I Donated My Hair

After months of changing my mind, ten minutes of brushing my hair everyday, and 9 inches later, I have (finally) cut my hair. I really have been wanting to take the plunge for a while now, and deciding to donate my hair really helped me take that leap.

My hair was really long. It would take me 10 minutes just to brush my hair in the morning because it knots up so fast. It really was time to cut it, but I've had long hair for about 7 years now. It was comfortable and easy. I let it air dry and out the door I went.

Enough was enough. With summer coming soon, I really didn't want to go through another Southern summer with 100+ degrees and 100% humidity causing my ponytail to stick to my neck and back. Because my hair is very fine, I can't do messy buns and so there was no way to escape the heat.

While in college, I had to take a communications class (you're probably wondering what in the world this has to do with hair, but bear with me). One project we had to do was to give a speech on a non-profit organization. One of my classmates talked about an organization called Pantene Beautiful Lengths. If any of you use drugstore shampoo, Pantene will sound familiar. They are in essence the same thing as Locks for Love. That's where everyone sends their donations to! Well, in my classmate's presentation, she informed us that Locks for Love actually charges recipients for their wigs! Why would I donate my hair for free when someone doesn't get their wig they really need for free?? This was a big shock to me. Pantene's program allows any woman who has lost her hair due to cancer to receive a free wig made from real hair. I love that I can help a strong woman who has battled cancer to feel beautiful and confident because of my hair.

I went to a local salon, and my hairdresser did a fantastic job! With Pantene, their donation minimum is 8 inches, and I cut off 9 just in case. My stylist made me feel very relaxed through a time that I was a little anxious about. Turns out she had donated her hair several times but had stopped when she found out that Locks for Love charged for their wigs! Because I told her about Pantene's program, she said that she would donate her hair again to them! She styled my hair in a long-bob kind of fashion and event took into consideration that I am an avid behind-the-ear-tucker.

I love my new look! I can't believe it took me almost a year to make the cut! It feels so healthy, and I'm so glad that I was able to donate my hair. Two birds with one stone, right?

FYI: This post is not promoted by Pantene. This is something that I found out about on my own and decided to do to help women who have struggled with cancer.

#hair #donate #pantene