The evolving story surrounding the Louisiana woman who used Gorilla Glue spray adhesive as a substitute for hair spray has been hard to miss in recent days.
While initial reactions to TikTok videos from Tessica Brown consisted largely of jokes and similar acts of not taking the incident seriously, the ensuing days saw the conversation turn more toward sympathy and concern. The Gorilla Glue Company itself, based in Ohio, has also entered the discourse with a statement addressing the viral videos.
Below, we break down what’s happened so far and take a look at how this situation could play out in the long run.
In videos shared to TikTok earlier this month, Brown—whose TikTok username is @Im_D_Ollady—said she had run out of her usual hair spray one day and made the decision to use the Gorilla Glue spray in the interim. As Brown explained, weeks had passed at this point and her hair was still not able to move.
“My hair, it don’t move. You hear what I’m telling you? It. Don’t. Move,” she said at the time. “… So I’ma tell y’all like this: If you ever, ever run out of Göt2b Glued Spray, don’t ever use this. Unless you want your hair to be like that forever.”
She also demonstrated another unsuccessful attempt to wash out the adhesive spray:
Over the weekend, Tessica Brown informed her followers that she was paying a visit to the St. Bernard Parish Hospital in Louisiana. That same day, she shared a photo of a hospital official assessing the situation, captioning it with several prayer hands emojis.
In an interview with Kiss 92.5, Brown said hospital staff attempted to use nail polish remover and saline water on her head, which caused a burning sensation.
“It burned so bad my heart started beating too fast,” she recalled, noting that she ultimately chose to check herself out instead of going through with 20 hours of this attempted remedy. From there, the aim was to continue that treatment from home, though that’s apparently not resulted in progress so far.
Chance the Rapper, notably, expressed support for Tessica after admitting he initially found the situation funny.
“When I watched the video the second time it was hard to laugh ‘cause I could tell shorty genuinely didn’t know she had put one of the world’s most powerful adhesives in her shit,” he said, adding that he wishes her a quick recovery.
“Thanks so much,” she told Chance in response.
Others have expressed support via Instagram comments including Shaunie O’Neal, Nathalie Emmanuel, Tabria Majors, The View co-host Sunny Hostin, and more.
Neal Farinah, a longtime hairstylist for Beyoncé, reshared one of her posts and offered help with the recovery process.
“When she leaves the hospital if she needs a wig or taking of her scalp I’m here for her,” Farinah wrote.
And in an emailed statement to Complex on Tuesday, a rep for Brown confirmed that she would be traveling to Los Angeles this week for a meeting with plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Obeng:
“She is flying out to Los Angeles this week to meet with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Obeng. He will be removing the glue.”
Per a recent TMZ report, Dr. Obeng offered to perform the procedure—which would usually cost as much as $12,500—free of charge. The doctor is reportedly planning to use medical-grade glue remover, with the process estimated to take up to three days to complete.
She was able to get her ponytail cut off at the start of this week. TMZ, citing sources with direct knowledge, wrote, “Tessica worked on her rock hard hair for 4 hours Tuesday night after work, and she needed a helping hand and some super glue remover to cut off her ponytail for a little bit of relief.”
On Tuesday she shared an update on Instagram confirming she “will be leaving tomorrow to go see a surgeon.” She thanked those sending her love and shrugged off folks making jokes about her. “I really do love and appreciate everybody I mean everybody that truly has my back.”
Brown also launched a GoFundMe page. At the time of this writing, the fundraiser has made more than $15,300.
According to TMZ’s sources, Brown has hired an attorney and is said to be weighing potential legal options in connection with the adhesive spray incident. Per their report, Brown felt that the labeling on the product—which is said to have mentioned not using it on eyes, skin, and clothes—was misleading.
Brown, however, later denied this report during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“No, I’ve never ever said that,” she said on Tuesday. “Again, I don’t know where all of this is coming from. Because, at this point, everybody is saying it.”
Days after going viral for the incident, the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who offered a free procedure (worth an estimated $12,500) to Tessica Brown made good on his promise.
Per a TMZ report, the procedure was completed on Wednesday after about four hours. Dr. Michael Obeng also shared a detailed explainer video outlining the process he and his team developed to give Brown the relief she had been looking for since going public.
“She’s been through a lot and I hope that you guys will learn from Tessica’s injuries or Tessica’s ordeal,” Dr. Obeng said. “Make sure that any time you guys grab something, make sure you read it.”
In response to one of Tessica’s initial videos detailing the incident earlier this month, a rep for Gorilla Glue—by way of Twitter—recommended she try soaking the affected area in warm, soapy water or applying rubbing alcohol.
In a lengthier statement shared this week, the company said it was “very sorry” to learn of the situation and wished Brown “the best” moving forward.
“This is a unique situation because this product is not indicated for use in or on hair as it is considered permanent,” the statement reads.
And in a statement to TMZ shared after Brown’s procedure, the company said:
“We are glad that Miss Brown was able to be treated and we hope that she is doing well.”
