How-To: Donating to a Good Cause

(Feature photo by Sarah Komisky and various hair photos by Selma Komisky)

By Sarah Komisky

I love the idea of making someone else feel beautiful. In 2009, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. My aunt was also a survivor, and my grandma is a stomach cancer survivor. I’ve had the honor of journeying with these brave women and it was always on my heart to give back in a way that would make someone feel pretty when they otherwise would not. That is why I decided to grow and now cut my hair. The experience has been amazing and it has left me with so much joy knowing that someone else can have something that could lift their spirits, and I could play a part in a small way. I would encourage anyone who is willing to make the cut and experience the reward that comes when you give of yourself and donate to a worthy cause that can change a life. Here are some tips and educational info I learned along the way.

Donation Tips Via Pantene:

Donation Education

When you donate your hair, you are giving a precious gift to a woman in need. We want to make sure not a single gift is wasted, so please be sure your hair meets these requirements before you make the cut. If it doesn’t, we won’t be able to turn your beautiful gift into a wig.

To Be Made Into a Wig, Your Hair Must Be:

8 inches minimum
Not dyed, bleached, or chemically treated
No more than 5% gray

Here’s why bleached, permanently colored or gray hair is restricted:

It takes at least 8 to 15 ponytails to make a Pantene Beautiful Lengths wig, and each one comes from a different person with a different shade of hair. For a realistic-looking wig that has consistent color, all these ponytails must be processed and then dyed the same shade. It is critical for each ponytail to absorb dyes at the same rate in order to create a wig that is one natural-looking color. Gray hair and some chemically treated or permanently colored hair does not absorb dye at the same rate as other types of hair. It is much harder to color and, once colored, fades more quickly.

Preparing Your Hair: DO

Use a conditioner after every wash to help keep hair moisturized and protected against damage.
Use a spray, leave-in conditioner for extra protection when using heated hair appliances.
Look for new technology in your drying and styling tools to help minimize damage.
Avoid excessive teasing of hair, as it can uplift cuticles, making them fragile and susceptible to breakage.
Use deep-conditioning treatments once a week, or as often as needed, to help minimize split ends and keep hair in top condition.

Preparing Your Hair: DON’T

Use a brush on wet hair when you step out of the shower; once hair is washed and conditioned, use a comb with smooth, wide-set teeth to gently detangle hair, working from tip to root.
Attempt to blow-dry soaking wet hair immediately; to expedite your blow-out process and help prevent thermal damage, towel-wrap your hair for 10-15 minutes and remove excess water before using a blow-dryer.
Overbrush hair; despite the common myth that 100 strokes a day are good for hair, this can lead to breakage. Regular, gentle brushing promotes hair health and natural oil distribution.
Wait more than eight weeks to get hair trimmed; regular salon visits are essential to keeping hair healthy and beautiful.

For more information visit: https://pantene.com/en-us/brandexperience/make-the-cut

Ideas For Donating:

*Note: Not every company gives wigs for free. Do your research and find the ones that do.

Here are my picks:

Pantene Beautiful Lengths

https://pantene.com/en-us/experience-main-section2/beautiful-lengths

Wigs for Kids

https://www.wigsforkids.org/

My Photo Journal