I noticed my hair falling out much more than usual 6 months into using Wen. My usual daily hair loss count of 50-100 hairs was up to 250 hairs every day. My hair stylist noticed the loss; he also said one should never use a conditioner on the scalp – that it clogs the hair follicles. Shortly after discontinuing Wen, my hair loss returned to about 50 hairs a day.
Wow, I’ve been using this product for about 3 months and haven’t noticed any of this. I do still use other products, but after today I am canceling my subscription. I am not taking any chances.
I have also had signifigant hairloss while using Wen. I love wen and the way it makes my hair feel, however after about 3 months of use, I had to stop using the product. As I use wen daily, each time I showered I had a lot of hair just fall out while rinsing. I’ve never had this issue before with any other shampoo. My hair if very fine and thin, and its long, about 2 inches past my shoulders. So while shampooing, I use my fingers to comb through my hair (as the directions say to do). It is during that, and rinsing, that I have, a very very large ammount of hair just fall out.
I love wen, it makes your hair feel so good. I don’t know if this issue is due to a natural hair cycle, or due to the product. However I can say, after abour 3 months, I have had to stop using it. I have lost a signifigant ammount of hair. It has become noticable, and I’m hoping it grows back soon.
Wen is a good product! I think they should do more research on this issue to see what is causing this problem for some people. If it is a problem with wen, maybe they can change it so I can enjoy it once more.
My opinion: Definately try it. If you start losing a large amount of hair, definately stop.