Don't Get Tied Into Knots At Hair Salons: Watchdog

The Consumer Council has advised people to be careful when subscribing to prepaid treatment packages at hair salons.

It received 77 complaints about such cases last year.

In one case, a hairdresser told a man that his hair quality was bad and made him sign up for treatments and products worth HK$52,000.

The treatment led to scalp inflammation and he was finally advised by doctor to stop it. Later, the complainant discovered that the hair growing tonic was sold elsewhere for only HK$200, while the company charged him nearly HK$1,000 for it.

In another case, an elderly woman was coerced into paying thousands of dollars for “anti-ageing” and “regenerating” hair treatment.

The watchdog said the 70-year-old was having her hair dyed at the salon when staff tried to persuade her to switch to some new treatment packages.

The woman refused, but she was surrounded by four members of staff who threatened her as she was paying the bill.

The council said the woman paid an extra HK$7,000 in a state of “confusion and panic”.

The woman received a refund after her son complained to the council.