the decision to cut and donate my hair, by Sienna says

I recently made one of the biggest decisions in my life.

I decided to… cut and donate 8 inches of my hair.

Now, this might not seem like a big deal to some, or maybe it is a major big deal to others.

It was the latter to me. I could end up absolutely traumatized, or elated with an entirely new persona.

Cutting my hair by so much is not something that I had not really considered on a day-to-day basis. But, I HAVE always wanted to donate my hair. Maybe not 8 inches, but I did like the idea of donating it. 

My mom and I did some research and found that 8 inches was the shortest amount that I could donate, so I decided that 8 inches off would be it.

During the snow week in Dallas, I went to a nearby hair salon (with friends for moral support) and cut off a major part of me.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t love the length. My hair now is to my collarbone, which is a lot shorter then I’m used to.

But, I would 100% do it again. I don’t regret cutting it (even if I’m not exactly happy with the length) because now a young person will get a free wig of hair.

I donated my hair through an organization called Children With Hair Loss. 

Unlike other organizations, they give human hair replacements at no cost to children and young adults struggling with alopecia and any other medical-related hair loss, such as children going through chemo treatments. This organization recognizes the many causes of medical hair loss for children.

Donating my hair was the way that I could empathize with those in need. It made me realize that cutting off that much hair was such a big deal to me, but it was actually nothing. It will grow back.

It also forced me to consider where my hair was going and what the child that receives it would feel. I can only imagine the joy that goes into receiving a free wig of real hair for someone who has lost their own.

I’m so glad that I was able to impact someone’s life in that way, and probably will donate every time I cut my hair from now on. 

To read another article relating to hair donation, click here.

For more information on donating your hair, please click on one of the following: in the US, Children With Hair Loss, Locks of Love, Wigs for Kids, Hair We Share; in the UK, Little Princess Trust; and in the Netherlands, Stichting Haarwensen.