Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Hair Braiding Burn Incidents Lead To Lawsuits
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 18, 2010
Modified Nov 19, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 18, 2010
Modified Nov 19, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
We tend to keep our hair nice and short, partially because it absolves us of a lot of hassle, and partially because of our receding hairline. So we've never had to worry about going to special hair care places for styling and such. And though we're sometimes jealous that we may never get to whip our hair around in the middle of a mosh pit, we're mostly grateful to not have to worry about or someone burning our bodies with scalding water while braiding our hair.
Which is what happened to two women who are suing two separate African hair braiding shops. Shena Washington, 45, told the News that she felt like she was being "burned alive" when she was accidentally doused with hot water at the Union African Hairbraiding shop in Harlem earlier this year. Karla Santiago, 28, said she suffered second-degree burns to her stomach and arm at Tina's African Hair Braiding in the Bronx last month.
Harlem hair stylist Veronica Forbes of Veronica's Beauty Rama urged women to check to see if their beautician is certified: "When you walk in, look for a license. It's supposed to be posted where you can see it...And no operator, if they are a responsible person, should get an attitude for someone asking to see their license." But some in the hair braiding community say that the cosmetology industry is "the last legal bastion of chattel slavery in the United States," because licensing costs thousands of dollars and gives no training in natural hair styling, a skill which is generally passed down by family members. A state Division of Licensing Services official told the News that the lack of formal training accounts for the safety concerns: "It's the Wild West in a lot of braiding shops."
Tagged
cosmetology
hair
hair braiding
harlem
lawsuit
scalding water
style
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
ICE agent shoots, injures immigrant man in NYC's Marble Hill, DHS says
The agency says the man is alive and hospitalized.
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 8, 2026 at 5:33 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 20, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
Lazy drivers in Prospect Heights lose chance for 1 less day of alternate-side parking
A pilot found that drivers actually complied with alternate-side less when fewer days were in effect.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Lazy drivers in Prospect Heights lose chance for 1 less day of alternate-side parking
A pilot found that drivers actually complied with alternate-side less when fewer days were in effect.
By
Liam Quigley
Jersey City mayor shakes up staff amid $255M budget gap
By
Michael Sol Warren
Bronx residents will be exempt from new Medicaid work rule, state officials say
By
Caroline Lewis
MTA chair accuses Andy Byford, who's leading Penn Station rebuild, of going 'full MAGA'
By
Stephen Nessen
and
Carol Chen
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .