In three years on campus, I've seen lots of girls growing their hair longer so they can donate a bit of it to charities that make wigs for cancer patients. However, it isn't just cancer patients that need wigs. There are other diseases that cause or involve hair loss - trichotillomania, for example. Who donates hair for that?
I'm not against donating to worthy causes. And these certainly are worthy causes. But a reality check is needed.
Wigs aren't necessarily things patients get for free. Synthetic wigs can be anywhere from $30 to $300, depending on style and length, with human hair wigs running from roughly $125 to as much as $1,000. These aren't 5 and Dime costume wigs - these are wigs that have to pass as real hair.
Imagine yourself without hair, but with stubble on your scalp where hair used to be. Imagine living with a roommate and going to classes with that condition. Would you want everyone to know you wear a wig? Would you want it that blatant? You'd want it to look as natural as possible. You'd feel that no one would love you or hang out with you. "Why would they?" you'd ask yourself. "Without your hair, I'm not attractive."
These are the types of thoughts that people with hair loss have running over and over in their minds. People who donate hair to charities should at least think about these things.
Jasmin Pues senior kitsune@udel.edu
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