How to Donate Your Hair
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How To Donate Your Hair
There's been a lot of publicity over the past few years related to hair donation, including Hillary Swank's highly public hair cut on Oprah and Penn Jillette's pony-tail chopping. Before you take the plunge and donate your hair, however, make sure you do your homework in choosing a charity, take great care of your hair and have lots of patience!! Hair only grows about half an inch a month, so it takes a while to get those eight-12 inches needed to donate.
I decided to grow my hair out to donate to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program myself. Forty was approaching and the plan was to chop my hair off when I hit that milestone. So I have the opportunity to grow and donate my hair twice. (First time was Memorial Day weekend! Love my new do!) The program appeals to me because it gives away the hairpieces, and it's the only one I've found that supports adult women. (Of which I am one!)
On the pages of this site, you'll find a list of charities that accept donated hair, tips on growing your hair out, resources for choosing that new hairdo and more!
I decided to grow my hair out to donate to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program myself. Forty was approaching and the plan was to chop my hair off when I hit that milestone. So I have the opportunity to grow and donate my hair twice. (First time was Memorial Day weekend! Love my new do!) The program appeals to me because it gives away the hairpieces, and it's the only one I've found that supports adult women. (Of which I am one!)
On the pages of this site, you'll find a list of charities that accept donated hair, tips on growing your hair out, resources for choosing that new hairdo and more!
Three Easy Steps
It's just that simple to donate your hair
This lens has a lot of information related to donating hair, but the whole process boils down to three easy steps:
Hair Donation: Step One
Choose your charity to donate your hair to. You'll find a lot of options and you might pick based on who the charity helps. Or just on the amount of hair you have to give. But do your homework and choose wisely, based on why you want to donate.
Hair Donation: Step Two
Grow your hair to the required length. This means taking care of your hair and yourself so it's as healthy as possible. Remember, hair only grows about half an inch a month, so this is quite a commitment!
Hair Donation: Step Three
Make the cut!! You can do it at home or have your stylist do it for you. Just be sure to follow all the directions given by your chosen charity. If you don't, they might not be able to use it and all your hard work (and heart) will have been for nothing.
Programs Listed On This Site
Pantene Beautiful Lengths
Wigs for Kids
Locks of Love
Children with Hair Loss
Childhood Leukemia Foundation
Hair Donation: Step One
Choose your charity to donate your hair to. You'll find a lot of options and you might pick based on who the charity helps. Or just on the amount of hair you have to give. But do your homework and choose wisely, based on why you want to donate.
Hair Donation: Step Two
Grow your hair to the required length. This means taking care of your hair and yourself so it's as healthy as possible. Remember, hair only grows about half an inch a month, so this is quite a commitment!
Hair Donation: Step Three
Make the cut!! You can do it at home or have your stylist do it for you. Just be sure to follow all the directions given by your chosen charity. If you don't, they might not be able to use it and all your hard work (and heart) will have been for nothing.
Programs Listed On This Site
Pantene Beautiful Lengths
Wigs for Kids
Locks of Love
Children with Hair Loss
Childhood Leukemia Foundation
Made the cut May 24! Looking forward to enjoying short hair for the summer!
Do You Really Want to Donate?
Make sure you're ready before you step up to the scissors!!
Hair is something both personal and emotional for many of us. Which explains why charities that give or discount wigs for children and adults who lose their hair because of cancer and other disease have such appeal. But make sure you're giving up your hair for the right reasons and to the right place to make those reasons valid.
Once you're sure you want to donate your hair, do your homework. Make sure you understand how the hair will be used, who will benefit and the requirements for making a donation. This is a big decision and you don't want to have donor's remorse later. And don't let anyone pressure you into cutting your hair if you change your mind. You'll find many of the organizations will be just as happy with your check as your hair (if not happier!).
Photo Credit: wht_wolf9653 on flickr. Used under a Creative Commons License - CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Hair Donation: What's the Buzz?
Bloggers discuss their experiences
- Teen Cancer Survivor Suspended For Wanting To Donate Hair
- Considering my recent personal posts have been about my plans to donate my hair again as I did about 4-5 years ago, this caught my attention. I understand school policies but they have to make considerations for people who wear things on their head for ...
- 'The C-word' doesn't slow this family
- I wanted to donate my hair to help the kids that have cancer so they could have hair.? Parker said her daughters associate cancer and cancer awareness with her mother. ?Cancer is a big issue in our family because my mother has cancer,? she said.
Hair Donation: Step One
Choose a group to give to and learn the guidelines
You probably have some specific and personal reasons for wanting to donate your hair. Maybe you had a relative with cancer and got to see first hand the personal side to hair loss. Maybe you are just planning to make a big style change and want your hair to do something better than take up space in the trash. Whatever your reason, step one in making that donation is deciding where to donate.There are several organizations that take donated hair. Most use the hair to make wigs for children with some sort of hair loss, although there is one group that gives to adults and another that uses hair for mats rather than wigs. Make sure you do your homework on any organization before making a decision. Check to make sure their mission resonates with your personal reasons for wanting give.
Once you've decided what group you want to give to, check their guidelines to make sure your hair's long enough and that it's in appropriate condition to donate. This is critical to make sure your donation is usable.
Pantene Beautiful Lengths
Pantene Beautiful LengthsPantene Beautiful Lengths was created to bring people together to share their strength and donate their beautiful, healthy hair to create free wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.
The Entertainment Industry Foundation and the American Cancer Society have teamed up to distribute the Pantene Beautiful Lengths real-hair wigs for cancer patients around the nation. While this program aims to assist as many cancer patients as possible, ultimately the number of free wigs that become available will depend entirely on the number of ponytail donations received.
As Pantene Beautiful Lengths wigs are created, they are distributed for free through select American Cancer Society wig banks across the country.
Benefits: Women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment
Donation Guidelines:
- Minimum of 8 inches long
- Wavy/curly hair texture is fine-you may straighten hair to measure
- Hair should be freshly washed and completely dry, without any styling products
- Hair may be colored with vegetable dyes, rinses and semi-permanent dyes. It cannot be bleached, permanently colored or chemically treated
- Hair may not be more than 5 percent gray
More information:
- Plan a Donation Event
- Complete Donation Guidelines
- Blog - Read more about the campaign and the latest news.
Pantene Donation Photos
curated content from Flickr
Wigs for Kids
Wigs for KidsSince the organization began, Wigs for Kids has provided thousands of children with complimentary, custom-made hairpieces to help them look themselves, so they can enter back into the world without the ridicule and embarrassment associated with hair loss.
Benefits: Children who have lost hair as a result of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, alopecia, burns, or other medical circumstances
Donation Guidelines
- Hair must be clean and dry.
- Hair that has been cut and saved is suitable for donations.
- Minimum length of hair donation is 12+ inches. (Pull curly hair straight to measure.)
- Gray hair is acceptable, but hair that has been chemically processed - permed, colored or highlighted - is not
More information on their website:
- Sponsor a Child
- Salons - Find a salon in your state that supports this program.
- How to Cut a Ponytail for Donation - Directions meant for hair stylists, but great resource for anyone.
One in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in her lifetime and nearly 60% of women regard hair loss as the single worst side effect of cancer treatment.
Locks of Love
Locks of LoveLocks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet 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. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.
Benefits: Financially disadvantaged children 18 and younger with medical hair loss
Donation Guidelines:
- Hair must be at least 10 inches (preferably 12") in length
- Hair must be free of bleach. Colored hair and permed is acceptable.
- Hair must be clean and dry
- 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 unsure, ask your stylist.
- Cannot accept dreadlocks. Also cannot accept 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.
- Gray hair will be accepted and sold to offset the manufacturing costs.
More information:
- Volunteer - Host a LOL event or become a participating salon.
- Sponsors and Salons
Locks of Love Squidoo Lenses
A pro and a con from other Squidooers.
Children with Hair Loss
Created as a resource for all children who have medically related hair loss. Mission is to empower these children to become whole again by making hair available to those who may be financially challenged and might otherwise not have a means of obtaining the hair they want and need.
Benefits: Children under age 21 experiencing hair loss due to a documented medical condition
Donation Guidelines:
- Hair should be at least 8 inches in length; longer is preferred.
- Hair must be clean and pony-tailed or braided (this keeps the hair in one direction).
- Non-chemically treated hair is preferred (but any hair in good condition will be accepted).
- Gray hair is accepted.
More information:
There are more than 370,000 hair salons in the US and each cut about one pound of hair a day!
Childhood Leukemia Foundation
Childhood Leukemia Foundation
The Childhood Leukemia Foundation is a national non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services at no charge to children living with cancer and their families. Our goal is to make sure children battling cancer know they are not alone.
CLF provides thousands of custom made, 100% human hair wigs with kid-friendly hats (Hugs-U-Wear) to children around the country. Each custom-made hat/hair headpiece costs $150, an expense many families strapped by ongoing cancer-care cannot afford and which isn't covered by insurance.
Benefits: Girls who have suffered hair loss due to a variety of cancer treatments
Donation Guidelines
The Childhood Leukemia Foundation is a national non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services at no charge to children living with cancer and their families. Our goal is to make sure children battling cancer know they are not alone.
CLF provides thousands of custom made, 100% human hair wigs with kid-friendly hats (Hugs-U-Wear) to children around the country. Each custom-made hat/hair headpiece costs $150, an expense many families strapped by ongoing cancer-care cannot afford and which isn't covered by insurance.
Benefits: Girls who have suffered hair loss due to a variety of cancer treatments
Donation Guidelines
- At least 12" in length (curly hair can be pulled straight to measure 12")
- Chemically untreated from permanents or hair dye.
- Do not accept gray hair (not suitable for children)
Matter of Trust
Matter of Trust
Matter of Trust has collaborated with thousands of salons throughout the US and abroad to donate their hair clippings which are made into mats that soak up oil spills.
But dang it, after the BP Gulf Oil spill, they've decided to stop taking hair donations. They're working more on a local level to get local groups to be getting hair and building booms. Kind of sad since they were the only place that would take any hair no matter what.
They do have some cool information and project kits for schools to use with students to show how the hair and oil thing works.
More Organizations That Take Hair Donations
I know most of my readers are in the United States, but there are a few organizations in other countries that accept hair as well as more narrowly focused groups.
- Chai Lifeline
- Chai Lifeline is an international organization with four regional branches in the United States, associate branches in Israel and Europe, and twenty-four separate programs. Donations go to help Jewish children with serious medical conditions. More on the wig program specifically.
- Hair That Cares
- Based in NY, this wigmaker donates wigs to those with alopecia or going through chemotherapy.
Key Information on This Webpage
Did you get a chance to check out all the information on this page? Information on different organizations that accept hair is all there as well as how to find them to make a donation.
Donate Your Hair?
Thoughts on this lens? Questions? Planning to donate your hair or have you done it in the past? Let's hear from you!
Most of the answers to your questions are on this site. Check the links above or any of the previous questions to see if it's been answered already. Thanks!
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intermarks
Feb 6, 2012 @ 6:43 am | delete
- This is the first time I heard about hair donation, Thank for the great information.
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sherridan
Feb 1, 2012 @ 10:20 am | delete
- Too late for me - too old to grow it without resembling a grey haired old hag, but my daughter's is nearly waist length and she is bound to fancy a change in due course. It would feel really good to chop it for a good cause. Really enlightening lens, well deserving of the top 100.
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Stephany
Jan 30, 2012 @ 8:36 pm | delete
- I really want to donate my hair but not sure if my hair is acceptable, or meets the requirements. I dyed my hair black a few months ago, and recently dyed it with a semi permanent hair dye. Will my hair be accepted? Thanks
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mamabush
Jan 30, 2012 @ 7:40 am | delete
- My 5-year old wants to do this which is what led me to this lens. I am so proud of her, but as a mom, it is so hard to see her cut her long, beautiful hair! :) I think we wil be going through with it later today...so nervous!
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dkatzaman Jan 25, 2012 @ 12:45 pm | delete
- My oldest daughter just got her hair cut a few days ago and is donating it. I have also donated my hair once. It is a great feeling to be helping others in such a way. Even my youngest daughter has donated her hair. She has been blessed with a beautiful reddish-brown hair color that many women wish could be bottled. She was happy to be able to share it.
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webkangaroo
Jan 20, 2012 @ 1:38 pm | delete
- Wish I had hair to donate. Nice lens -- really well-written and heart-felt!
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Afteretc
Jan 17, 2012 @ 5:11 pm | delete
- I have done this, but a long time ago! As a kid I had alopecia areata. Great lens!
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mizzburdette
Jan 15, 2012 @ 1:28 am | delete
- I wish i had longer hair i would do this!! love this lens
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Mastersipep
Jan 8, 2012 @ 5:25 pm | delete
- great lens! so touching... its not easy to grow your hair and watch it cut for 12 inches, but then it is more difficult for those cancer patients esp. children. they've lost their hair and even lost their hope and joy... lucky for those who have not suffered. how i wish everyone would participate in donating their hairs....
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Angel_Lou
Jan 8, 2012 @ 5:10 pm | delete
- Even if there were times to donate my hair - they are sadly over...
Nice lens anyway!
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Kristen
Jan 4, 2012 @ 7:05 pm | delete
- I got my hair cut today and I am donating it. :) this is my second time doing it. I really love to do it.
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Joie Jan 4, 2012 @ 4:17 pm | delete
- I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and have decided to donate my hair. That's why I did a Squidoo search today about hair donations. I'm so glad to have found you. I just haven't decided for sure which organization to donate to.
This site is great and touches the heart. Thank you for all the videos! They are inspiring!
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mediawizard
Dec 23, 2011 @ 4:38 pm | delete
- This is so great that this Squidoo lens people are aware they can help people and especially children with hair loss.
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niceman91
Dec 23, 2011 @ 7:17 am | delete
- I never thought of ways to donate hair before this.I love this lens since you listed a great way of how to make use of your hair instead of wasting it.Great job! :)
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SquidooPower
Dec 21, 2011 @ 8:01 pm | delete
- My wife is getting her hair cut to donate right now!
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EeBooker
Dec 21, 2011 @ 4:32 pm | delete
- interesting article!
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thebestmousetrap
Dec 20, 2011 @ 3:33 am | delete
- Its such a loving offer, not a sacrifice as some say, there isn't a nicer thing in the world than to do this.
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JackieSonia
Dec 19, 2011 @ 5:18 pm | delete
- My hair is down to my waist, but I've been told it wouldn't be accepted for donation since I straight iron my hair and before that I chemically straightened my hair. Would love to, though.
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TopToysForKids
Dec 14, 2011 @ 10:38 pm | delete
- Great lens, this is a wonderful cause, and way better than just getting it cut and thrown away! :)
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Edutopia
Dec 14, 2011 @ 11:31 am | delete
- Great lens! My girlfriend just recently went from mid-back length hair to a length that doesn't even come close to touching her shoulders and she donated all the hair they cut off.
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baby-strollers
Dec 12, 2011 @ 10:34 pm | delete
- I've got some hair I think I could part with!
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fullofshoes
Dec 11, 2011 @ 4:15 pm | delete
- This is a wonderful lens. Thank you for sharing your story.
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Melissa
Dec 7, 2011 @ 1:03 pm | delete
- Hi, this is a very useful lens! I'm almost 14, and I'm planning on donating my hair on my birthday, or maybe my 15th birthday if I can't convince my parents to let me, or if it's too short (haven't measured it yet, but it's pretty long). I kind of want to shave it all off... But I'm not sure. Is there anyone that could give me a bit more info on that?
Thanks :)
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LadyCharlie
Nov 22, 2011 @ 8:03 pm | delete
- Great Lens and beautiful gift to people in need ... Thanks for sharing this information! Blessed
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SiochainGraSonas
Nov 13, 2011 @ 12:12 am | delete
- Great lens. I started growing my hair out a few months ago.
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Hair Donation: Step Two
Grow your hair long and strong - You want it the best it can be to donate
You don't want your donation to go to waste, so make sure you put the time and effort into taking care of your hair as it grows out. Keep in mind any requirements your chosen charity might have in terms of chemical treatments (perms, haircolor, etc.) as well as the length to shoot for.Key things to remember:
- Heat is the enemy!! This means blow-dryers, curling irons, straighteners, hot water even. Now, I still wash with warm water (who wants to take a cold shower!), but avoid all other heat sources. I just wash at night now and let it air dry. It's made a huge difference in the health of my hair as it's grown.
- Consider using a special deep conditioner once a week. I've never liked the hot oil treatments that much. I used the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask for a few months and loved it, then switched to one from Pantene. It takes a long time to use up one of these tubs! I think I had fewer split ends with the Neutrogena product, so I'd definitely recommend it. There are lots of options for deep treatments, though.
- Careful with the hair products!! Most of them contain alcohol, which is really drying. Unless you desperately need them to keep your hair from becoming just crazy, go lightly here.
- For some people, it is possible that areas of your life such as diet, exercise, hours of sleep, and stress affect hair growth. Healthy habits will promote healthy hair!
- Yes, what you eat can impact how your hair grows. In addition to my regular vitamins, I've been talking extra doses of biotin. Check out the link below for more on the special hair vitamins out on the market.
Hair Donation: Hair Care Aware
Get some help from the experts to grow your hair out in top condition.
Hair Donation: More on Growing Long Hair
Hair Donation: Why gray, treated or dyed hair is usually not accepted
It takes at least six ponytails and up to 20 ponytails to make a wig. Ponytails come from different people and are a variety of shades, and even though some hair colors may look similar, including gray hair, each is completely unique. To make a realistic-looking wig that has consistent color throughout, donated ponytails must be processed and then dyed to the same shade. This is a large part of why few organizations accept gray or chemically treated hair. It is critical for each ponytail to absorb dyes at the same rate in order to create wigs of consistent, natural-looking color. Gray hair, as well as some chemically treated or permanently colored hair, does not absorb dye at the same rate as other types of hair. It is much harder to color and, once colored, fades more quickly. Most permanently colored hair, once it is processed and re-colored, is too fragile and breakable under the rigorous processing required during the production of a wig.
One-Minute How-To:
Listen to my interview about how to donate your hair.
Styling Long Hair
I seem to be all thumbs when it comes to styling my hair, which is why wearing it long sometimes seems so boring. So here are some great options to help you get the most style from your long hair while you're growing it out. Make everyone else jealous!!
Hair Donation: Step Three
Time to make the cut
Lucky you!! You get to try a new hairstyle! Review the guidelines for your chosen charity, then head for the salon. Or, you can just grab a friend and make the donation cut at home yourself.- Ask if your salon gives free haircuts when you're ready to donate. Some organizations keep lists of participating salons on their websites.
- Know how much you want to cut (and keep in mind how much will be left once you've cut enough for the donation).
- Discuss your new style options with your stylist before he/she starts cutting. Your new dream hairdo might not be possible once you cut off enough to donate or you might need to leave some parts longer than others to make the new look happen.
- Hair should be freshly washed and completely dry. Do not put any styling products into your hair before cutting it.
- Gather your hair into a ponytail. Secure the ponytail with an elastic band. Ensure that the band is tight so as to keep the hair together after cutting it. You can put a second hair band around the middle of the ponytail to help keep the hair together.
- Measure your hair from just above the elastic ponytail to the ends to determine if your hair meets the donation agency's requirements. If you have wavy or curly hair, you may straighten it first before measuring.
- If your hair is layered, separate each layer into its own ponytail. It is okay to submit multiple ponytails of different lengths.
- Follow the mailing instructions of the organization you have chosen to donate to. Be sure to include a piece of paper with your name, address, and phone number so that you can be contacted should there be any questions about the condition of your hair.
Pick Your New Style
Hair Donation: Great Hairstyle Options
388 Great Hairstyles
Amazon Price: $7.19 (as of 02/11/2012)
List Price: $12.95
Discover a great style for wearing your hair while it's long. Long hair doesn't have to be all one length and there's more you can do with it than just wear it in a ponytail!
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Hair Donation: Great Tips for Styling
Hair- Styling Tips and Tricks for Girls (American Girl) (American Girl Library)
Amazon Price: $4.48 (as of 02/11/2012)
List Price: $8.95
Blow it straight or jazz up the curls. Stlying tips to make your hair (long or short!) look its best!
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Hair Cut Movies
While you're growing yours out, live vicariously through other people's haircuts with these great films.
Hair Styling Videos
Visuals are often quite helpful in getting the trick of styling difficult or long hair. Check out these to help you create beautiful looks!
Bald and Bold
You'll note that most of the organizations giving away hairpieces are geared toward children and for good reason. It's just so much harder to be "different" when you're a child. While it is difficult for women to lose their hair - one of their most feminine traits - at a time when they might also be losing their breasts, there is a growing Bald is Beautiful movement. This book highlights some gorgeous women who have embraced their baldness rather than cover it.
Turning Heads: Portraits of Grace, Inspiration, and Possibilities
Amazon Price: $13.55 (as of 02/11/2012)
The spark for this collection of gorgeous and inspiring photographs of women who've become bald from chemotherapy was film and television writer Hunsicker's initial reaction to her own cancer diagnosis: the fear of becoming bald trumped her fears of mere death. The resulting book is powerful medicine, and not just for women undergoing cancer treatment. Shot by 59 leading photographers, such as Duane Michals, the book features women of all shapes, sizes, colors and nationalities, and they illustrate an important point: their subjects' distinctive talents, interests, identities and personalities. In these bold and imaginative photos, a Florida Supreme Court Justice presides over a court session, a designer lounges astride an elephant in fuchsia formal wear, a doctor's face grins from the center of a rising moon.
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by SusanVillasLewis
SusanVillasLewis
Basic gal from the Dallas area who has a lot to say!! I'm working on lens related to my odd-ball interests.
Saying even more over on my blog, It's My...
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