Meet Dr. Michael Obeng, The Surgeon Who Helped Fix ‘Gorilla Glue Girl’ Tessica Brown’s Hair
He performed the surgery for free!
YouTube This harrowing saga finally has a happy ending.
Tessica Brown, who the internet dubbed as “Gorilla Glue Girl” after she posted a series of videos about using the substance in her hair in place of hair gel, has been making headlines since she shared her story — and her struggles — on social media earlier in Feb. 2021.
After more than a month of having the impossible-to-get-out substance in her hair and on her scalp, Brown can finally breathe a sigh of relief, and it’s all thanks to the wonderful surgeon who performed her surgery free of charge.
Who is Dr. Michael Obeng?
Read on for everything to know about the incredibly selfless surgeon who helped Tessica Brown get out of her sticky hair situation.
He’s well-educated.
As if a top-rated Beverly Hills surgeon wouldn’t be!
Obeng received a B.A. in Chemistry from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX and got his M.D. from University of Texas Medical School, Galveston, TX.
Obeng is also a Harvard-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon who was “among Beverly Hills ‘America’s Top Plastic Surgeons’ by the Consumer’s Research Council of America in 2011 and 2014,” according to his website.
He was born in Ghana.
According to his “About Me” section on his website, Obeng was born into poverty in Ghana, but persevered and overcame obstacles to get to where he is today.
He often travels to third world countries though his nonprofit organization, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. WORLDWIDE, and their mission statement reads:
“Together, we R.E.S.T.O.R.E. hope, function, and aesthetic form to where it once existed or ‘how things ought to be.’
The organization undertakes mission projects to other countries to provide free reconstructive surgery and related medical services to abused children and battered individuals with accidental and congenital deformities.”
He performed Tessica Brown’s surgery free of charge.
After hearing about Brown’s story, Obeng performed the $12,500 surgery for free, and came up with the solvent used on Brown’s hair by using “medical grade adhesive remover, aloe vera, olive oil and a dash of acetone.”
He practiced on a wig made of real human hair before using the concoction on Brown’s scalp.
“I looked up the compound,” he said. “The main actual ingredient in Gorilla Glue, polyurethane, and we had figured out the science, how to break it down. So I then decided, now I’m gonna reinvent the wheel.”
Luckily, the four-hour surgery went well, and Brown is now Gorilla Glue-free.
“Surgery went well,” Obeng said. “She had a lot of irritation on the scalp, especially the edges of her head because of all the chemicals.”
“She is very, very lucky that she did not sustain a lot of injuries to her scalp. This type of ordeal is no joke,” he added.
He’s used to being in the spotlight.
Obeng appeared on the E! reality show, Second Wives Club, alongside then-wife Veronika, in 2017.
Most recently, he posted a picture of himself on Instagram in Jan. 2021 about being on a new TV show, and tagged executive producer Gina Rodriguez (not the actress) in the photo.
It’s worth mentioning that Brown’s entire operation was filmed, and Rodriguez has posted about the ordeal on her Instagram a couple of times. Also, Rodriguez is tagged in Brown’s Instagram bio, and it looks like she serves as her manager as well, which is interesting.
Olivia Jakiel is an editor and writer who covers celebrity and entertainment news. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her zingers on Twitter.