Should I go through with it????

[Tri Girl]

I guess if you'll regret it, don't do it.

I've grown my hair out 3 times for Locks of Love (and each time I've gone to a guy that charges me $75 for just the cut because I trust him to make it look good- otherwise for trims I go to Super Cuts for $13). It makes me feel so happy each time I get to send it in because I have to go to the website to get the address and I see all the pictures of the bald children smiling with their new hair made just for them (boy, that was a run-on big time). It'll make you feel so good to do something so nice for a child.

I, too, am the heaviest I've been in many, many years. I just got my hair all chopped off a few months ago. I, too, had just been pulling it back. I was so excited to have my new short do. It is actually more flattering for my face and I look younger, to boot.

You have to decide for yourself, so go with your gut. I don't think you'll regret a chance to help a child and to get a great new style!

[withm]

Oh I think this a good cause. You'll probably find having less hair to deal with somewhat liberating. And really, if you don't like it, as my mother always said, "It's just hair; it will grow."

[Brandi]

Go for it! I think it is great. And it is for a Very good cause. I know a few people who have benefited from people's donated hair. Yours will grow back, there's won't. It is just hair! No regrets! This is a very good thing!

[motochick]

My hair was always down to my butt, now it is VERY short. I love how easy it is to maintain, but I do look better with long hair. I am just way too active to go long again. Too many sports that require helmets and it was just too hot. I love the freedom I have now with short hair. It is for a great cause, and it will grow back.

Brenda

[redrhodie]

I had a nightmare last night that I cut my hair and had huge regrets, so I'm commenting with that fresh in my mind. If you have an upcoming event where you're going to be photgraphed, I wouldn't do it. If you're just living your normal life, and it's not that big a deal if you hate it, go for it. If you're going to feel awful if your husband hates it, don't do it. If you don't care what he thinks, go for it.

It's a good cause, but if you're going to feel bad, just donate some money to charity instead. There are plenty of good causes that won't take a toll on your self esteem.

[Blueberry]

OK - some facts on Locks of Love:

They sell a LOT of the hair they get. It doesn't necessarily go into a wig.

They also DO NOT MAKE wigs from human hair for kids with cancer. Only alopecia.

From Wikipedia:
Locks of Love has received criticism for its practice of selling donated hair, rather than using it in wigs as the donors expect. According to a 2003 report by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, in 2002 alone Locks of Love had raised over $150,000 by selling donated hair and had received another $213,000 in charitable contributions and grants, but provided only 113 human-hair and 39 synthetic wigs.

Locks of Love representatives are frequent guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show and other daytime television shows, where they provide haircuts to guests and audience members. Though the representatives and show hosts normally suggest that the hair collected during the show will go into a wig, that the wigs are given free of charge to children with cancer, neither of these outcomes are guaranteed

If you want to cut it, cut it. But I WOULD NOT make a donation based upon what they would do with the hair.

CA

[OakLeaf]

Charity Navigator rates them four stars. According to their latest IRS filings, they spent over 90% of revenues on program expenses. That's a very high percentage. They're not listed on Charity Watch, though - which isn't necessarily a bad sign, but if they were, it would mean that they'd been through the American Institute of Philanthropy's more extensive review process.

Honestly? I'd never heard of the "Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance," and they don't have a current report on Locks of Love. Note that the Wikipedia article has no citations for the Better Business Bureau report. As an overall organization, I don't consider BBB to be much more trustworthy than Wikipedia. The Wikipedia article also acknowledges that "Hair that is less than ten inches or grey is separated from the donations and sold to offset manufacturing costs." If most of their donations come in-kind as hair, obviously they need cash to meet their operating expenses, and selling some of the donated hair would be a way to get that cash.

If you have a financial advisor, they should have access to the detailed reports from GuideStar and AIP. I personally don't know anything about Locks of Love, and it's always good to be skeptical when considering a donation, but these are the resources I normally use to check out a charity.

[singletrackmind]

I had mine chopped off for Locks of Love and it was weird but I was ok with that. When I went in to have it done I had trepidations but overall felt good about it. It's almost to my butt again but I'm having trouble letting go. I was glad to have done it and will do it again....I just want to enjoy having it again for a little bit longer...I really missed it while it was gone. Though it was nice how little time it took to dry, not sitting on it, someone else not sitting on it, cooler in the summer, etc. Still....I missed it, it's my one and only nod towards being my version of girly.
If your hair doesn't fit the criteria listed, such as greyed, colored, permed, etc, then I wouldn't do it since they prolly wouldn't use it anyway.

There's also Wigs for Kids (min 12", grey ok) and Pantene's Beautiful Lengths (min 8", can be up to 5% grey).