What is this donation thing? I really don't know.

[AngryVikingGirl]

Would anyone please explain me what donation is about? I mean, I saw it mentioned in the 'bad compliment' thread but never really could figure out what it could be...First I thought it's about selling hair for money for people who want extensions but later it felt like some kind of charity. Really...hair is not a life-saving thing, I only heard the crucial use of it when learning Carthago from history...women cut their hair to make ropes for army machines...Sorry if it's a silly question. :confused:
And oh, btw, if I'm not answering, soon I'm off to work, but will be back tomorrow...not going right this moment though. :p

[Vanille_]

Hair can be donated to make wigs for those who have lost their hair to things like radiation therapy.

[naereid]

Basically the idea is that you grow out your hair and cut it off so someone can make a wig out of it. Those wigs are then donated to cancer patients, people who suffer from alopecia, etc. Long-hairs get rude comments because people see them as "withholding" hair from sick children.

It's popular in the USA and other English-speaking countries. Not so much in the rest of the world, as far as I know (though considering how strong the US influence is, it might be spreading through the Western world).

[AngryVikingGirl]

Ahh! Thanks! I didn't think of this one. OK.

[Red Rapunzel]

AngryVikingGirl: You'd get even angrier if you found out how certain "hair charity" businesses go about requesting hair allegedly to make wigs for children who have cancer and then, when audited, can't account for where a lot of the hair they receive went. I remember reading lots about this in the past on longhair forums. Such a "charity" gets lots of free advertising, free TV time on talk shows etc. and then can't show enough wigs for children related to the hair they took in. Reminds me of what happens in India when Indian women have their gorgeous long hair cut off in a religious ceremony. It all falls into a basket and then allegedly is sold for profit unbeknownst to them. When I see pricey human hair extensions or expensive human hair wigs, it always makes me wonder. . . where it came from, under what auspices they got it.

The best answer I ever heard suggested, if you are being pressured to donate your long hair to a business purporting to be a "hair charity", comes from TorrinPaige (who strongly dislikes Locks of Love). Torrin suggests that when someone pressures you to donate your beautiful long hair to a
"hair charity", you simply reply to them, "No thanks." If that person continues to hound you about it, just suggest to them that they donate one of their kidneys to charity because, after all, they have two kidneys and they only need one - and a kidney could actually save a life whereas hair is just a superficial thing. I think they'll leave you alone after that response!!

Note: Actually, I have read that children with cancer who need wigs do better with synthetic wigs because they are easier for them to care for.

[palaeoqueen]

Thanks for asking this question, I was wondering too. I'm in the UK and have never heard of donating hair (not that my hair has ever been long enough anyway!).

[Mommyof4]

When I was younger, I donated my waist-length hair to "Locks of Love".. it was virgin hair, baby blonde and wurly.. I hope they actually used it for someone who need it :(

[Beatnik Guy]

NYT article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/fashion/06locks.html).

[RapunzelKat]

I get this a lot... though thankfully not so much recently :rolleyes: People will walk up to me and say, "Wow, your hair is so long!! Are you going to donate it to Locks of Love?"

I think I'm going to tell them about this article next time it happens. :p

[Torrin Paige]

NYT article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/fashion/06locks.html).

Thanks for the link! I think I'm going to write it on the back of my business cards to give to those that harass me about donating my hair - especially those that insist I donate it to Locks of Love. Isn't it interesting that they've made millions of dollars, and yet, since '97, they've only made 2000 wigs? Pantene's Beautiful Lengths hasn't been in business nearly so long, and they've managed to surpass that. Hmm.

AngryVikingGirl, we long haired people in the US get told to donate our hair a lot. I think it started with afternoon talk shows (namely Maury Povich) where the hosts would parade out people with very long hair - usually knee length or longer - and then have their relatives cut their hair on television, live in front of a studio audience. They would always say, "Don't worry! We're going to donate it to Locks of Love - they make wigs for kids with cancer!" Which of course is wrong, as LOL makes wigs for kids with alopecia - and makes them PAY for them. :rolleyes: Anywhoodles, it has permeated our culture and now people think it's totally okay to walk up to you, compliment you on how beautiful your hair is, and then proceed to tell you to cut it all off and donate it, insinuating that by having long hair you are selfish and denying sick children. It's like saying, "Wow! You have a beautiful house...you should give it to the homeless!" Grrr.

[jeanniet]

At Christmas dinner my niece mentioned that she had cut her hair and donated to LOL, then my cousin said his girlfriend did. I had to bite my tongue and keep quiet because my niece has been having a very hard time lately and I didn't want to make her worse. I don't have a problem with people donating their hair to whatever they want, but they should be going into it with both eyes open.

What I really don't understand, though, is harassing people about donating in the first place. If you wouldn't tell people to donate money, blood, labor, etc., what makes you think it's just fine to bug them about their hair? If people are that obsessed with donating to LOL, they should grow their own hair and donate that. Sheesh.

[lunalocks]

I recently have had 2 co-workers tell others, in front of me, how they cut and donated their hair to LOL. No one said anything to me directly, but there was the undercurrent that I should do it too. Thank you for the info about LOL, since donating to them was my plan if I ever did have to cut my hair.

[Amiblue]

Thanks for the info and article. Very interesting.

[AngryVikingGirl]

AngryVikingGirl: You'd get even angrier if you found out how certain "hair charity" businesses go about requesting hair allegedly to make wigs for children who have cancer and then, when audited, can't account for where a lot of the hair they receive went. I remember reading lots about this in the past on longhair forums. Such a "charity" gets lots of free advertising, free TV time on talk shows etc. and then can't show enough wigs for children related to the hair they took in. Reminds me of what happens in India when Indian women have their gorgeous long hair cut off in a religious ceremony. It all falls into a basket and then allegedly is sold for profit unbeknownst to them. When I see pricey human hair extensions or expensive human hair wigs, it always makes me wonder. . . where it came from, under what auspices they got it.

The best answer I ever heard suggested, if you are being pressured to donate your long hair to a business purporting to be a "hair charity", comes from TorrinPaige (who strongly dislikes Locks of Love). Torrin suggests that when someone pressures you to donate your beautiful long hair to a
"hair charity", you simply reply to them, "No thanks." If that person continues to hound you about it, just suggest to them that they donate one of their kidneys to charity because, after all, they have two kidneys and they only need one - and a kidney could actually save a life whereas hair is just a superficial thing. I think they'll leave you alone after that response!!

Note: Actually, I have read that children with cancer who need wigs do better with synthetic wigs because they are easier for them to care for.


Ah, I'm not surprised that much unfortunately...But hey, if someone keeps cutting their hair, isn't that a waste, it can't even be donated! :twisted:

[AngryVikingGirl]

I think it started with afternoon talk shows (namely Maury Povich) where the hosts would parade out people with very long hair - usually knee length or longer - and then have their relatives cut their hair on television, live in front of a studio audience. They would always say, "Don't worry! We're going to donate it to Locks of Love - they make wigs for kids with cancer!"
This sounds disgusting - like some kind of sacrifice! Beautiful innocent people betrayed even by their relatives, who are handing them for the 'holy purpose'. Sorry it just came into my mind. No offensement to anyone's religious views, talking about the Middle Ages.


Which of course is wrong, as LOL makes wigs for kids with alopecia - and makes them PAY for them. :rolleyes: Anywhoodles, it has permeated our culture and now people think it's totally okay to walk up to you, compliment you on how beautiful your hair is, and then proceed to tell you to cut it all off and donate it, insinuating that by having long hair you are selfish and denying sick children. It's like saying, "Wow! You have a beautiful house...you should give it to the homeless!" Grrr.
OMG

[Of the Fae]

I had no idea that LOL makes kids pay for stuff they get for free- what the hell kind of charity is that?
In Holland a few people know it, and an acquaintance of mine wanted to do it- I should tell him this :S

[whimaway]

When I posted a length check video on my channel and stated that I was growing my hair out to waist length, one of the first comments I got was are you going to donate it after that? I also think it is rude. Yes it's good to be charitable for one thing, but it's not nice to force your ideas on other people. I also found this great video about donating cons and pros on youtube, that I plan to send any more users that ask me that question. I think she may be a user here but I am not sure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEuFdFrKII

[cheetahfast]

I had no idea that LOL makes kids pay for stuff they get for free- what the hell kind of charity is that?
In Holland a few people know it, and an acquaintance of mine wanted to do it- I should tell him this :S

The logic behind that is probably that it costs a lot of money to make a wig.

When my friend found out she had cancer and decided to get her hair made into a wig since she thought it would be cheaper to buy one, it wasn't that much cheaper in the end. Though she was happy it was her hair, she thought it looked more natural that way.

At least, I think that is how they would justify charging it. :ponder:

[Of the Fae]

I think it might be jealousy by the way- Like: "Oh you have really pretty long hair- you can't so give it away to someone else." The charity thing might just be a cover up for sanctimonious people to use...

[Woods Nymph]

Thanks for the article.
At least they're not trying to cover up the fact that most of the donated hair goes to waste. :shrug:
(Just playing devil's advocate, here. Definitely not siding with LOL on this; I completely agree with TorrinPaige.)

[Torrin Paige]

Thanks for the article.
At least they're not trying to cover up the fact that most of the donated hair goes to waste. :shrug:
(Just playing devil's advocate, here. Definitely not siding with LOL on this; I completely agree with TorrinPaige.)

You are absolutely correct! LOL has never pretended to be something they are not. They have always been totally honest when asked about what happens to the hair they receive, and they always make sure to say that they are not a "cancer charity" as it were. It's not LOL itself that I have a problem with; it's the inaccurate perception that people have about what LOL is all about. Even when faced with actual facts, many people continue to disregard the information. I wouldn't give a lick about it one way or another, but the people who constantly try to make me feel bad about having long hair have made me care and try to keep people informed. I just try to steer them to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths or Wigs4Kids instead. :)

I still reserve the right to blame stupid Maury Povich for everything "hair donation" related.

[Beatnik Guy]

“We created this monster because people get so much from it,” said Madonna Coffman, the president of Locks of Love. “They get the attention. They get a warm and fuzzy feeling. They feel they’re going to help a child.”:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
“A check would be easier for me,” Ms. Coffman said. “But would the donors get out of it what they do? No.”
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Milui Elenath]

I'd never heard of donating hair either before LHC as far as I know it's not common in my country either, however if it ever does reach here I will be prepared with my response. ;)

[door72067]

a few years ago I had 7-8" cut off (taking me from the mid-back abyss between BSL and waist to about APL...I was getting rid of a decade's worth of dying RED red damage) and several people said "you should have cut more so you could donate it"

[sparish2]

The logic behind that is probably that it costs a lot of money to make a wig.

When my friend found out she had cancer and decided to get her hair made into a wig since she thought it would be cheaper to buy one, it wasn't that much cheaper in the end. Though she was happy it was her hair, she thought it looked more natural that way.

At least, I think that is how they would justify charging it. :ponder:

My friend did the same thing when she got cancer. The wig she got made from her hair looked very natural, and was very long...then, she fell in love with wigs, and now she wears like, seven different ones! :)

[cheetahfast]

My friend did the same thing when she got cancer. The wig she got made from her hair looked very natural, and was very long...then, she fell in love with wigs, and now she wears like, seven different ones! :)

Mine still wears hers too! She had thick classic length hair so it was a pretty long wig. Around midback, I know that doesn't sound long here, but the wig didn't have any other hair besides hers.

She's trying to grow her hair a bit longer before she wears it down again. She loves it, she took me when she went shopping for a new one. She wants to get another one for fun.

[Misty'sMess]

Donating your hair is not a very big thing here in Australia, I've only ever seen/heard of one person donating their hair and that was years ago.

[LovingLife]

That makes me sad. I can understand of course getting a warm fuzzy feeling..
But seriously? :/

[Carissamarie08]

Door72067, you wouldn't be able to donate dyed hair anyways. Its supposed to be virgin hair.