You brush it every day, wash it with fancy shampoo and slather it with conditioner. You give it hot oil treatments and use covered rubber bands so it won’t snag. You care for it for months and then you leave it in a heap on your hairdresser’s floor so it can be swept up, thrown in a plastic bag, and dumped in the garbage.

Since you go to such lengths to care for your hair (no pun intended), donate it, so it can help someone else feel beautiful too.

Wigs for Kids provides full-cranium prosthetic hair pieces to children suffering from hair loss due to medical conditions, chemotherapy, and severe burns.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths uses donated hair to make wigs for women who have hair loss during cancer treatments.

Locks of Love provides prosthetic hairpieces to disadvantaged children suffering from long-term hair loss.

In the UK, the Little Princess Trust provides wigs to children with cancer and other illnesses that cause hair loss.

Each organization has different requirements for hair donation, so research before you cut. Most organizations require at least 8-10 inches.  Some will accept grey and/or color treated hair, so don’t let that stop you, and men can donate too.

My husband and I recently donated two ponytails totaling 29 inches of hair.  It was such a fun thing to do together and a great way to recycle for a good cause.  Making a committment to growing your hair out with a friend or spouse makes it easier to resist that “Oh, I just want to cut it all off” feeling before it’s long enough.

Make sure to use eco-friendly products to care for your hair while it grows.