Chandigarh, Feb. 15 -- Holding a local salon liable for deficiency of service, the district consumer disputes redressal commission, Chandigarh, directed it to pay Rs.25,000 compensation to a Mohali resident after a hair-smoothing procedure allegedly left a part of her hair burnt. Complainant Jyotsana, a resident of Sector 91, Mohali, had alleged that she had opted for a 'Kera-smooth treatment' at Hair Raiserz LLP's franchise outlet in Sector 91, in December 2023. She paid Rs.8,000 for the services and the whole procedure stretched over two days, involving intensive chemical application and heat styling. During the post-treatment wash on January 3, 2024, the complainant noticed an "obnoxious and pungent" smell and excessive product build-up in her hair. She alleged that she was assured by the salon that the issues would subside within three weeks. However, on February 2, she discovered that a significant portion of hair on the left side of her scalp had been burnt, allegedly due to overuse of a heated straightener, which she worried may lead to a bald patch. Following this, she tried to raise her concerns with the salon via WhatsApp, and later also served a legal notice in April 2024 but the matter remained unresolved. The salon, through their head office in Sector 15, argued they were the franchiser and not directly involved in the service rendered. The Sector 91 outlet stated the complainant, fully aware of the process, booked an appointment on December 29 2023, where trained staff carried out the treatment with her consent, explained the procedure, and delivered excellent results. They said she had returned on December 30, 2023, for the complimentary wash and conditioning, and then again on January 3, 2024, for a paid wash where experts confirmed the hair was perfect, with no smell or product build-up, following which, she expressed satisfaction. Thereafter, she did not visit the salon until after over a month, when she sent a WhatsApp message alleging product build-up and bad smell, they claimed. They said they asked her to pay a visit to the salon for an examination but she neither replied nor paid a visit, and instead served a legal notice. The commission observed that the opposite parties failed to produce any document showing that the complainant had been informed about the potential risks or had given informed consent for exposure to chemicals and heat. The bench observed that it was of the view that a portion of the complainant's hair had been burnt due to the use of chemicals and overuse of heat, resulting in mental and physical harassment. Holding both the brand and the franchise outlet jointly liable, the commission directed them to pay Rs.25,000 to the complainant for causing her mental agony and harassment....