Introduction: How to Donate Your Hair to a Great Cause

About: I love biking, hiking, nature, puppies, and coffee!

What's better than getting a new hair-do? Donating your hair to a person in need! There are several organizations out there that will take your donated hair and help make wigs for people battling cancer. Your hair donation will help make wigs for people that have lost their hair due to chemotherapy - and it's a great way to help others by gifting 8,10, or 12 inches of your hair.

Step 1: Make Sure You're Ready!

This includes:

1. Making sure your hair is long enough (tip-tp-tip).

8 INCHES

For Pantene Beautiful Lengths, it is an 8 inch minimum. Pantene Beautiful Lengths makes wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer.

For Children With Hair Loss, it is an 8 inch minimum. Children With Hair Loss makes wigs for makes hair available to children under 21 with medically-related hair loss.

10 INCHES

For Locks of Love, it is a 10 inch minimum. Locks of Love makes wigs for kids under the age of 21 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.

For Childhood Leukemia Foundation, it is a 10 inch minimum. Childhood Leukemia Foundation offers a variety of services to children with cancer and their families, including providing custom-made 100 percent human hair wigs.

12 INCHES

For Wigs for Kids, it is a 12 inch minimum. Wigs for Kids makes wigs for children and teens under the age of 18 who have lost their hair due to medical reasons.

2. Ensuring that your hair is not damaged or dyed (i.e. chemically processed -- perms, color treated or highlights can't be accepted)

3. Make sure your hair is washed and dried.

4. For curly hair - good news - you can straighten it to meet those length requirements :)

Step 2: Making the Cut!

Get excited! You're about to help create a wig for a person in need!

1. Part your clean and dry hair down the middle.

2. Tie hair into at least 4 sections (6 are even better) around the head for a more generous donation.

3. Measure the amount that you are wanting to cut (with a minimum of 8 inches)

4. Make sure each ponytail or braid is tightly secured.

5. Cut hair above rubber band.

7. Place all your hair into a Ziploc bag

8. Mail the hair in a sealed envelope - preferably a padded envelope.

Step 3: Mail Your Hair!

Congratulations! You did it!

Now, mail your hair in a (preferably) padded envelope to the organization of your choice.

** NOTE: Many of the organizations have "hair donation forms" that you should fill out when mailing in your hair. This way, they can acknowledge your gift and so you know it got there safely **