Bad hair day prompts lawsuit

ST. LOUIS -- A woman is suing a suburban St. Louis hair salon, claiming failed work on her hair evolved into depression, counseling and a job loss.

Geremie Hoff is suing the Elizabeth Arden's Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue in Plaza Frontenac, where she went in August 2001 to get her hair straightened or relaxed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday.

The salon's attorney, Lawrence Hartstein, told the jury in his opening statement that the stylist, Raye Hudson, had performed "hundreds if not thousands of these procedures" and did nothing wrong in treating Hoff's hair.

Hoff, now 56, of Creve Coeur, decided to have her hair straightened because she was going on a float and camping trip, Devine said. She went to Saks on the recommendation of a friend.

Hudson applied a hair product, then washed Hoff's hair several times before putting her under a hair dryer. Devine alleged that Hudson failed to do a test strand before applying the product.

On the float trip, some of Hoff's hair fell out, and her scalp was flaky, Devine said. Weeks later, she had a bald spot in back, "and her hair stuck out like a bird's nest," Devine said.

Hoff took early retirement from teaching and stopped taking tour groups to Italy, Devine said. He added that a psychiatrist and a counselor will testify about her depression.

Hartstein said Hoff didn't see a mental health professional until three months later. And her hair had already grown back by the summer of 2002 when her next tour to Italy was scheduled, he said.