Chinese man spends $600,000 on hair salon detox treatments, suffers severe health issues and denied refund
(Also read: Chinese teen narrowly escapes death after eating only vegetables and laxatives to fit into birthday dress)
The man, surnamed Cheng, first encountered the salon's team in April 2023 in Hefei, where a manager named Chen invited him to the launch of a new salon branch. During the visit, another manager, surnamed Zhou, coaxed him upstairs to try what was described as a beautician's massage. That moment marked the beginning of a relentless campaign of sales pressure, Cheng said.
Aggressive sales tactics and emotional manipulation
Cheng claimed he was repeatedly persuaded to top up his salon account under emotional pressure. 'They were all young boys and girls, kneeling and saying they were poor and couldn't even afford rent, relying on customers to help support their parents,' he recounted. 'Older beauticians nearby would consistently urge customers to top up, stating that the staff earned commissions based on performance.'
The account balance continued to rise sharply. One record showed a single top-up of 388,000 yuan (US$54,000) in January, while by March 30, the balance had swelled to over 1.7 million yuan.
Unlicensed treatments and mounting health complications
Among the services offered were 'skin-breaking needle detox,' massages priced at 500–600 yuan per body part, and 'belly dampness removal' costing up to 2,000 yuan per session. Cheng said he also underwent multiple enema sessions, marketed as 'bowel cleansing,' with one course costing around 300,000 yuan (US$42,000).
The salon promised benefits such as weight loss and a more youthful appearance. However, instead of rejuvenation, Cheng developed severe health issues including chronic diarrhoea and persistent needle marks that failed to heal. Upon discovering that the salon had no medical licence to administer such procedures, he demanded a refund—which was refused.
Authorities step in
Following the incident, Cheng lodged a complaint with the authorities. According to SCMP, on July 9, Hefei police confirmed that a joint investigation had been launched with market supervision officials into the salon's alleged unlicensed medical practices.
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