by Kris Kennedy

Created on: July 21, 2010   Last Updated: July 24, 2010

Donating Hair

You might have enjoyed your long hair for years, but want a change. In addition, you found the sight of bald headed children cancer patients as heart wrenching. You can use your hair to help these children when you change your style to short-hair.

Requirements

The hair for donations needs to be in the best condition as possible. You must have the hair washed and free of all hair products. The hair can be permed or curly. You can straighten curly hair to get the appropriate length with a straightener iron.

Hair color does not matter. Since your hair cannot be more than 5 percent grey, you will need to donate your hair prior to turning grey. Grey hair does not take color as easily as non-grey hair. You can donate your hair if it is colored with vegetable colors or semi-permanent color. Bleached hair or permanently colored hair fails the requirement because the hair will not take color. It takes up to four ponytail donations to make one wig so it would be too large a challenge to match hair. Hair creators choose to dye the hair.

How

You can donate your ponytails in many different ways. Some shops handle the donations of hair, so ask your hairdresser if her shop provides the service. If she does not you can have her put your hair up into a ponytail and cut off the ponytail. The ponytail needs to be eight inches to ten inches long before donation. You should check the length requirement for your chosen charity prior to cutting or sending in your hair. If the hair is cut in layers you can send in multiple ponytails, but only hair cut in ponytails will work. If you kept, a cut ponytail in a drawer you can still mail it in, you can than mail in your ponytail donation such as Pantene’s Beautiful Length or Locks of Love. Wigs for Kids do not charge the children for the wigs, so if you're wanting to help children this might offer an avenue.

Other Donations

In the past, hair has proved able to absorb oil from water. With the B.P. oil, spill many citizens and many hair salons desired to donate hair clippings to B.P.  to clean up the spill. Animal groomers also wanted to donate hair clips. B.P. chose to use commercial brooms. In this case, the hair does not need to be in ponytails and clippings are acceptable.

Hair donations are helpful to restore the self-esteem of people suffering from cancer.  With a little time and care, your hair can help.

 Sources

www.pantene.com/en-US/beautiful-lengths-cause/Pages/ default.aspx :

wigsforkids.org 

www.squidoo.com/donateyourhair 

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