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Yozhik
November 22nd, 2010, 02:11 PM
Hair really seems to be in the news recently! Here's another NYT article, this time about Russian women selling their blond hair for money for extra cash.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/business/global/22blond.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a22&adxnnlx=1290427243-jLEcymov4GSxt%206XuR/IBA

I hope that this hasn't already been posted -- I searched and didn't find any results.

I also hope this doesn't become a pro- vs. anti- extensions thread -- just wanted to share this article. :)

I'll admit that since coming to Russia, I've seen many women with beautiful long locks (I wouldn't say that it's all blond, though). :shrug: So far I've seen none of the advertisements offering to buy hair which the article mentions, either.

Personally, I don't think I'd sell my hair, but then again I don't have the minimum requirement of 16 inches of braid! ;)

I hope you all enjoy! :)

spidermom
November 22nd, 2010, 02:21 PM
It's nice to have a renewable resource growing out of your head! Of course, with my wirey white hairs (as well as not being in Russia), I wouldn't quality, which is just as well since I don't want to cut it.

bluesnowflake
November 22nd, 2010, 02:25 PM
Wow- I didn't know there was such a market for hair! I don't think I'd ever sell mine, but for women who like short hair it's not such a big deal, and I suppose if it's the last hope you've got it's more important to stay alive than have long hair.

pepperminttea
November 22nd, 2010, 02:38 PM
I can't imagine being in such a dire situation that I'd have to cut my hair to support my family. :( I hope most women do it for a change, rather than because they have to, but something tells me I'd be naive to believe that.

GRU
November 22nd, 2010, 02:40 PM
Evidently the topic of selling my hair came up amongst the men at deer camp this year. :bigeyes: Glad I wasn't around to hear that particular conversation!!!

mira-chan
November 22nd, 2010, 02:54 PM
I'm from Russia originally and I visit there regularly. From what I have encountered, for some selling hair there is due to lack of funds, others just sell it when they choose to cut it off because extra cash can't hurt. The worst though are people who cut unsuspecting commuter's hair on the subways and such to sell. That is also common unfortunately.

Amusingly, my grandfather, when he was alive, would offer to sell my hair for a nice price if I wanted it. I took it as a compliment in that my hair was worth selling. :D He wasn't absurdly pushy about it but he asked every time I visited. A polite "No thanks" and he dropped the subject but it just shows that this is a money making option. Daily hair washing is not the standard there so hair is good for wigs. It's especially more valuable now that Indian temple hair is not acceptable to wear for some communities. Some can bargain a very nice price for their hair if they choose so.

Advertisements are by word of mouth at markets generally or hand written notes on store windows. Nothing official. Nothing that jumps out at you.

Yozhik
November 22nd, 2010, 03:02 PM
Evidently the topic of selling my hair came up amongst the men at deer camp this year. :bigeyes: Glad I wasn't around to hear that particular conversation!!!

Eep! I hope they weren't suggesting using it to add to their gilly suits! :bigeyes:


[snip]Advertisements are by word of mouth at markets generally or hand written notes on store windows. Nothing official. Nothing that jumps out at you.

Yeah -- I was surprised that the article mentioned hair-buying ads on lamp posts, which is why I mentioned it. :shrug:

Nae
November 22nd, 2010, 03:28 PM
Evidently the topic of selling my hair came up amongst the men at deer camp this year. :bigeyes: Glad I wasn't around to hear that particular conversation!!!

Gru, this just means your hair is memorable! It must have made quite the impression to even rank a mention at deer camp. Take it as a compliment, they are noticing you!;)

I can only hope that these women are all selling their hair willingly. I support their right to do that. But I am truly sad at the possiblity that any woman would give up their hair with regret because the economic reality is so terrible.

I was also disheartened about what the article said about Americans, how we don't care about where the hair comes from as long as it is hygenic. *sighs* I wish that was different, especially when we are talking about something that came off of a human head. Unfortunately, after growing up on a farm, I tend to believe that many Americans are capable of that kind of attitude.

I wouldn't say all Americans are uninformed about where extentions come from but I have run across many people who don't even have a good idea of where the food on their plate comes from. So, I imagine that the hair extention industry wouldn't be much different.

The back story of our products are often lost when we only see the end product in the stores. I can only hope that we will become more educated consumers with time.

GRU
November 22nd, 2010, 03:32 PM
Eep! I hope they weren't suggesting using it to add to their gilly suits! :bigeyes:

Evidently, one guy's wife had told him that I could earn $5K-$10K if I sold my hair. Yeah, like anyone's going to pay that much for it! :rolleyes:

Fractalsofhair
November 22nd, 2010, 03:41 PM
Hey, if anyone ever WANTS to go short, it's good to know that you can make money that way! Better than just throwing the hair away... It sounds like from the article, that women often cut their hair after having a kid, and save the braid if they ever need extra money, which makes sense, and I suppose if you never needed the extra money, it might make a nice heirloom, though kinda strange. It's sad some women need to to survive, though. It's good that it sounds like the haircuts occur in salons, so it's not as though it's some creepy sketchball.

MsBubbles
November 22nd, 2010, 04:39 PM
The worst though are people who cut unsuspecting commuter's hair on the subways and such to sell. That is also common unfortunately.


Well that's alarming! That'd be enough for me to buy a short bob wig to wear to and from work. shudder:

Valdeon
November 22nd, 2010, 04:46 PM
I'm from Russia originally and I visit there regularly. From what I have encountered, for some selling hair there is due to lack of funds, others just sell it when they choose to cut it off because extra cash can't hurt. The worst though are people who cut unsuspecting commuter's hair on the subways and such to sell. That is also common unfortunately.

I'm sorry but I cannot imagine how that is even possible :?

GRU
November 22nd, 2010, 07:40 PM
So my 10yo DS sees me walk out of the bathroom with my ziploc baggie of shower shed hair (I have this little doohickey (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=13708878) that catches my hair before it goes down the drain) that I'm going to send to kwaniesiam as my donation for her Henna Experiments (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=60059).

The kid sees the baggie of hair and gets all excited and asks if I'm going to sell it. :rolleyes: Yeah, kid, someone's going to pay for my shower sheds with bits of soap scum in them. :rolleyes:

Nae
November 23rd, 2010, 05:05 AM
Haha, Gru. Apparently he thinks your shower sheds could be big business for him! What is with all these people you know thinking about selling your hair?;)

Avital88
November 23rd, 2010, 05:50 AM
Thats funny, it was in the dutch newspapers aswell today!

Avital88
November 23rd, 2010, 05:51 AM
I also heard that some kind of gang cuts of hair from women in Brazil in subways and busses.
they actually get robbed from their long locks :s its sad..

DiablitaNoir
November 23rd, 2010, 06:15 AM
That was a really interesting article! I can't imagine being so desperately destitute to have to sell your own hair but it's the difference between eating and starving for some people. The hair buyers wouldn't want my hair anyway since it's dyed black. :p And as for people cutting hair on subways and buses, if I saw anyone coming at me with a pair of shears, I'd break their hands!

Aria
November 23rd, 2010, 08:31 AM
It's just a side note, but the article raises a good minor point about the versatility of such light coloring. Reading the henna thread made me even more jealous of blondes because I realized they have a lot more freedom with their hair color, if they so chose. It's a lot less hair friendly to have to bleach and dye, even if you had to go the dye route for the color you wanted.

mira-chan
November 23rd, 2010, 08:39 AM
I'm sorry but I cannot imagine how that is even possible :?
You'd be surprised how possible it is on very crowded public transport at rush hour if your braid is hanging outside of your clothing. Things gets so crowded some times you perform acrobatic feats to hold on to the bar and still end up with your face in someone's pit or other unfortunate location, as my mum described the experience. You wouldn't be able to turn around to check anyone for scissors in such a situation.

Someone who pre-plans to steal hair uses this. When someone is pushing through to get out if your hair is out it can get stuck between people, you won't know till too late about what happened.

For this reason many with long hair wear it up, braid in front or, put their braid under their jacket when heading to public transport.

Merlin
November 23rd, 2010, 08:55 AM
Blonde hair was always prized among Roman women for wigs, mainly sourced from slaves from the other side of the Rhine...though as Ovid points out it wasn't cheap!

Now you'll send for the hair of German prisoners:
you'll be safe, with the gift of conquered peoples.
O how often you'll blush when someone praises your hair,
and say: Now I'm counting the cost of buying it,
(Ovid Amores, I IV)

starlights
November 23rd, 2010, 08:57 AM
Aww its so sad to read things like this but the poor people havent many options when it comes to making some money they'd do almost anything.

Angeletti
November 23rd, 2010, 09:10 AM
It's sad, especially looking at the picture where they all look very unhappy. If they were doing it because they wanted to that's fine, but I hate to see people do unwanted things because lack of money...

sibiryachka
November 23rd, 2010, 09:32 AM
Am I the only one who can't stop thinking about the part in "Little Women" where Jo sells her hair? That made a big impression on 9-year-old me. Honestly, if I thought anyone would pay for my graying, hennaed hair, this past year would have had me seriously considering it.

Lamb
November 23rd, 2010, 10:17 AM
There is also Marty South in The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy, who sells her thick, long, auburn hair. Selling hair is nothing new, and it happens both in poorer and richer countries.

I've read through the comments on the article, and came across this little gem:


Well, as an economist, I have no problem with Russian women being allowed to sell their hair, because it looks like there is no coercion involved. The alternative is to not allow them to sell their hair, hurting only the poor Russian women. But it still disgusts me that American women don't care where the hair comes from.

So our economist has no problems with Russian women selling their hair, but (s)he is "disgusted" by the fact that American women have no problems with it either? :confused::confused::confused: My hypocrisy-meter just went through the roof.

Yozhik
April 27th, 2011, 01:05 PM
I went on a walk to a local park over the weekend and spotted this sign. I just had to include it on this thread, seeing as it is one of the few advertisements I've seen here in Russia for some company that buys hair.

http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz256/Yozhik87/Apr27019.jpg
The hair ad is in the middle-right of the photo, and untorn.
It reads: "Buying Hair - lengths 25 cm [9.84 in] and longer, (gray hair 30 cm [11.81 in] and longer)"

I found it really interesting to find one of these ads in person, and especially of note that it seems that they take gray hair, too, although I'd imagine it would be more difficult to dye. I wonder how much they offer.

xoerincolleen
April 27th, 2011, 01:40 PM
This reminds me of Les Mis, where Fantine sells her long, blonde hair for 10 francs so that she has enough money to help her sick daughter.

BrightEyes7
April 27th, 2011, 02:12 PM
The worst though are people who cut unsuspecting commuter's hair on the subways and such to sell. That is also common unfortunately.


:bigeyes: That is scary. I see how it can happen. It's been all too common I'm on the streets of LA and it's crowded and people are pushing and shoving, and I'm not paying attention to my hair. I'm just trying to get through the crowd. I'd be devistated if that happened.



I was also disheartened about what the article said about Americans, how we don't care about where the hair comes from as long as it is hygenic. *sighs* I wish that was different, especially when we are talking about something that came off of a human head. Unfortunately, after growing up on a farm, I tend to believe that many Americans are capable of that kind of attitude.

I wouldn't say all Americans are uninformed about where extentions come from but I have run across many people who don't even have a good idea of where the food on their plate comes from. So, I imagine that the hair extention industry wouldn't be much different.


To be honest I had no idea that this is where hair came from. I've never bought a wig or extensions, but I always kinda figured it was a domestic trade where women just sold their hair. I wouldn't have a problem getting hair that was voluntarily sold, but the Indian temple hair... that seems... wrong. I don't know the customs, but I'm assuming they are sacraficing the hair to a god of some sort. That is infringing on their religious beliefs.


Haha, Gru. Apparently he thinks your shower sheds could be big business for him! What is with all these people you know thinking about selling your hair?;)

Now GRU's son will be running in the bathroom every time she gets out of the shower to try and get all her shed hair! :laugh:

Honestly, I'd sell my hair. I don't plan on cutting it and I'm not in need of money, but I'd do it if the offer was right. I'd have no second thoughts about selling it if I were in those women's positions. And it said a lot of times (70%) that it's women cut their hair and kept it and decided to sell it later.

But the stolen hair (both cutting an unsuspecting person's hair and the theft of the Indian temple hair) is just wrong and should be outlawed.

GRU
April 27th, 2011, 02:38 PM
Now GRU's son will be running in the bathroom every time she gets out of the shower to try and get all her shed hair! :laugh:

Don't give the little brat any ideas, BE7!!!! :lol:



Honestly, I'd sell my hair. I don't plan on cutting it and I'm not in need of money, but I'd do it if the offer was right. I'd have no second thoughts about selling it if I were in those women's positions. And it said a lot of times (70%) that it's women cut their hair and kept it and decided to sell it later.

If someone wanted to give me $10K for my hair, I'd be all over that in a heartbeat! Cha-CHING!




But the stolen hair (both cutting an unsuspecting person's hair and the theft of the Indian temple hair) is just wrong and should be outlawed.

It's been a while since I read the article.... is the hair actually "stolen" from the temple, or do the people donating/sacrificing their hair do so with the understanding that this is done to please <religious figure of choice>, because then the hair can be sold and the money goes to further the temple's good deeds?

Kaya
April 27th, 2011, 03:23 PM
To be honest I had no idea that this is where hair came from. I've never bought a wig or extensions, but I always kinda figured it was a domestic trade where women just sold their hair. I wouldn't have a problem getting hair that was voluntarily sold, but the Indian temple hair... that seems... wrong. I don't know the customs, but I'm assuming they are sacraficing the hair to a god of some sort. That is infringing on their religious beliefs.

Total hijack of the thread, but the whole 'Indian temple hair' issue bothers me to no end. I tend to see it as incredibly wrong. :rant: I suppose the following articles may be skewed to show an inordinate amount of negativity, but they certainly shed some light on the subject.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-398372/The-real-cost-posh-locks.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jun/25/india.theobserver

BrightEyes7
April 27th, 2011, 04:57 PM
It's been a while since I read the article.... is the hair actually "stolen" from the temple, or do the people donating/sacrificing their hair do so with the understanding that this is done to please <religious figure of choice>, because then the hair can be sold and the money goes to further the temple's good deeds?


Total hijack of the thread, but the whole 'Indian temple hair' issue bothers me to no end. I tend to see it as incredibly wrong. :rant: I suppose the following articles may be skewed to show an inordinate amount of negativity, but they certainly shed some light on the subject.


Thanks Kaya for the links. I just read the first article and from what I can gather...

The hair is shaved at the temple as a sacrifice to Vishnu. It is often done by a woman who is to be married to hope for a good future and to show they are not vain. It is also done as a normal religious sacrifice for people when they are praying for a better life, better harvest, better crops, etc.

It also metioned that this temple is the second most wealthy religious site in the world next to Vatican City.

It also said a lot of Western women are flocking to get 'temple hair' because it's a religious fad, like Kabbalah. :rolleyes:

That just breaks my heart. These women are shaving their heads because their religion and the regilious center is selling their sacrifices for profit. It makes me sick to my stomach to think how wrong these people are.

I have never given much thought to extensions but I can tell you without a doubt in my mind I would never get human hair extensions for the risk that it may come from someone unsuspecting.

Lianna
April 27th, 2011, 05:21 PM
I also heard that some kind of gang cuts of hair from women in Brazil in subways and busses.
they actually get robbed from their long locks :s its sad..

Never even heard of it, highly doubt that happens, if it does wouldn't be common. Robbery happens everywhere in the world, I guess people could rob hair...again, not a common practice at all. I'm brazilian.


It's been a while since I read the article.... is the hair actually "stolen" from the temple, or do the people donating/sacrificing their hair do so with the understanding that this is done to please <religious figure of choice>, because then the hair can be sold and the money goes to further the temple's good deeds?

What I've read is that the temple itself uses the money to build/better the community. This was even adressed in the movie Good Hair, I think. The temple doesn't force anyone to shave their hair (there might be family pressure though).

Mesmerise
April 27th, 2011, 05:54 PM
What gets me is that it's $50 for 16" of hair! For an average growing person, that's 32 months of hair growth for just $50... If I was going to sell 32 months of hair, it'd have to be for 32 months of money and nobody's gonna pay me that!