Lawsuit claims Old Spice deodorant causes burns and rashes

CLEVELAND, Ohio — An Alexandria, Virginia, man is suing the manufacturers of Old Spice deodorant.

A class-action lawsuit filed in Ohio Southern District Court alleges that Proctor & Gamble's Old Spice deodorant left him with burns and rashes under his arms.

Rodney Colley filed the suit on behalf of himself and others who say they have experienced the same injuries when using the deodorant.

The suit, filed March 11, alleges 13 of the company's Old Spice products are dangerous, causing irritation, chemical burns and rashes, contrary to what the company advertises.

The suit includes photos of Colley's arms after what he said were only a few applications of the product.

Included are complaints of seven other consumers who say they or their husband or son has used the deodorant and had burns or chafing.

The complaint is seeking damages of at least $25,000 in damages for each complainant.

"We go to great lengths to ensure our products are safe to use, and tens of millions of men use this product with confidence and without incident every year," Procter & Gamble said in a statement to KABC. " A small number of men may experience irritation due to alcohol sensitivity, a common ingredient used across virtually all deodorant products. For men who have experienced a reaction to a deodorant, an antiperspirant may be a better option because they have a different formulation."

A spokesperson for Old Spice told People that the claims people are making are not true.

"What you see on the internet are not ‘chemical burns.’ They are essentially skin reactions some people have that can be caused by a broad variety of factors or ingredients," the spokesperson said. "If you do a Google search, you will see similar reactions associated with many different brands of deodorants, so the concerns expressed online are not exclusive to Old Spice."

Old Spice asks consumers to call  1-800-677-7582 if they have any questions or concerns.

Cox Media Group