It seems like everyone else is buying fake hair and wearing extensions these days and here I am chopping all of mine off! And I honestly don’t regret it one bit! I hate needles and getting shots, so donating blood is out of the question for me. Growing my hair out, however, has always been something that comes fairly easily and naturally for me. It might seem trivial, but I figure that if donating my hair can help make another person’s life a little brighter, I might as well donate mine while I can. I have donated my hair three times so far! So, I wanted to round up the main hair donation options and explain everything you should know before donating.
According to an article from Cleveland Clinic, it is estimated that MORE THAN 50% of women will experience noticeable hair loss. If you are a woman and you are reading this, it is more likely than not that you will experience hair loss at some point in your life. I feel like my hair has always been tied closely with my identity. I can only imagine how traumatizing it might be to start losing it.
Several organizations accept hair donations, but they all differ slightly in what types of donations they accept and who receive their hairpieces. While intentionally cutting off your hair to donate it is undoubtedly much less traumatizing than experiencing hair loss for any reason, it is still a big change and can be scary. I have donated my hair 3 times now, so I know what to expect at this point. I thought I would round up one resource for anyone who is thinking about donating their hair.
Here I will share some best practices for hair donation and guide you through the entire experience. I have compiled a list of the most popular hair donation organizations. I will also share some tips and tricks for a smooth transition when making such a big change with your hair.
1. Choose which organization to donate to
The first thing that you should do when considering donating your hair is decide which organization you’d like to donate to. There are many hair donation options out there! Many people think of chemo patients and cancer survivors when they think of recipients of hair donation. While this is one form of medical hair loss, there are many other causes of hair loss. Causes include but not limited to alopecia areata, thyroid disease, and scalp infections like ringworm. Most organizations that accept hair donations will distribute hairpieces to individuals who are experiencing hair loss for medical reasons. However, recipients of the hairpieces and requirements for donation do differ slightly amongst the options. Here is a round-up of the most popular hair donation options for you to choose from:
Pantene Beautiful Lengths – (No longer accepting donations)
2. Read the guidelines CAREFULLY
The reason why it is important to choose which of the hair donation options you’d like to donate to before taking any additional steps is that each of the organizations has its own set of guidelines in terms of what types of donations they accept. Be sure and check the website of the organization you are thinking of donating. Once you are sure that you will be able to meet all the guidelines for donation for the organization that you have chosen, go ahead and set up an appointment with your hairdresser!
3. Schedule an appointment with your most trusted hairdresser
Let me be the one to tell you, make sure you know and like your hairdresser before setting up an appointment with someone to cut all your hair off!! Now is NOT the time to try out a new hairdresser. I wish it weren’t the case, but I am speaking from experience here. In 2014 I donated my hair and went to a brand new hairdresser at a brand new salon. Let’s just say that I wasn’t exactly satisfied with the results. I wound up having to go back to the salon to have them make some fixes to my new hair to get me to a place where I was ok with it (I still didn’t love it).
Going to a hairdresser you know and trust helps you ensure that all of the organization’s specific guidelines will be met. Nothing would feel worse than cutting off your hair to donate it, only to realize that it might not be accepted because of a mistake by your hairdresser.
Furthermore, cutting off 8+ inches of hair is a big change! Someone who knows you and your hair well can help you make the best decision for your new hairstyle. My hair dresser is extremely knowledgeable. She made me aware of the fact that I would loose additional length after the initial donation cut. Take a look at the image of me directly after cutting off the 12″ of hair to be donated. Then compare it to my final result. You will see that after evening and curling the hair, the final result is about an inch shorter than what we started with. Be aware that even the best hairdresser will probably not be able to 100% prepare you for the change you are about to make though!
4. Know that there will be an adjustment period for you
This is the part that no one ever talks about, but they should! As I mentioned above, cutting off 8 or more inches of hair is a considerable transformation. There will be a transition period! It usually takes me at least 2-3 washes before I am able to re-calibrate the amount of shampoo that I need to use (it’s way less after the cut). Also, styling your hair will feel much different at first. I try to watch my hairdresser very closely when she styles my new shorter ‘do for the first time. That way I can try and recreate the look at home. Let’s be real though, how many of us can actually exactly replicate the look our hairdresser’s give us?! They are the pros for a reason! I usually play around with mine for a week or two before I figure out what does and doesn’t work for me when it comes to my new hairstyle.
There you have it – my tips and tricks for donating your hair! I hope this has been helpful if you are considering hair donation. If you weren’t considering donating your hair but made it all the way to the end of this blog post, maybe you’ll think about donating in the future?! It is an experience that truly feels rewarding and I would suggest anyone who is able to try it at least once!
Thank you so much for reading!
♥
