MetaChat - I want to donate my hair, but a lot of it is grey.

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16 November 2009

I want to donate my hair, but a lot of it is grey. →[More:]My hair is down to my lower back (that's me with the braid and the shawl). I wash and condition it regularly. I brush it at least twice daily. I don't color. I don't perm.

It's healthy, but not ok for the usual donation options, because of the grey. This is frustrating.

I'm ready to get a haircut. I've searched, and grey hair is only sold, not made into wigs for older ladies getting chemo, it seems. This frustrates me.

Any best option will be considered.
Thanks, y'all.

post by: lilywing13 at: 04:38 | 14 comments

a former coworker donated his belt-length ponytail to locks of love years ago, and his hair was grey. They won't take it?

posted by pinky.p 16 November | 07:30

This is surprising. Surely they can dye it? I have no advice, but share in your frustration.

posted by Specklet 16 November | 07:35

Gray hair does not accept dye as well as other hair colors, and is more brittle. Sorry that you can't donate.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 16 November | 07:40

One of my friends recently donated her hair, and she definitely had some gray in there. Let me ask her where she donated it.

posted by box 16 November | 09:28

Wow you have lovely hair. I don't see why locks-of-love would turn that down, lots of women want their 'real' haircolor in wigs and this includes ladies who have grey streaks, can't they us it as-is? You have hair a plenty!

posted by dabitch 16 November | 10:10

My hair is probably a wee bit more grey than yours, lilywing. All the looking about I did when my hair was long said nay on grey except to sell it.

posted by deborah 16 November | 10:33

I sent my 11" braid to locks of love. They will sell it, or do something constructive with it, to raise money.

posted by danf 16 November | 10:51

:) Bless you for doing this. I'm not spiritual or anything but having been someone with a very minor case of alopecia in my early days, I know how even a little hair loss for a woman - let alone a child - feels. Even if they can't make it into a wig, I think Locks Of Love can sell it to help offset the cost of making wigs.

posted by eatdonuts 16 November | 11:08

in the spring i donated 19" of hair to cancer kids and these were the only requirements . i felt so good from donating it that i'me going to grow it out again and make another donation (though i wont grow it that long again as they only require a minimum of 8-10 inches)

posted by rollick 16 November | 12:34

I did a little googling and some sources said that Locks of Love doesn't bother to re-donate the gray they just toss it. Most sources I checked recommend Look Good Feel Better so maybe try contacting them?

posted by rmless2 16 November | 12:39

Another link

posted by rmless2 16 November | 12:41

My friend reports:
hey joe, most of the hair donated goes to children with alopecia arreata, not kids with cancer (as most of us believe). if that friend donates her hair, the money will still go to the organization making wigs for kids. my hair has some grey but i went ahead and sent it to locks of love. they can pull out the few strands of grey or sell it to fund their services.

posted by box 16 November | 13:43

Thanks, everyone!

posted by lilywing13 16 November | 16:49

From the Locks of Love website:

Gray hair will be accepted and sold to offset the manufacturing costs.

posted by Elsa 16 November | 17:30

← This just charmed me. || DOA by Bloodrock (1972). →

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