Okay so I am getting a lot of comments about LoL lately..

[Curlsgirl]

Is there anyone that KNOWS that they actually don't do what they say or what everyone thinks they do all the time? I just wonder if when I tell people it's not what some people think if I can point them somewhere so they can see for themselves. If not, then that's okay. I usually just say I don't intend to do that bla bla I'm growing it because I like it bla bla. I have had several people mention it in the last few days though :rolleyes:

[burns_erin]

While I have actually known a couple of kids who got free wigs from them for their alopecia, I will admit they are kind of, well maybe alot misunderstood and do not do nearly enough of what they say they will. They do however explain it all on their own website. They admit they sell hair, the explain it is not really for kids with cancer, they publish some, though not all of their financial records and they explain how many donations they get versus how many wigs they put out, and the fact that there is a sliding fee scale so if kids families can afford to pay for some of it they must do so. While they do not present it in a light that makes them look poorly, the information is all there. If a person is a discerning reader they will be able to figure it out, if the person is not, well chances are you would not be able to explain it to themn any way.

There is a pretty good outline of the problems with locks of love at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locks_of_Love

[Siava]

They're not a total sham, but they do have strong guidelines (i.e. kids who have temporary hairloss get synthetic wigs vs. the real thing, applications with essays and financial status have to be approved, etc.). So it's not an all out rainbows and butterflies organization. In one clip they state they're a donation based company and the workers are volunteers. In another clip, they state they will sell off hair less than 10" or otherwise "unusable" to offset production. There are some gray areas, and although I'm sure many children have been blessed with receiving wigs from them, they're not as straight edge as they appear. I'd send people that comment on LoL to the site themselves and have them read the entire FAQ.

[Curlsgirl]

While I have actually known a couple of kids who got free wigs from them for their alopecia, I will admit they are kind of, well maybe alot misunderstood and do not do nearly enough of what they say they will. They do however explain it all on their own website. They admit they sell hair, the explain it is not really for kids with cancer, they publish some, though not all of their financial records and they explain how many donations they get versus how many wigs they put out, and the fact that there is a sliding fee scale so if kids families can afford to pay for some of it they must do so. While they do not present it in a light that makes them look poorly, the information is all there. If a person is a discerning reader they will be able to figure it out, if the person is not, well chances are you would not be able to explain it to themn any way.

There is a pretty good outline of the problems with locks of love at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locks_of_Love


They're not a total sham, but they do have strong guidelines (i.e. kids who have temporary hairloss get synthetic wigs vs. the real thing, applications with essays and financial status have to be approved, etc.). So it's not an all out rainbows and butterflies organization. In one clip they state they're a donation based company and the workers are volunteers. In another clip, they state they will sell off hair less than 10" or otherwise "unusable" to offset production. There are some gray areas, and although I'm sure many children have been blessed with receiving wigs from them, they're not as straight edge as they appear. I'd send people that comment on LoL to the site themselves and have them read the entire FAQ.

Very helpful thanks SO much!

[yldchyld]

Hey! Wikipedia says my donated hair is not tax deductable!!! What the...
Apparently the IRS doesn't give you a tax deduction for donating a part of your BODY (kidneys, lungs, blood marrow..hair)

Boo!

Money is tax deductable and I don't have to cut my hair to do it. :)

[purplebubba]

I think the bottom line is that they seem to have more hair than they can use and for whatever reason are not making enough wigs. Either they don't have the money, the people to sort it, or they just don't get enough requests for a wig.

I've begun to suspect the last part.
However if that is the case they should say that they have enough hair or enough money and are just waiting for requests for wigs.

[Madam Librarian]

I don't know, but unless you *want* to argue, you really shouldn't have to.

Do you go up to random people and ask if they are donating blood, organs, marrow, whatever? I mean, why are you selfishly keeping two kidneys when you can get by with one? If you know someone with money, do you suggest that they donate some of that excess money to charity/cause ____? Why should donating hair be any different? I think that charity is personal and private, and it's no one's business but my own how much or what I choose to donate and to whom. I don't see hair donation as being any different than money or body tissues.

I may be a little rude here. I really don't see any reason that anyone needs to know about this, and I wouldn't be shy about saying so. At the least, give a pleasant smile and politely ask, "And why do you want to know that?" :)

I don't have enough hair to get donation questions myself, but I imagine that most people just want to share their 'knowledge' about Locks of Love, even if their knowledge is just what they saw on Oprah the other day. It's probably harmless most of the time, but I'm sure it doesn't feel that way.

It's good to have facts and figures to argue against Locks of Love if that's what you want to do. I just can't justify the time and energy spent arguing with someone over something that isn't any of their business in the first place. Like I said, maybe I'm rude, but I am fierce about keeping private things private.

[Curlsgirl]

I think the bottom line is that they seem to have more hair than they can use and for whatever reason are not making enough wigs. Either they don't have the money, the people to sort it, or they just don't get enough requests for a wig.

I've begun to suspect the last part.
However if that is the case they should say that they have enough hair or enough money and are just waiting for requests for wigs.Right or not charge at ALL or give it to kids other than the ones with just permanent hair loss. I have started just cringing when people say they gave their beautiful long hair to LOL and they seem so proud. At that point I usually don't tell them but if they are THINKING about it I might at least tell them to check them out.

[Curlsgirl]

I don't know, but unless you *want* to argue, you really shouldn't have to.

Do you go up to random people and ask if they are donating blood, organs, marrow, whatever? I mean, why are you selfishly keeping two kidneys when you can get by with one? If you know someone with money, do you suggest that they donate some of that excess money to charity/cause ____? Why should donating hair be any different? I think that charity is personal and private, and it's no one's business but my own how much or what I choose to donate and to whom. I don't see hair donation as being any different than money or body tissues.

I may be a little rude here. I really don't see any reason that anyone needs to know about this, and I wouldn't be shy about saying so. At the least, give a pleasant smile and politely ask, "And why do you want to know that?" :)

I don't have enough hair to get donation questions myself, but I imagine that most people just want to share their 'knowledge' about Locks of Love, even if their knowledge is just what they saw on Oprah the other day. It's probably harmless most of the time, but I'm sure it doesn't feel that way.

It's good to have facts and figures to argue against Locks of Love if that's what you want to do. I just can't justify the time and energy spent arguing with someone over something that isn't any of their business in the first place. Like I said, maybe I'm rude, but I am fierce about keeping private things private.Well it can be irritating but I do understand that though it comes across as rude to US because we hear it a lot they may not MEAN it that way. So I more want to be armed with information in case I feel like talking to them about it more to make sure they are totally informed. One girl, for example, is a friend of mine and I just emailed her back the information from Wikopedia and now she understands and is upset and won't be misled anymore probably. Believe me, if I want to ignore someone and tell them it really is MY business, I can do it. :)

[purplebubba]

Right or not charge at ALL or give it to kids other than the ones with just permanent hair loss. I have started just cringing when people say they gave their beautiful long hair to LOL and they seem so proud. At that point I usually don't tell them but if they are THINKING about it I might at least tell them to check them out.

I'm assuming here but I think most people who donate hair do not go to the website for the charity. Unless they are looking for the mailing address. There are so many ways to donate hair without knowing any of the rules except maybe the minimum length.

You can go to a salon that sends the hair for you.
You can donate at a cut-a-thon.
You can cut on a talk show or similar.
You could have a friend, etc give you the address and then you just cut and send.

[Darkhorse1]

Yep, I hear you.
I can't donate my hair, as it's been colored, and I have a bit of gray etc. My hairdresser said they have a list of criteria for donating hair to LoL or any charity that makes wigs. Many people don't realize that :
Hair needs to be virgin
Gray hair/colored/sun bleached is not donatable
Many donations are sold for money, for which goes into the organization.

My hair dresser told me what they have to do--when they get the hair, they have to remove all the broken hairs, which doesn't leave you with a lot. This is why the wigs aren't so long, and why they are appealing to young girls, whose hair grows from the roots and at the ends, making it more durable and less prone to breakage.

I don't mind that it goes to children with alopecia, but I think it's wrong for them to say 'giving wigs to kids with cancer'. Also, they have to be very low income families in order to get a wig free.

So, those actresses like Diane Lane and Hilary Swank--their hair probably went into the garbage as they have had their hair colored/treated. A good cause/idea, but they need to be more up-front about the requirments.

[burns_erin]

Yeah, locks of love is one of those iffy sort of things. I personally have donated, mostly because I am a grow&chop fool and I feel like doing something with it, plus a lot of places will give you a free haircut if you donate, and i am really cheap. If I chop again i might just sell it on ebay for my own personal gain, lol.

Also, donating the hair is not tax deductible, but I am kind of curious if you could deduct the cost of hair care items that went into growing the hair? that would be certainly some interesting kind of conversation to have with ones accountant. "Yes, I have receipts for 8 bottles of shampoo and 18 bottles of conditioner, plus 6 bottles of various oils."

[burns_erin]

BTW, I did once e-mail them about henna. They said they can and will and have use henna'ed hair in their wigs and it is not an automatic disqualification like coloring. But it obviously has to be BAQ and not "other" henna, and they prefer to be told so it can go to their red or dark wigs instead of those that are trying to be made blonde. Of course that is according to one person who e-mailed me back so lord only knows what will really happen.

[Delila]

Eh. Never mind LOL.

In my view, the basic problems with all these 'cut your hair off for charity' programs are that

a) not every hair type is suitable for use in a wig, whether or not it meets the specific qualifications of a particular organization.

b) Charities move lots of money (or in this case, goods, which they sell for $$) and may or may not actually contribute to the causes they claim to support in quite the manner or quantity their supporters might prefer.

Two basic issues, suitability and accountability. IMO, factual stuff like that makes for boring chit chat, which I think is the only reason people ever make those unwanted 'are you going to donate' remarks in the first place.

Following up their query with a lecture on the realities of wig making and the practices of non-profit or not for profit charities is kind of pointless, unless you really WANT them to run away from you, pretty much permanently. :)

[Lady Godiva]

I don't know, but unless you *want* to argue, you really shouldn't have to.

Do you go up to random people and ask if they are donating blood, organs, marrow, whatever? I mean, why are you selfishly keeping two kidneys when you can get by with one? If you know someone with money, do you suggest that they donate some of that excess money to charity/cause ____? Why should donating hair be any different? I think that charity is personal and private, and it's no one's business but my own how much or what I choose to donate and to whom. I don't see hair donation as being any different than money or body tissues.

I may be a little rude here. I really don't see any reason that anyone needs to know about this, and I wouldn't be shy about saying so. At the least, give a pleasant smile and politely ask, "And why do you want to know that?" :)

I don't have enough hair to get donation questions myself, but I imagine that most people just want to share their 'knowledge' about Locks of Love, even if their knowledge is just what they saw on Oprah the other day. It's probably harmless most of the time, but I'm sure it doesn't feel that way.

It's good to have facts and figures to argue against Locks of Love if that's what you want to do. I just can't justify the time and energy spent arguing with someone over something that isn't any of their business in the first place. Like I said, maybe I'm rude, but I am fierce about keeping private things private.
This is where it boils down for me, too. "My charitable donation decisions are between me, God and the tax collector," is a fine reply to nosy do-gooders.

Or, "I wouldn't dream of telling you how to manage your charitable donations, so please don't try to tell me how to manage mine. Thanks!" said with a smile. :)

If you want to say anymore, say something along the lines of, "You might want to seriously research the charities that you recommend before you recommend them to anyone. I've looked into that one, and it comes up short on many counts." :twocents:

Of course, that requires that you DO research yourself. You want to be armed if they ask questions.

[Chromis]

Eh. Never mind LOL.

In my view, the basic problems with all these 'cut your hair off for charity' programs are that

a) not every hair type is suitable for use in a wig, whether or not it meets the specific qualifications of a particular organization.

b) Charities move lots of money (or in this case, goods, which they sell for $$) and may or may not actually contribute to the causes they claim to support in quite the manner or quantity their supporters might prefer.

Two basic issues, suitability and accountability. IMO, factual stuff like that makes for boring chit chat, which I think is the only reason people ever make those unwanted 'are you going to donate' remarks in the first place.

Following up their query with a lecture on the realities of wig making and the practices of non-profit or not for profit charities is kind of pointless, unless you really WANT them to run away from you, pretty much permanently. :)

If they are the sort trying to tell me what I should be donating and being pushy over it no less, then I probably *want* them to run screaming away!

[Riot Crrl]

IIRC LoL's page says they'll use dyed hair but not lightened. (Without even going into the broad spectrum of things in between or incorporating both, and the fact that the average layperson probably has no idea which of these things their hair actually might be) I think one reply could just be "Dude, I have highlights, they'd throw it away."

[Curlsgirl]

Following up their query with a lecture on the realities of wig making and the practices of non-profit or not for profit charities is kind of pointless, unless you really WANT them to run away from you, pretty much permanently. :)

My reason for this thread was to find out if anyone knew WHY LOL was not looked at very highly in general around here. I am not going to follow up their query with a lecture at all but want to be like Lady Godiva said "armed with the facts". Most of the time I really think people don't mean any harm really just honestly think it is a great cause. I like to be well-informed about things like that is my only reason for wanting to know. In the situation with my friend that asked me, she was very interested to know why I was a little leary of them. I was happy to point her in the right direction and she was grateful. I have found what I really wanted to know here. Thank you.

[paradoxx]

I have only been asked about LOL twice since my hair started getting longer, both times by strangers. I just said, "I'm sorry, but my decisions about my charitable donations are very personal and I do not discuss personal matters with people whom I don't know." Both times I recieved immediate apologies.

[purplebubba]

I've had hair long enough to donate since before these charities started. No one has asked me about donating.

The only mention of it was last year when my dad was in a nursing home one of the employees, a man with long hair was passing by as I was wheeling my dad into the cafeteria. His first words were asking me how long I've been growing and then after I told him he told me he was growing his to donate. I was with my dad who I was not comfortable discussing hair around plus he didn't know I was talking to someone so he was wondering why I stopped so I basically gave an oh or uh huh or some sort of acknowledgement that I heard him but I made no discussion after that. Perhaps in another situation the conversation might have went differently but not with my dad there. I don't think I would have said anything about LOL unless he would have asked me if I was donating. I figure it's his business what he does. It's up to him to read their rules and do any research that he considers necessary. Maybe if it were someone I knew better I'd have more of a conversation about it. But not with a stranger in a chance encounter.

[Delila]

If they are the sort trying to tell me what I should be donating and being pushy over it no less, then I probably *want* them to run screaming away!

That's what I'd meant to imply in my post, sorry if that got lost in translation from thought to text. :)

[Curlsgirl]

That's what I'd meant to imply in my post, sorry if that got lost in translation from thought to text. :)

Guess I took it wrong too. :o