Should I go through with it????

[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).

[bmccasland]

Imdeanna - I had long hair, fine but lots of it, donated 13 inches to Locks of Love, and I still have shoulder length hair. If your hair is heavy enough to give you a headache, then cut it. On the initial cut, I still wanted longer hair, and asked that I would still be able to put it up in a pony tail for working out - which is how 13 inches got cut off. I couldn't go to short hair after having hair below my waist. It's amazing the weight off your head when it's cut, feels much better. I doubt I'll ever grow it real long again. So, get it cut, but you can stil have a longer style.

Back when I was married, and I had long hair, I was also working outside a lot, in the deserts of Arizona. Hubby liked my long hair, objected to the concept of a hair cut, but I had it cut anyway. Told him it was my head, and I'm hot! He adjusted.

[activediva]

I own a salon that cuts for free on behalf of locks of love. I was disappointed that they are not giving out thank you cards anymore and not giving salons the free advertising on their website to find us that they once used to. It's mostly kids who donate and I think they should be rewarded! I know they sell a lot of the hair donated. Not sure to who.

I contacted LOL about doing a specific fundraiser for a local child here who needed a wig and they would not even write back. I sent a envelope of letters requesting help and nothing. I sent emails, nothing.

I think they are a great cause, but not sure who's running it now and what their intentions are....I am disappointed.

If you are going to cut off enough to make a drastic change and are apprehensive - DO NOT DO IT. Wait until you hair is longer so the change won't be that noticeable. Anything over 6" is usually too drastic if you aren't ready. I see women cry all the time when they shock sets in. It grows back but hair usually only grows a half to one inch a month. It could take a year to come back.

[imdeanna]

Last night, while soaking in the tub....I glanced at my floating hair and got a very good feeling about donating my hair.....a calming affirmation that this is what I want to do.

I do completely trust the stylist, and am actually very excited to see what he does for me.....He's well known for looking at ones face features/shape/lifestyle and just creating the best doo.... I'm also going to get a couple colors thrown in.....to really update myself So that part is the exciting part for me...

Like 'singletrackmind' mentioned....my long hair has been the ONE 'girly' thing about me.....but honestly I am bored with it....and it's getting so long now that I think it's kind of looking stringy...so I haven't been all that happy about the way it looks lately, which is why I've worn it with the sides pulled into a pony tail for the last 6 months STRAIGHT!!

So not sure why I'm scared to do this.....maybe just a a fear of the unknown.

[imdeanna]

It was a wonderful experience!!! I really enjoyed my 2 hours at this Salon!
Here's the results: Before........and After...........

Oh....and I was able to donate 12" !!!!