Chennai: A consumer court in Chennai has ordered a beauty parlour to pay Rs 5 lakh in compensation to a makeup artist who lost both her earlobes after undergoing a so-called ‘herbal treatment’.
The district consumer disputes redressal commission (Chennai North) found the parlour guilty of negligence and deficiency in service, also directing it to pay Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses.
Acidic Treatment Caused 'Irreversible' Damage
In March 2023, V Jayanthi, a professional makeup artist from Arumbakkam, visited Abbe Herbal Beauty Parlour, run by one Akilandeshwari, seeking to reduce the size of her enlarged ear piercings. She paid Rs 2,000 for the treatment after being assured it was a simple herbal procedure. Soon after a “herbal mix” was applied, Jayanthi experienced a burning sensation but was told it was normal. When she returned for follow-up, more of the mixture was applied and her ears were wrapped in plaster.
Days later, she noticed a foul smell, and by the end of a month, her earlobes were torn and barely attached. She told the commission that the disfigurement had deeply affected her confidence and her work, adding that even her young child avoided her due to her altered appearance.
Medical examinations later revealed that the substance used contained trichloroacetic acid, a corrosive chemical. Surgeons at Apollo Hospitals, Vanagaram, had to remove both earlobes in August 2023 to prevent further infection. The doctors confirmed that the mixture was not herbal but highly acidic in nature.
Parlour Owner Found Guilty of Negligence
The commission, in its order dated September 24, observed that Akilandeshwari had no medical authority to perform such procedures and relied on findings from a police chargesheet filed under Section 338 of the Indian Penal Code (causing grievous hurt). It held that the parlour’s actions were negligent and directly responsible for Jayanthi’s injuries.
Jayanthi had claimed the parlour initially promised to bear the cost of reconstructive surgery but later withdrew support. After serving a legal notice and receiving no satisfactory response, she approached the consumer forum.
