For me, donating my hair is something I’ve ALWAYS done, for over 30 years.
A while back, I met a young man on my corner who had extremely long hair — it was gorgeous — far more beautiful than mine. (And that’s hard to admit!) I encouraged him to donate it, and much to my surprise, HE DID!
Recently he returned to show off his new look-he said he had donated over 20 inches! That motivated me to do the same, although I only had just over 12 inches to donate this time. I hope he returns soon to see my new look!
I know upon reading the title of this article, the first thought that comes to mind is probably Locks of Love. Many, including myself, have donated to that organization, and IT IS a worthy cause. However, I became disillusioned with them when I found out that to apply for a wig or hairpiece, they had to know every detail about your finances. By that, I mean they had to know about your bank accounts, savings, 401(k) etc.
Don’t get me wrong, I can understand that they may need to know some of that information, but are the financials what’s really important? I mean, let’s face it, if you receive a cancer diagnosis, even if you have money on hand, cancer treatments can be VERY expensive and you can run through A LOT of money in a short amount of time. Anyone who’s ever had cancer can attest to that fact! Shouldn’t the emphasis be on helping as many people as possible with your program? Just something to consider before you donate, but enough about that….
There are other worthy hair donation programs out there that you may not be aware of each with their own requirements. Why not check them out?
My personal favorite is Children With Hair Loss. Why? They accept hair eight inches or more (of course, the more the better.) Though they do prefer non-color treated hair, they DO accept color treated hair, and they even accept gray hair! And perhaps the best part for me is that they give wigs/hairpieces free of charge to children and young adults with ANY medically diagnosed reason for hair loss. Their motto is, “Covering Young Heads to Heal Young Hearts.” Please check them out at: childrenwithhairloss.org. There you can find all the information you need on how to donate your hair, make a monetary donation, or even apply for hair.
If for some reason this program does not appeal to you, there are others out there. Here are a few additional options along with their websites where you can find additional information about their programs:
- Wigs for Kids: wigs4kids.org
- Maggie’s Wigs for Kids of Michigan Inc. (Different than the organization listed above): sharedetroit.org
- Hair We Share: hairweshare.org
- Wigs and Wishes: wigsandwishes.org
- Pink Heart Funds: PinkHeartFunds.org. They also help provide breast prosthetics/bras for breast cancer survivors
- Matter of Trust: Matteroftrust.org. For the environmentally conscious consider Matter of Trust as they accept hair, fur and fiber as a part of a clean wave program.
- Dreadlocks 2 Love: Dreadlocs2love.org
My advice: just don’t settle for the one everyone’s heard of (Locks of Love). Do some research, and choose the one that’s right for you. There is no wrong decision here. EVERYONE’s a winner both donors and recipients! Just make sure of their requirements BEFORE cutting your hair!
If you want to donate your hair but think you can’t afford a professional cut, consider going to a beauty school and getting it done. That’s what I did, and it’s much more cost effective than a traditional salon.
Also, be sure to check and see if the salon/cosmetology school you choose offers discounts to customers who donate their hair. Some of them will even mail it off for you so all you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy your new look!
Final thoughts: to those who approve of my decision to donate my hair and show it by their actions, like the young man mentioned at the outset of this story, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you!
To those who condemn my actions saying things like cutting my hair short is an, “abomination unto the Lord,” I must say I’ve NEVER read that verse in my Bible. Similarly, to those who say that by cutting my hair I’ve, “lost my crown of beauty,” I say to you that Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray/silver hair is a crown of beauty or splendor,” (depending on the translation you use), and I assure you I have PLENTY of that so my “crown” is STILL intact!
I can’t help but wonder if you’d feel that way if someone you loved needed a hairpiece or a wig. It’s definitely something to think about.