Recently I came across an article about an organization that women, about to lose their hair from chemo, may want to know about.
Locks of Love, is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who are under 21 years of age and suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.
Maybe, just maybe, donating your hair to this organization, may make the loss a little easier to bear. Knowing that a child, whose family cannot afford a wig, can benefit from your donated hair may be some comfort to you.
Locks of Love fulfills a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Some have lost their hair due to treatment for childhood cancers.
A prosthesis provided by Locks of Love helps to restore a child’s self-esteem and confidence, enabling the child to face the world and peers.
According to the guidelines for donating hair, it is a simple process:
- 10 inches measured tip to tip is the minimum length needed for a hairpiece.
- Hair must be in a ponytail or braid before it is cut.
- Hair must be clean and completely dry before it is mailed in.
- Place the ponytail or braid inside of a plastic bag, and then inside of a padded envelope.
- If you wish to receive an acknowledgment for your hair donation, please fill out the hair donation form, or write your name and e-mail address or mailing address on a full size separate sheet of paper and include inside the envelope. Locks of Love cannot acknowledge donors who do not send their name and address according to these instructions.
- Mail to Locks of Love at: 234 Southern Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL33405-2701
Acceptable Hair Donations to Locks of Love:
- Hair that is colored or permed is acceptable.
- Hair cut years ago is usable if it has been stored in a ponytail or braid.
- Hair that has been bleached (usually this refers to highlighted hair) is not usable. If the hair was bleached years ago and has completely grown out it is fine to donate.
- Hair that is swept off of the floor is not usable because it is not bundled in a ponytail or braid.
- Hair that is shaved off and not in a ponytail or braid is not usable. If shaving your head, first divide hair into multiple ponytails to cut off.
- No Dreadlocks. The manufacturer is not able to use them in our children’s hairpieces.
- No wigs, falls, hair extensions or synthetic hair.
- Layered hair is acceptable if the longest layer is 10 inches.
- Layered hair may be divided into multiple ponytails.
- Curly hair may be pulled straight to measure the minimum 10 inches.
If you want to consider the option of donating your hair and need additional information or have questions, go to :
www.locksoflove.org
