All of us are conscious about how we look, our satisfaction adds on to our self-confidence. Little spots on face or a sudden bald patch makes us worried and we try every possible way to make things go back to normal. Have you ever thought about the people who lose their hair due to certain medical issues such as cancer or alopecia? People who go through Chemotherapy and radiation treatment start losing hair almost within two weeks. With each passing day of new inventions now is the time we can actually help these people out who are in need.
Hair donation term is not new, but it is now that more and more people are opting for it. If you think about this you may find out the reason why. We all change our looks by new haircuts at regular intervals. Imagine, someone in need of receiving a free wig made out of donated hair where you are one of the contributors. Feels good right?
There are many companies who take hairs as donations and it takes almost 20 to 30 ponytails to make a wig for women and children, so the need for hair donations is quite important. We are here to help you out with the needed homework on where to donate your hairs in the USA and what are the rules you need to follow for the process of hair donation.
How to Donate Your Hairs
There are certain rules of hair donation that you need to follow to make sure you keep them in mind so that your haircut does not go in vain. First, you need to find out a charity where you want to donate your hairs and talk to them about their set of rules. Here are some of the common things you need to ask them about:
Length – Your ponytail must be long, a specific size is 8 to 12 inches. This length is necessary for a proper wig. 8 inches ponytails are usually used for making a child wig. While those which are 10 inches or more than that are used for women in need.
Treated Hair – If you are planning to donate your hair make sure it is not dyed recently or has undergone any chemical treatment. Many Charity or companies accept dyed or gray hair but chemically treated hair is a strict no-no. Before the haircut make sure you do not use styling products, heat to keep it absolutely natural and healthy.
Way of cutting – Some Charities have their own stylist who does the job while some may allow you to go for your own salon expert and cut your hair. Do not forget to check it with the charity. If you are going for your personal stylist, tell them the purpose because they would have come across situations like this previously, so it would be easier for them to follow the rules for hair donation.
Packaging – Usually the charities give you a detailed description on this. Their requirement is pretty simple, the hair needs to stay dry, braided in a ziplock bag with the donation form.
Where to Donate Your Hairs in the USA
You might come across many hair donation charities while you are browsing, some of them may ask you to donate money online instead of hairs. It is important to double check because previously there have been instances of fraud and the donation did not reach the one in need. Contact these following charities directly so that your help does not go in vain. We have shortlisted some of the most trusted hair donation charities and campaign from the USA. If you prefer, you can directly contact these hair donation charities or search one nearby.
1. Locks of Love
This charity is the oldest one operation in this field of hair donation. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, Locks of Love provides free wigs for children who are financially backward. Their rules are pretty simple- the ponytail needs to be 10 inches long, it can be of any color other than gray, it cannot be damaged. To donate send the ponytail to their mentioned address which is 234 Southern Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL- 33405-2701 along with your name and address printed on a white paper. They also have online forms which you can download and with filled in details send along with the hair.
2. Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign
Pantene allows you to donate 8-inch ponytail but the only drawback is it cannot be bleached or chemically dyed. If your hair is dyed with vegetable dyes or non-permanent dyes then you can donate. They work with the American Cancer Society and make free wigs for women who are in need. Pantene offers free and discounted wash and cut on different salons on the occasion of ‘National Donate Your Hair Day’, they have also organized local events where one can cut and send hairs as a donation directly. You can send your dried braided hair any time of the year to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, Attn 192-123, 806 SE 18th Avenue, Grand Rapids Mn 55744.
3. Wigs for Kids
This charity designs wigs especially for the kids. Not only cancer, often kids lose hair due to some burn incidents or other medical issues. Their special wigs stay at a place when the kid is free to participate in any activity, even swimming. They have tied up with salons across the US to allow people to get discounts while they are coming forward for a noble cause like this. Their donation requires 12-inch ponytails which are not chemically treated or gray. You just need to download their form and send it along with your hair to this address- 24231 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.
4. Angel Hair for Kids
It is an initiative of A Child’s Voice Foundation. They have several other programmes as well. This charity provides wigs for the financially backward children who are unable to afford one, in Canada. They follow the same rules of accepting hair donations which are not chemically treated or gray. With necessary details, if you live in Canada you can send your donation to 3034 Palstan Rd, Suite 301 Mississauga ON L4Y2z6.
5. Children with Hair loss
This charity operates in Michigan. They offer permanent hair replacements as well as temporary ones for the kids who face temporary hair loss. They support their work on the basis of donations and teaming up with certain communities for selling branded merchandise. You just need to send your 8-inch ponytail to 12776 S, Dixie Hwy S Rockwood MI 48179.
Along with following the mentioned rules, some amount of donation can be sent along with the hair, because we need to keep in mind that these charities operate only on donations. This donation and cutting this much hair might psychologically impact you, so make up your mind with the fact that this act of yours is going to bring a smile on someone’s face, help them boost their self-confidence. YouTube is full of such videos where you can see a child or a woman receiving a wig from charities, that smile is going to bring a great amount of satisfaction, trust me on that.
