Chennai court fines beauty parlour Rs 5 lakh after ‘herbal’ mix burns off woman’s earlobes

A consumer court in Chennai has ordered a beauty parlour in Arumbakkam to pay ₹5 lakh in compensation to a makeup artist who lost both her earlobes after undergoing a so-called ‘herbal treatment’ at the facility.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Chennai North) last month directed the parlour owner to pay the woman Rs 5 lakh as compensation, along with Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses, after finding the parlour guilty of negligence and deficiency in service, as reported by PTI.

The makeup artist, identified as V. Jayanthi from Arumbakkam, had visited Abbe Herbal Beauty Parlour in March 2023 to reduce the size of her enlarged ear piercings, according to The Times of India. She paid Rs 2,000 for the procedure.

Soon after applying the so-called ‘herbal mix’, Jayanthi said she began to feel a burning sensation. The parlour staff assured her it was part of the process. When she returned as advised, they applied more chemicals and wrapped her earlobes 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 because of her altered appearance.

Jayanthi said the condition affected her ability to move freely in society and had also reduced her earning capacity.

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. Doctors confirmed that the mixture was not herbal but highly acidic.

Jayanthi also claimed that the parlour had initially promised to bear the cost of plastic surgery but later withdrew support. She then sent them a legal notice, which received an evasive reply from the opposite party.

In its order dated September 24, the commission noted that Akilandeshwari, the parlour owner, 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.