Social media users were fascinated by the fate of a woman named Tessica Brown, her decision to use Gorilla Glue instead of hairspray and a disturbing, month-long quest to undo a seemingly permanent hairstyle.
It all started when Ms Brown ran out of her usual hairspray, Got2b Glued. In a pinch, she decided to use another product she had on hand to finish off her hair: Gorilla Spray Adhesive, made by Gorilla Glue.
“Bad, bad, bad idea,” she said in a TikTok last week who warned others to make the same mistake.
After more than 15 washes, various treatments and a trip to the emergency room, her hair still did not move.
“My hair has been around for about a month now – it’s not my choice,” she said in the video.
Me. Brown’s hair accident interested internet users who invested in her predicament and virtually rooted for her, leaving messages of encouragement and ideas in the comment sections of her posts.
Her original video has been viewed nearly 16 million times on TikTok and nearly two million times on Instagram and has been widely shared on other social platforms.
The situation provoked mutual shrinkage and sympathy for me. Brown, who became known as the Gorilla Glue Girl, as the days passed and various drugs could not succeed.
‘You need to keep us informed 😂😂😂😂I’m investing now. I’m going on a trip with you 😩, ‘said one user below her Instagram comment.
Mrs Brown has brought her followers together through several attempts to ‘get rid of this eternal ponytail’, as she described it on Instagram.
In a second video, Brown shows an attempt to wash it out: she fills her palm with a generous amount of shampoo, pours it over her head and rubs furiously. She wipes off the soup, which apparently has not penetrated the glue layer, and looks close to tears.
She later posted on Instagram that a combination of tea tree oil and coconut oil that she left on her head overnight was an ‘epic failure’.
“This is the life I’m living right now,” she said in the video. “This is the life I think I’m going to have to live.”
Me. Brown did not respond to a request for comment Sunday.
Some users have suggested natural remedies, many of which are apple cider vinegar or various rubbing alcohol or acetone concoctions. A woman who identified herself as a licensed stylist suggested applying glycerin to her hair, letting it sit for about 30 minutes, and then massaging to loosen the glue.
“We are very sorry to hear about the unfortunate incident Miss Brown experienced while using our Spray Adhesive on her hair,” Gorilla Glue said in a statement Sunday. What happened was called a “unique situation” because the product was not intended to be used “in or on hair” because it is considered permanent.
“We are pleased to see in her recent video that Miss Brown has received medical treatment from her local medical facility and wishes her the best,” he said.
Me. Brown posted a video of the St. Bernard Parish Hospital in Chalmette, La, and shared a photo of her on a hospital bed.
A later video showed another woman, a TikTok user named Juanita Brown, using acetone and sterile water on Ms.’s head. It was unclear whether the treatment worked.
TikTok and other social media platforms have weighed in on skin and hair experts with suggestions.
Tierra Milton, the owner of She and Her Hair Studio on Staten Island, said that if anyone in the condition of Ms. Brown would walk into her salon, she would probably recommend that she shave her head.
“I will not even try to save it because we are talking about an industrial product that is used for purposes other than hair,” Milton said. “Women across the board, all levels of society, need to seek professional help when it comes to hair care regimes.”
She noted that Gorilla Glue is not sold in beauty stores.
Dr. Dustin Portela, a dermatologist, suggested starting with acetone to break down the glue, or using Goo Gone, a product that helps remove bandages and adhesives. Coconut oil, sunflower oil or Vaseline that are hot in hot water can also work, he said, but he added that solutions should first be tested on a small area.
“Clearly, Gorilla Glue is designed – and any super glue – not to wash out easily with soap and water,” he said. “They formulate the product with bindings to withstand the most common things, so I knew she was going to have an incredibly difficult time.”
Adhesives like Gorilla Glue are not meant to be used on the skin, Dr Portela said.
It can be irritating and can cause rashes such as contact dermatitis. If all else fails, the best solution is to go to a salon to have her head shaved.
“I think there will be a lot of anxiety if someone is in the situation,” he said. ‘Now, more than ever, we just have to empathize with people and try to help them. And she deserves all the help she can get now, because it’s really an unfortunate situation. ‘