By Cat Way. Last Updated 28th July 2025. Can you sue a hairdresser for ruining your hair? Most certainly! Of course, if your hairdresser has cut your hair and you simply don’t like it, you are not going to have much chance of getting personal injury compensation – after all, you may have specified a style and found that it just didn’t suit you when you were done.

Nevertheless, if you have suffered a hairdresser injury to your face, scalp or anywhere else on your body due to negligence or a lack of hairdresser’s training, there is a chance you can claim compensation. We have helped many people to claim for damage hair and hair loss. No matter whether you have been injured because of your hairdresser using the wrong products, weaving your extensions too tightly, or leaving hair dye on for too long, we can assist.

At Legal Expert, we have many years of experience and have handled numerous hairdressing compensation claims. You can reach our friendly team for more information by:

• Phoning 0800 073 8804.
• Visiting our contact page
• Opening the live chat window

Select A Section

1. What Are The Most Common Causes Of Hair Damage And Loss?
2. Hair Extension Traction Alopecia Injuries
3. Occupational Dermatitis And Hair Loss
4. What Effects Can Hair Loss Have On You?
5. What Types Of Compensation Could You Claim for Hair Loss?
6. Hair Loss Compensation Claims Calculator
7. Do I Need To Go To Court When Claiming Compensation For Damaged Hair?
8. No Win No Fee Compensation For Hair Loss
9. Useful Resources

What Are The Most Common Causes Of Hair Damage And Loss?

There are a number of different reasons why you may suffer hair loss and/or hair damage and, therefore, need to make a hair loss compensation claim. Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes:

• Faulty products.
• Allergic reactions to a product, for example, a home hair dye kit.
• Burning of the scalp.
• Professional negligence, i.e. the hairdresser did not have the required training or failed to carry out a patch test.
• Dermatitis, which is inflammation of the skin.
• A criminal act of violence, for example, torching or assault.
• An accident that was not your fault, for example, your hair catching fire at a hair salon.

Hair Extension Traction Alopecia Injuries

Hair extensions have become exceptionally popular over the past few years. While most people end up with the luscious long locks they were hoping for, there are people that suffer as a consequence of hair extension traction alopecia. This can happen when hair extensions are not fitted correctly, especially when the bonding technique has been utilised. The weight of the extension can put too much pressure on your natural hair, which results in breakage.

If you have had too many hair extensions fitted, it can mean your hair is constantly being pulled down, which places lots of added stress on your hair follicles and your scalp. Not only this, but damage can also be caused if extensions are woven too tightly. This results in scalp irritation and rubbing.

When this results in a long-term injury, it is known as hair extension traction alopecia. This is when the hair is not able to grow back and bald patches appear on the scalp. If you have suffered from this condition, you may be able to make a hair damage compensation claim. This is especially the case if the hairdresser in question did not fit the hair extensions correctly or did not receive the required training.

Occupational Dermatitis And Hair Loss

You may also need to make a hair loss compensation claim if you are a hairdresser or you work in any other type of environment whereby you come into contact with chemicals that could cause occupational dermatitis. Dust, enzymes, and other workplace irritants can also cause this. Hairdressers are among various professions where this condition, which is essentially inflammation of the skin, is a common one. It can easily be caused due to hair dye exposure.

You may feel that your face and scalp are itchy and start to swell. Sufferers also feel generally ill and they can sometimes experience symptoms throughout their entire body, for example, itching. It is not only hair dye that can cause this condition – lots of cosmetic products can. It is an immune system reaction, and it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible.

In terms of claiming, if you believe that your employer has not done enough to prevent you from the risk of occupational dermatitis, there is a very high chance that you will be able to make a claim. Contact us at Legal Expert for more information about doing these sorts of hairdressing claims.

What Effects Can Hair Loss Have On You?

The effect that hair loss can have on a person can be devastating, wrecking their confidence and consequently their social life. People react to this type of injury in different ways, plus there are physical effects as well. Some of the effects of hair loss are as follows:

• Burned/irritated scalp
• Damaged hair follicles
• Permanent or temporary bald patches
• Stress
• Psychological/emotional trauma

What Types Of Compensation Could You Claim for Hair Loss?

First and foremost, it is vital to be aware of the fact that compensation is split into two parts – general damages and special damages. We will explain both below:

• General damages – The pain and suffering you’ve endured. This includes all of the physical injuries you have incurred, as well as the emotional and mental trauma. For the most part, this amount will be calculated based on the medical report provided by your doctor. This highlights why it is vital to see a medical professional.
• Special damages – Designed to compensate you for any losses you’ve experienced due to your injuries. You will be able to claim for these, but you will only be able to do so if you have proof in the form of receipts and any other relevant documents.

Examples of special damages:

• Prescription expenses
• Treatment costs
• Loss of earnings
• Cost of hair treatment
• The cost of a wig or any other products designed to help you feel better
• Counselling costs
• Childcare expenses
• The cost of altering your accommodation
• The cost of getting to and from hospital

Please note that there is a personal injury claims time limit of three years, so your claim must be made within this time frame.

Hair Loss Compensation Claims Calculator

In order to help solicitors and other legal professionals assess general damages, the Judicial College Guidelines publishes suggested compensation brackets for various injuries. Referred to as the JCG, this publication can be used alongside a claimant’s medical document to calculate the possible value of those damages.

We have used the JCG to provide the following list of compensation brackets.

Compensation Guidelines

Please be advised that the first bullet point was not taken from the JCG. We’ve included this information for guidance purposes only:

• Multiple Severe Injuries with Special Damages (e.g. Therapy) – Up to £250,000 and above
• General Psychiatric Damage – Severe (a) – £66,920 to £141,240
• General Psychiatric Damage – Moderately Severe (b) – £23,270 to £66,920
• General Psychiatric Damage – Moderate (c) – £7,150 to £23,270
• General Psychiatric Damage – Less Severe (d) – £1,880 to £7,150
• Damage to Hair – Defective Permanent Waving, Tinting, or Similar (a) – £8,960 to £13,450
• Damage To Hair – Less Serious (b) – £4,820 to £8,960

For a free eligibility assessment and a more personalised idea of your claim, contact our team today using the details provided at the end of this guide.

Do I Need To Go To Court When Claiming Compensation For Hair Loss?

It is unlikely that you will need to go to court when claiming compensation for hair loss. Most claims settle out of court, and your solicitor will negotiate with the defending party to try to ensure that is the case for you.

Under the Pre-Action Protocol, both parties involved in the case must try to understand each other’s position. This aims to help cases reach agreements out of court and, therefore, limit the number of claims that need to be heard by a judge. 

However, some hair loss compensation claims may have several factors that can influence whether or not they need to go to court. In particular, it may be more likely that your claim will need to be heard in court if:

• An agreement cannot be reached as to who is liable for the incident that caused your hair loss. If a defendant disputes liability, a judge may need to determine responsibility based on the evidence presented at court
• If negotiations over compensation cannot reach a mutually acceptable settlement. Even if the defendant accepts liability, there may still be disagreements over compensation. In the event that negotiations fail, a case may have no alternative but to go to court

Contact an advisor from our friendly team today to discuss this in further detail. If you provide them with the specific details of your situation, they can offer you tailored advice and straightforward answers.

No Win No Fee Compensation For Hair Loss

Whether you’ve suffered hair loss due to chemical burns or bald patches because of hair extensions, if your claim meets the criteria in place, you could be eligible to make a claim for hair loss compensation.

One of our solicitors could help you make your claim on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). When claiming with a solicitor under this arrangement, you will not need to pay any upfront or ongoing solicitor fees to them for their services. Additionally, if your claim fails, you will not be required to pay such fees for the work they have done on your claim.

If your personal injury claim wins, then your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. They take this as a small, capped percentage of what you receive as payment for the work done on your case.

To find out if you could be eligible to claim with the help of one of our No Win No Fee solicitors, contact our team today using the details below. They can offer a free consultation, during which you can discuss the benefits of working with one of our solicitors and get more information on the claims process.

Talk To Us Today

If you are ready to make a hair loss compensation claim or you have further questions about doing so, please do not hesitate to give us a call. You can reach our personal injury claims advisory team by:

• Phoning 0800 073 8804.
• Visiting our contact page
• Opening the live chat window

Useful Resources

However, we know that you may need further details, and we hope the links below will assist you.

• Loss of hair – NHS overview of the different types of hair loss, as well as the causes and symptoms.
• Safety regulations – Government guidance on the cosmetic products safety regulations that are in place for manufacturers.
• Comprehensive guide on hairdressers’ injury compensation claims.
• Get more information on the allergic reaction compensation claims process.
• Are you curious about the limitation period for a personal injury claim in Spain? Our guide offers more information.

We hope that you have found this guide useful in terms of finding out more information on making hair loss compensation claims.