A high-end shampoo line with a loyal salon following is getting yanked from showers across the country after tests flagged a bacterial hitchhiker in select bottles.
Kao USA has initiated a voluntary recall of certain lots of Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo sold in the United States and Canada after testing found potential bacterial contamination. The action targets only 8.5-ounce and 33.8-ounce bottles from a short production run in late February. Customers who own bottles that match the affected lot numbers are being urged to stop using them and contact the company for a replacement. Officials say healthy people are unlikely to become ill, but those with weakened immune systems could face a higher risk.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the recalled units may be contaminated with the bacterium Pluralibacter gergoviae, and the recall is limited to specific lot codes. The agency posted the company’s announcement on July 1 and shared the firm’s assessment that the organism "pose little medical risk to healthy people" while again warning that immunocompromised individuals may be more vulnerable.
In a company statement, Kao USA said the affected Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo bottles were manufactured between February 21 and February 26. Lot codes printed on the bottom of impacted bottles begin with the prefix YR (for example, YR010556), and the company has listed the specific YR-prefixed codes for both the 8.5 ounce and 33.8 ounce sizes. Customers are instructed to discontinue use immediately and contact the Kao Professional Hair Technical Hotline at 800-333-2442 or email [email protected] to arrange a replacement. Kao added that it is working with retailers and salon partners to pull the affected lots from shelves and professional back bars and to return them for safe disposal.
What Pluralibacter gergoviae Is
Pluralibacter gergoviae is an environmental gram-negative bacterium, better known in clinical circles than in beauty aisles. It has mostly been documented as an opportunistic pathogen in hospital settings and in people whose immune systems are already compromised. Medical literature and recent case reports describe it as rare, but capable of causing serious infections in vulnerable patients. A 2026 case report in ASM Case Reports details a case of P. gergoviae bacteremia in an immunocompromised patient, underscoring the potential risk for those with weakened defenses, even if the threat to the general public remains low.
How To Check Your Bottle
To see if your shampoo is part of the recall, flip the bottle over and look for the lot code printed in black ink on the bottom. Affected codes start with "YR" and apply only to the 8.5 ounce and 33.8 ounce Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo bottles produced in the February 21 to 26 manufacturing window. Retailers and salon partners were asked to remove those lots from sale or service and send them back for disposal, following guidance from Kao USA. If you are unsure whether your code is on the list, beauty coverage from Allure walks through how to check and advises contacting the manufacturer directly for confirmation.
When To See A Doctor
Anyone who used an affected bottle and then notices redness, swelling, pain, fever, or other signs of a possible infection is advised to contact a health care provider promptly rather than waiting it out. Adverse reactions can also be reported to the FDA's MedWatch safety program, and replacements can be arranged through Kao’s consumer channels. Local reporting from WKRC Local 12 notes that the recall traces back to Kao’s Cincinnati operations, which are now at the center of the effort to track and remove the suspect shampoo.
