? of the heart or head?

[queenspence]

Just wondering, how many ladies would cut off all of your hair to donate to a charitable organization like Locks of Love or something? Even after all of your hard work to grow it out, sleepless nights (for some), tears of distress and joy, cutting, stretching, relaxing, transitioning, colouring, brushing, pooing, combing, braiding, sewing, bunning, baggying, pressing, rollersetting, cowashing, oiling, clarifying, greasing, you name we've done it to and for our hair. But what if it were all for someone else? Would it have to be a family member, for $$ (name that price), or under no circumstances would you not do it? What would be your reasons to do this or not to?
Lots of ?s and much to think about but this crossed my mind as to what would I do in this situation

 

[Desert Skye]

To be honest, If it was for charity, it would depend. I really do not want to go about bald.But you know, if i saw a girl who really really wanted my hair and I could see she was really hurting because she lost hers, I might consider it.

For a family member, a good friend, or for $$ (I'm talking 50,000 +) I would shave it all off along with any other bodily hair they might need

 

[MamaBraidedIt]

:crazy: Only for money---in the 6-digit numbers.

 

[newflowers]

that's a very good question. I think I am too selfish, to be perfectly honest. I want my hair long for me and am more than willing to work long and consistently to make it happen. But to do it and then cut it to give away - I don't think I would do such a thing. I can see myself contributing money and time, but not hair after all of the work and time it will take to grow and maintain.

 

[balisi]

All those whose hair is chemically treated are off the hook for this one. Locks of Love only accepts virgin hair. At this time, the minimum length they're accepting is 6". There's been some controversy surrounding this particular organization, so at this time I don't belive I would donate my hair to them. But I don't rule out doing so at some point, to whomever might need it.

 

[ladylibra]

All those whose hair is chemically treated are off the hook for this one. Locks of Love only accepts virgin hair. At this time, the minimum length they're accepting is 6". There's been some controversy surrounding this particular organization, so at this time I don't belive I would donate my hair to them. But I don't rule out doing so at some point, to whomever might need it.

really??? that's interesting, since the chemically process it anyway...

but back on topic - i plan to donate my hair years down the road after i grow it out.

 

[lsubabiedee]

I wanted to donate mine to Locks of Love, but then I read some disturbing info that convinced me to keep my hair on my head until I found a similar charity.

 

[cutiebe2]

I wanted to donate mine to Locks of Love, but then I read some disturbing info that convinced me to keep my hair on my head until I found a similar charity.

Please, do tell!!!...whats the dirt on them?

 

[lsubabiedee]

Please, do tell!!!...whats the dirt on them?

i was under the impression that they GAVE wigs to the cancer/alopecia survivors, but apparently, that's not true...the cost is income-based though. and there's the possibility that they sell a lot of the hair anyway. i've seen a few explanations for this, but i think they are all bogus.

 

[Royal Glory]

I wanted to donate mine to Locks of Love, but then I read some disturbing info that convinced me to keep my hair on my head until I found a similar charity.

I'd like to know what the controversy is about Locks of Love, too.

I think I would consider donating the minimum of 6 inches so that it would help a woman who is going through chemotherapy, regain her self esteem and feelings of femininity.

 

[JustKiya]

I'd like to know what the controversy is about Locks of Love, too.

I think I would consider donating the minimum of 6 inches so that it would help a woman who is going through chemotherapy, regain her self esteem and feelings of femininity.

LOL is - well, it ain't quite a scam, but it's pretty close.

1) Most of the hair donated is trashed or sold. Your hair has to be VIRGIN (no chemicals, including color), at least 10 inches, and very healthy. Think of the human hair wigs that you've seen - if your hair doesn't look like that right now, without leave-ins, etc - don't donate it.
And from what I understand - they rarely accept African-American hair. If it's straight, it's been treated with chemicals, and how many people do you know of who want a natural/kinky human hair wig?

2) They GIVE away very few wigs, and mainly to kids with alopecia. They actually sell the majority of their wigs.

3) Take a look at their website, and jsut run through the math of how much hair they are receiving in donations vs how many kids have gotten wigs - the number is REAL slanted (and not in the kids favor, either).

If you really want to do something to help kids with cancer, join the National Marrow Donation Program - there is a serious shortage of People of Color registered as Bone Marrow donors.
If you're hair is in exceptional condition, and you really want to donate it - it's better to sell the hair to a wigmaker, and donate the MONEY itself.

 

[Candiss]

After all the time and effort i am putting into my hair, I would never give it or sell it. Ther are so many things a person can do to help other people, I wouldn't even blink when telling someone I wouldn't give up my hair for charity.

 

[The Girl]

i was under the impression that they GAVE wigs to the cancer/alopecia survivors, but apparently, that's not true...the cost is income-based though. and there's the possibility that they sell a lot of the hair anyway. i've seen a few explanations for this, but i think they are all bogus.

My sister is going to be donating her hair to them! I know she didnt know about the income based part. wow



BTW, I added a few of her pics to my fotki under LHH

 

[ladylibra]

LOL is - well, it ain't quite a scam, but it's pretty close.

1) Most of the hair donated is trashed or sold. Your hair has to be VIRGIN (no chemicals, including color), at least 10 inches, and very healthy. Think of the human hair wigs that you've seen - if your hair doesn't look like that right now, without leave-ins, etc - don't donate it.
And from what I understand - they rarely accept African-American hair. If it's straight, it's been treated with chemicals, and how many people do you know of who want a natural/kinky human hair wig?

If you're hair is in exceptional condition, and you really want to donate it - it's better to sell the hair to a wigmaker, and donate the MONEY itself.

you know what... a lot of black girls/women who have lost their hair would love to have a wig made of African American hair. it would look more real you know? not everyone who wears wigs wants that fake wiggy look. i think that's sad that they don't have the option of getting a wig that looks like it could be their natural hair...

i think i will take your advice though.

 

[JustKiya]

you know what... a lot of black girls/women who have lost their hair would love to have a wig made of African American hair. it would look more real you know? not everyone who wears wigs wants that fake wiggy look. i think that's sad that they don't have the option of getting a wig that looks like it could be their natural hair...

i think i will take your advice though.

Oh, they can GET a wig made of natural African American/permed AfAm hair - but they would have to find someone to donate the hair, and take it to a wigmaker. It's just Locks of Love policy that they don't take chemically treated hair.

 

[Dee Raven]

This saddens me. I was planning on donating in a few years.

 

[queenspence]

I think it is wonderful that some of you ladies are actually planning to donate your hair in the future. Of course upon starting this post I said Locks of Love but it could be any org. If they accepted relaxed hair as well, how many ladies would give up their hair?

 

[JustKiya]

Ah! I finally found the numbers and some websites to reference what I was talking about earlier....courtesy of Ursula from TLHC.......

They seem to have edited their website, so that they removed a lot of the numbers that we put together to figure out what is going on.

From this page http://www.locksoflove.org/press.html They say that they were founded in 1989, and that they have served "over 2000" children. For the math, I'll say 2500, since that's the next number they're likely to round off to. The total is probably under 3000, or else they've said "over 3000." Since they were founded in 1989, they've been in existance for 17 years, in which to do this work. Some of the children probably have gotten more than one wig, so lets say, 3000 wigs.

In a previous version of their website, they said they recieved 2000 hair donations a week. However, they probably didn't get so many over their whole existance (starting from zero), so I'll say an average of 1000 per week, over their existance.

At some point they posted that they needed 6-10 donations per wig. I'll go with 10.

So these are the numbers I'll use to figure out how much hair goes into the wigs:

1000 donations a week
10 donations per wig
15 years
3000 wigs


1000 donations a week x 52 weeks in a year x 15 years is 780,000 donations.

780,000 donations, with 10 donations per wig, would be hair for 78,000 wigs.

They've probably made about 3000 wigs, from donations sufficent to make 78,000. That is about 3.8% of the hair recieved going to wigs.

That's a scam, at least from the hair donors point of view.

People are donating their hair to go into wigs, not to be sold, thrown out, or left sitting in a warehouse. People are being pressured to cut their hair for donation, by people who think the hair will go into wigs for sick kids.

Locks of Love is saying "give us your hair, we'll make it into a wig for a sick kid." And overall, that's a lie.

And it is a lie that leads to many of us being pressured to cut our hair when we don't want to.

And that's why many people here don't like Locks of Love.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locks_of_Love
http://www.squidoo.com/locksoflove/
http://www.give.org/reports/care2_dyn.asp?733

As I said before - if you want to donate something that makes a difference - give time, give money, give blood, register as a bone marrow donor.

Keep your hair.