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Many brave redhead women have shared their hair-loss stories with us, whether it was due to cancer or another reason. It can be very difficult to find a red wig because the hair color is incredibly rare. And, good quality red wigs are simply hard to come by. If you’re a kid, it can be almost impossible since most wigs or hair pieces are for adults only.
That’s why we wanted to tell you about Wigs for Kids. It provides hairpieces for children suffering from hair loss. Wondering what makes them different?
Here are 10 things you might not know about the organization:
1. Wigs for Kids was founded by hairdresser Jeffrey Paul when childhood hair loss hit particularly close to home. His young niece was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 15 years old. She was desperate not to lose her hair before gymnastic tryouts and begged her uncle to help. Mr. Paul worked with doctors and prosthetics specialists to create a wig for her, which was so successful that it led to Wigs for Kids.
2. The minimum donation length is 12 inches to ensure they can use hair donations. They’re also only able to accept hair that has not been colored or chemically treated. Dyed hair is unable to withstand the processes we use to create the hairpieces.
3. All of the hairpieces are provided to recipients free of charge. The organization wants children to live their lives and look themselves, and believes they shouldn’t have to worry about financing a hairpiece. Wigs for Kids relies on donations to continue to offer free hairpieces.
4. Children experience hair loss for multiple reasons. Wigs for Kids provides hairpieces for children going through chemotherapy for cancer treatments and also for children with alopecia, trichotillomania, burns and more.
5. The hairpieces are custom made and created entirely from donated human hair. Each individual hair is hand-tied into a custom created cap made to fit the child’s head. Wigs for Kids works with a state-of-the-art facility to make hairpieces that will stand up to all the activities children love, whether it’s swimming, running or playing sports.
6. In many areas, Wigs for Kids now have a network of affiliate salons where stylists are Certified Service Providers who work with recipients every step of the way to help measure for hairpieces, choose colors and textures, and fit, style and care for their wigs. Their affiliate network is growing!
7. For children with conditions such as alopecia where hair loss continues over time, Wigs for Kids doesn’t stop with one wig. They often work with children and their families over the course of several years, fitting them with new hairpieces as they grow.
8. Because of the custom creation process, it can take up to 20-30 ponytails to create a hairpiece. It also takes approximately $1,800 to cover the needs of one child for a year: processing, supplies, quality checks, hair care maintenance products, working with salons to collect hair, meeting with children’s families and much more.
9. Find online forms on WigsforKids.org for applying for a hairpiece, donating hair, and even becoming an ambassador or affiliate salon.
10. It’s our 35th anniversary this year, and they’re ready to celebrate! Wigs for Kids is so honored to have been able to produce the highest-quality hairpieces for children for such a long time, and excited to continue doing so in the future.
Wigs for Kids is always looking for more hair donations, and red hair is among the rarest of the hair colors they receive. They do get requests for red hairpieces and want to be able to help redheads who have lost their hair!
If you’re thinking of donating your hair, there’s never a better time than now. Find hair donation information here.
Want more information? Visit the Wigs for Kids Facebook page!
Photo Credit: Wigs For Kids
