Moments With Mary is dedicated to improving the quality of life to those who have been touched by cancer or other life threatening illnesses.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Mary Johnson, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Mary Johnson and her own personal experiences. Mary Johnson encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. None of the above is meant to diagnose, treat, prescribe or claim to cure any disease. Readers are always advised that they should consult with their own medical practitioners and medical professionals for the diagnoses, care, treatment or cure of any health condition.

Stories

March 2010

Requirements for Donating Your Hair
To make wigs for cancer patients

DO use a conditioner after every wash to help keep hair moisturized and protected against damage.
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.
DO use a spray, leave-in conditioner for extra protection when using heated hair appliances.
DON'T 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.
DO look for new technology in your drying and styling tools to help minimize damage.
DO use a root-lifter spray to achieve volume; avoid excessive teasing of hair, as it can uplift cuticles, making them fragile and susceptible to breakage.
DON'T over brush 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.
DO use deep-conditioning treatments once a week, or as often as needed, to help minimize split ends and keep hair in top condition.
DON'T wait more than eight weeks to get hair trimmed; regular salon visits are essential in keeping hair healthy and beautiful.

In order to make the most beautiful, realistic and durable wigs, donated hair must meet the requirements below.

1. Donated hair must be a minimum of 8 inches long (measure hair from just above the elastic band of the ponytail to the ends).
2. Wavy/curly hair texture is fine—you may straighten hair to measure.
3. Hair should be freshly washed and completely dry, without any styling products.
4. Hair may be colored with vegetable dyes, rinses and semi-permanent dyes. It cannot be bleached, permanently colored or chemically treated.

Here's why:
It takes at least six ponytails to make Beautiful Lengths wig; in general, each ponytail comes from a different person and is a different color. Even though some hair colors may look similar, including gray hair, each is completely unique.
For a realistic-looking wig that has consistent color throughout, donated ponytails must be processed and then dyed to the same shade. It is critical for each ponytail to absorb dyes at the same rate in order to create wigs of consistent, natural-looking color.
Gray hair, as well as 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.
Most permanently-colored hair, once it is processed and re-colored, is too fragile and breakable under the rigorous processing required during the production of a Beautiful Lengths wig.
In appreciation of the sacrifice that a hair donation requires, Beautiful Lengths only accepts hair it knows can be used for its intended purposes.