A woman whose hair started falling out after a perm has been awarded 8,000 yuan (US$1,025) in compensation from the saloon, the Bao'an District Consumers' Association said Thursday.

The woman, identified by her surname Lu, started dropping hair three days after the perm at the Jinsi Hair Saloon in Fuyong Subdistrict on Dec. 25. Doctors at Bao'an People's Hospital said the perm lotion had seriously damaged her scalp, according to the consumers' association.

The hair saloon paid Lu 2,000 yuan for medical treatment, but Lu demanded another 5,000 yuan as her hair continued to fall out and a bald spot appeared on the top of her head. After the demand was refused by the boss of the hair saloon, Lu filed a complaint to the Bao'an District Consumers' Association.

Liu Junbin, an official with the consumers' association, confirmed that Lu was almost bald on the top of the head when she came to the association for help Jan. 15. "Her side hairs would also fall out when touched," said Liu.

Liu led a team to the hair saloon Jan. 19, but the boss of the hair saloon did not appear. The staff turned a cold shoulder to the team for more than 20 minutes, until Liu called up the Fuyong Subdistrict Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Under pressure from the administration, the boss of the hair saloon, identified by his surname Huang, agreed to compensate Lu another 6,000 yuan Jan. 22.

Guo Weiming, head of the Fuyong Subdistrict Administration for Industry and Commerce, said the administration had ordered the hair saloon to improve its products.

It is unclear whether the perm lotion applied on Lu was up to the standard. The lotion had already disappeared when the consumers' association staff inspected the hair saloon, said Liu.

Lu paid 198 yuan for the perm.

Editor: Yan