Comments on: 10 Bizarre Uses for Your Discarded Hair

By: Andi

Andi — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:05:35 +0000

That’s interesting that Elvis’ hair has supposedly been found because I read in more than one book that the hair was burned right after to avoid fans stealing it. Although Colon Tom Parker was quoted as saying “I know a lot of people who would pay good money for that hair!”

I know this is an old post, but I’ve been working through the list archives here and couldn’t resist talking about Elvis :)

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:22:04 +0000

This is a pretty amazing article, and I am shocked and how many creative ways people have used their excess hair, but one good option that you didn’t mention is that Locks of Love is always looking for good hair donations.

By: Estee

Estee — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:51:34 +0000

My daughter donated 14 inches of hair when she cut it (it had been waist-length) to Zichron Menachem. First it was braided, tied on both ends, then cut (after which the hairdresser cleaned up the cut) and we mailed it in. It was a very different experience- it made me think at the time of all the hair that usually gets swept away. Never thought of cleaning oil spills with it.

By: PunKid

PunKid — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:13:15 +0000

I once heard of someone who incorporated some of her own hair into a hand-made wool sweater. I personally don’t find it creepy, but the question in my mind is “why???”

By: bryan

bryan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:11:37 +0000

SKZ, sorry to say, but you can only collect DNA from the roots, not the hair itself. Good idea though!

By: tambalina

tambalina — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:53:36 +0000

@Cy Guy (or anyone else looking to donate hair to Locks of Love): LOL touts its reputation on providing wigs to children with cancer. Unfortunately, human hair wigs are not given to cancer patients as it is considered a “temporary condition”. Instead, *synthetic* wigs are given to the children most people desire to donate their hair to.

Who gets human hair wigs? Children with alopecia. Still a noble cause, but all wigs are sold on a sliding scale based on the parents’ income. They are not even donated!

The vast majority of the hair that is donated is sold for profit to commercial wigmakers and hair extention manufacturers. This would be fine, in theory, as to offset the cost of production, shipping, etc. But consider this: LOL collects enough hair to make roughly 10,000 wigs a year, yet they made less than 350 wigs in 2008. That is a lot of hair that is unaccounted for.

LOL is supposed to be a non-profit organization, but they have refused to release their financial records as required. They have been reported to the BBB numerous times for this infraction and have not met the requirements to be considered a reputable charity organizations.

If you choose to donate your hair, please research the company you are planning to give your hair to. LOL is definitely not the best company to give that precious gift to.

By: Sara in AL

Sara in AL — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:59:35 +0000

Right on, Cy Guy. That’s what I do. We do have a wreath of my father’s grand-aunts, hair. I think she was his grand-aunt.

By: Cy Guy

Cy Guy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:45:20 +0000

BETTER IDEA: Donate it to Locks of Love or a similar charity (Little Princesses, Sofia's Hair 4 Health, Wigs for Kids, Pantene Beautiful Lengths, Zichron Menachem) that uses it to provide hair pieces for cancer and alopecia patients.

By: Marty

Marty — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:31:48 +0000

The Museum of Funeralry Customs in Springfield, IL had some interesting examples of hair jewelry from Victorian times. Fascinating place, which sadly, I just found out, closed earlier this year.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:47:15 +0000

#10 is completely creepy. OK, they’re all a little creepy.