Over spring break, I tagged along with my sister as she went to chop off all of her hair. The dramatic change went from 14 inches to an adorable head-hugging pixie cut. What to do with all of that hair? We had assumed donating it to Locks of Love was a valid option, but the hairdresser informed us of some controversial issues surrounding the organization. According to the hairdresser, Locks of Love charges individuals for the wigs and rejects children if their stories aren't traumatic or their financial need isn't great enough. I have donated my hair to Locks of Love on two occasions, as has my sister, so this news was unsettling, to say the least.
Upon further research, I found a rather extensive application for a Locks of Love wig. The application process includes obtaining reference letters, providing financial information and a doctor's diagnosis. After completing that whole process, many individuals still get rejected; for example, this individual who had Leukemia as child was rejected on the grounds that her hair loss wasn't permanent enough.
In addition, Locks of Love is fairly selective about the hair they accept, and it states explicitly in their guidelines that they sell some of it. On top of that, applicants are usually charged for hairpieces. The Locks of Love website states, "We provide hairpieces and repairs free of charge or on a sliding scale based on the financial need of those responsible for the children." Not to mention there's the issue that Locks of Love should be producing 2,080 wigs every year, but they are only putting out 317...what the heck are they doing with the rest of that hair???
This isn't to say you shouldn't donate your grown-out hair. Here are some other options:
Pantene Beautiful Lengths
This organization is through the major hair care brand, Pantene. They paired up with the American Cancer Society to provide wigs for women with all types of cancer.
Children are provided with wigs at no cost, not charged at a sliding value as with Locks of Love.
Much like Children With Hair Loss, Wigs For Kids relies on donations from generous individuals to fund the costs of making wigs instead of charging families for them.
As with anything, it is important to consider all options and make an educated decision based on results. After learning more about how Locks of Love operates, I personally would not choose to donate to their organization again.
