Newsweek April 19, 2023

Newsweek

On the Internet

Woman Realizes Why Her Hairspray Won't Budge in Viral Clip: 'For Woodwork'

 

A TikTok creator's hair disaster has gone viral after she mistakenly put full-strength wood glue in her hair instead of hairspray.

The unfortunate clip was posted by Louisa Melcher on her TikTok account (@loulouorange) on April 7 and it has already amassed over 14.2 million views at the time of writing.

While speaking to the camera, Melcher says that she "took two showers today" to remove the product, but it "didn't budge," so she began to question what hairspray does such a stellar job at holding her hair in place.

However, her amazement soon shifted to panic when she realized what was actually in her hair.

"I think I put f****** wood shellac for woodwork in my f****** hair," she continues.

The caption below the video explains that the glue was left on the dresser by the housekeeper, so she didn't think twice when she picked it up.

When glue gets stuck in a person's hair, WebMD suggests they use an acetone product, such as nail polish remover, to dissolve the glue. However, it shouldn't be applied directly to the skin, especially as the scalp can be very sensitive.

WebMD says that acetone should be put on cotton wool (or something similar) and then dabbed onto the affected hair, before being brushed out. Once the glue is removed, it's important to wash the hair thoroughly to ensure there's no residual product left behind.

Raven Hurtado, hair stylist at the Maxine Salon in Chicago, has discussed the best ways of removing unwanted products from hair, and how to restore it back to full health.

Hurtado told Newsweek: "A tip to remove any build up and grime from the overuse of products, or if you've used the wrong product, is to use a clarifying shampoo.

"Clarifying shampoo removes dirt, grease and residue and will give it hair a deep cleanse."

When it comes to putting something really strong or sticky in the hair, like glue in Melcher's case, Hurtado offered some more unusual tips to wash it out.

"For a hack, you can use dish soap, which removes grime and grease. You can use it if you accidentally use a greasy product on your hair or even gum. Rub dish soap on the area and comb through it, then wash it out," Hurtado said.

"Another hack to remove gum is using creamy peanut butter or vegetable oil. You have to massage and saturate the gum with the oil or peanut butter, which will make it less sticky. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wash it out with shampoo."

Despite the nightmare she found herself in, Melcher's video has left many people online in a mixture of hysterics and panic. The clip has over 2.4 million likes and 20,000 comments already.

A lot of people commented on the parallels to the woman who put Gorilla Glue on her hair and needed a plastic surgeon to fix it, as one person wrote: "History repeats itself."

Another TikTok user commented: "As someone who does woodwork, that's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Newsweek reached out to @loulouorange for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.

Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.


Press