Tessica Brown Went Viral in 2021 After Putting Gorilla Glue in Her Hair — Where Is She Now? (EXCLUSIVE) (2024)
Home > Viral News > Influencers
By Pretty Honore
Dec. 25 2021, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Although the first two decades of the 21st century were off to a pretty good start, things went awry when the coronavirus pandemic spread like wildfire across the globe. By 2021, it's safe to say that many people were battling anxiety and depression.
After a year of living in self-isolation, the internet came to be many peoples' pick as a source of entertainment.
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In February 2021, social media met Louisiana native Tessica Brown, whose hairstyle horror story went viral on TikTok after she sprayed Gorilla Glue in her hair. After attempting (but failing) to remove the product herself, she pleaded with social media users for help to remove the chemical adhesive from her scalp.
After being admitted to the hospital to surgically remove the Gorilla Glue, Tessica was slapped with a sizeable medical bill and even started a GoFundMe.
Ahead of her one-year viral-versary, Tessica sat down for an exclusive interview with Distractify, where she detailed what happened after the dust glue settled, as well as what happened to the donations she's received.
Here’s an update on the viral sensation, who never really wanted to be known as the Gorilla Glue Girl in the first place.
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What happened to Tessica Brown after she went viral for putting Gorilla Glue in her hair?
While many came to know Tessica as the "Gorilla Glue girl," she has five children who call her mom. Since her TikTok video caught fire, life has changed dramatically for both her and her children. Tessica said that she’s tried to move past the traumatic incident, but the viral video follows her everywhere she goes.
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“No matter what I do, somebody always goes back to the whole Gorilla Glue thing,” Tessica told us. Whether it's in the airport or a grocery store, Tessica is often bombarded by spectators with smartphones hoping to snag a selfie to add to their feed.
Initially, her online alias brought tears to her eyes. That only worsened as her children became more affected by her newfound popularity.
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But Tessica said going viral wasn’t all bad. Despite the disparaging messages she received online, there were several supporters that commended her for speaking out.
“One lady came up to me [and] she gave me big hug.” Tessica told Distractify, “She was hugging me because she ran out of hair glue, and she ended up using superglue [on her hair, too]. And she was scared to ask anybody for help. So she had to sit there and peel it all off.”
“She didn't have enough courage to come out and ask me, but she could have gotten help, too,” she added.
Today, Tessica is merging her viral past experience with her longtime love for haircare and launched her own collection, TB Forever Hair.
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But what is Tessica Thompson’s net worth? She gave all of the GoFundMe donations to charity.
Dr. Michael K. Obeng was able to step in and help Tessica with her emergency procedure, which he offered to do for free. The incident was the beginning of a friendship between the two. Tessica told us, “We talk like every other day.”
Because she had wigs donated to her by celebrities like The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Porsha Williams and the ladies at The Real, she had no use for the GoFundMe money.
She gave $20,000 to Dr. Obeng’s charity, ReStore Worldwide. The rest, she donated to families in St. Bernard Parish, La.
“Some people are like, ‘I'm so sorry that they bullied you into giving the money away.’ [And] then, it was a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, she never really gave the money away.' Then people say, ‘Oh, she only gave the money away for clout.’ It’s like, I can't win with nobody,” Tessica said.
But Tessica began her philanthropic efforts long before she went viral. Every year, her daycare gives away a free year of tuition to one lucky student in a raffle and she also captains a youth dance team for girls, which travels locally to entertain the sick and the elderly.
Although unconfirmed, today, Tessica’s estimated net worth is around $270,000.
BERNARD PARISH, La. (KLFY) – Most people know Tessica Brown as the “Gorilla Glue Girl,” but that's not all she is. The Louisiana native is a mother, and says her passion lies in her daycare center and dance team. Fittingly, she also now owns a haircare line.
The Inspiring Tale of How a Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Figured Out How to Wash Away Gorilla Glue. Dr.Michael Obeng says he took just two days to develop a concoction to help the woman who Gorilla-Glued her hair—but not before he tested it on himself.
Scarring alopecia, or permanent hair loss due to follicle destruction, is the main concern. “These forms of hair loss are particularly devastating because there's really no treatment to get the hair to grow,” Aguh said.
Nail polish remover or acetone is usually your best bet. You can get the glue out following this simple procedure. If the glue is down near the scalp, soak a cotton ball or clean cloth in nail polish remover and apply it to the glue spot. Let it soak in to soften the glue.
Michael Obeng, a plastic surgeon from Los Angeles, who offered to remove the glue from her head free of charge. He performed the procedure on Wednesday while she was under light anesthesia. Afterward, she was able to comb through her hair with her fingers.
She explains that her hair was stuck after using Gorilla Glue in a pinch because she ran out of her hairspray. “My hair has been like this for about a month now. It's not by choice.” The Tik Tok now has over 50 million views. “Gorilla Glue Girl” became a viral sensation overnight.
Brown said she “ran in the kitchen, ran past the refrigerator” and sitting atop was the quick fix solution she thought would fix her hair — a can of sprayable Gorilla Glue. “I'm like you know what? I can use this and as soon as I come home I can take it off, you know wash it out,” she went on.
Gluing hair strands to cover a bald spot is not recommended and can lead to various issues including scalp irritation, infection, and further hair damage. Seeking professional hair restoration treatments or consulting a dermatologist for suitable options is advisable.
You can use 100% acetone to loosen up Gorilla Glue from fabrics or even hard surfaces. Get a cotton ball and soak it in acetone. Then, place it on top of the glued surface and leave it for 5 minutes.
Soak a cotton ball in acetone, or acetone-based nail polish remover, then hold it onto the affected area. After a few minutes, it should break the glue bonds and allow you to comb through your strands.
She was put under light anesthesia, and Obeng went to work using a homemade solvent of medical-grade adhesive remover, an ingredient called MGD, some acetone, aloe vera, and olive oil. The main ingredient of Gorilla Glue is polyurethane, which is a polymer used to prevent water damage on wood.
Gorilla Glue is an American brand of polyurethane adhesives based in Sharonville, Ohio. They are known for their original Gorilla Glue, which was first sold in 1994. The company has since branched out to make a line of similar products, including tapes, epoxies, and other adhesives.
The Gorilla Glue Company is based in Cincinnati, Ohio and has been selling Gorilla Glue® for over two decades. The glue was first discovered being used in Indonesia on teak furniture, but consumers soon found it to be incredibly versatile and demand soared.
Michael Obeng, according to TMZ. The lengthy procedure was estimated to cost around $12,500 and uses medical-grade glue remover; however, the doctor offered to perform it free of charge, TMZ reports.
History. In 1994, during a trip to Indonesia, Mark Singer saw a Danish-made polyurethane glue being used to make teak furniture. After returning to the US, he founded the company, created the brand name Gorilla Glue, and then acquired the North American rights for the glue from the Danish manufacturer.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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