Old Spice Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Chemical Burns from Deodorant

According to allegations raised in a recently filed class action lawsuit, Old Spice deodorant may cause severe and painful chemical burns and skin irritation, indicating that individuals throughout the U.S. have reported experiencing problems.

The complaint (PDF) was filed earlier this month in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio by Rodney Colley, who is seeking class action status to include all individuals who purchased Old Spice deodorant since 2012.

The lawsuit alleges that Procter & Gamble has failed to adequately warn men about the risk of chemical burn problems from Old Spice deodorant, claiming that the manufacturer has provided false and misleading information that suggests its Old Spice line has no known skin irritation side effects.

“After only a few uses of the Old Spice product, Plaintiff suffered severe rashes, burning and discomfort requiring the Plaintiff to immediately cease using the product,” the Old Spice class action lawsuit claims. “Plaintiff’s experience is by no means isolated or represents outlying occurrences.”

Colley indicates that there are dozens of similar reports involving Old Spice chemical burns submitted by men on Consumer Reports, via YouTube videos and social media.

The lawsuit cites a number of examples and includes images of problems involving what appear to be painful burns and rashes under the arms, where individuals indicate they used Old Spice deodorant.

Some have called for an Old Spice recall, noting that the complaints have poured in over the last several years with no apparent action by the manufacturer.

“My son has been using Old Spice Swagger Deodorant and has a rash in his armpit that is red and burning. We will never buy these products again!!! Shame on you Procter and Gamble for continuing to produce this product with all these reviews, and without warning!!!” according to one complaint attributed to “Sharon” of Granite Falls, North Carolina from August 14, 2015.

Procter & Gamble has not responded to the complaints or publicly addressed the issue yet.

Colley is seeking to have the lawsuit certified as a class action over Old Spice deodorant chemical burn problems, presenting claims for defective manufacturing, defective design, inadequate warnings, misrepresentation, liability, breach of warranty, failure to comply with Ohio consumer laws, and unjust enrichment. It seeks restitution for thousands of men who purchased the deodorant, disgorgement of profits, compensatory damages and punitive damages against Procter & Gamble.