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Hi - My sister is going to those "locks of love" people - I've read a lot on the internet/usenet about them being a scam, i.e. selling most of the hair they get and making very few actual wigs, but can't find any hard evidence such as number of wigs made, etc. Anyone know where I can get any?
thanks, dave
by the way I was on this board about 3-4 years ago for awhile, right now I have hair almost to the bottom of my ears, a couple inches longer in the back, shorter bangs. When I brush it back, kinda like Paul Atreides from David Lynch's "Dune" if anyone knows what that is.
One thing I can tell you in that I was looking on eBay today and came across a Locks of Love wig that someone no longer needs. The seller says she paid Locks of Love $600 for it. So much for "charity" in "giving" wigs to people.
Who says they don't give it away? They do, really. They just charge you for the 'labor' to make the wig. Kinda like that bogus scam where you 'donate' blood to the blood bank and they sell it back to you at the hospital because they had to screen it.
Tell her not to bother.
What exactly do you mean by this? They don't have "people". Is she getting a wig? If you mean she is "donating" her hair, then it is up to her to send it in.
I think the following might be the information you're looking for:
A little math using information from LoL's own website and the BBB:
LoL receives about 2000 donations per week, by mail.
That's 104,000 per year.
Let's say that only half of that is usable for wigs.(Or use another fraction, if you desire.)
That's 52,000 per year.
It takes 6-10 ponytails to make a wig.
Ok, let's say each one takes 10.
That's potentially 5200 wigs per year.
Now, in fiscal year 2002, how many wigs did LoL provide? 113.
Let's take this a little farther....
Let's say it takes 10 donated ponytails to make one wig. They made 113 wigs in 2002.
113 wigs x 10 ponytails each = 1130 total ponytails used to make wigs in 2002.
They received 2000 ponytail donations per week, which is 104,000 per year.
That means that Locks of Love only uses 1% of the ponytails donated by good meaning people. You only have one chance out of 100 that your donated hair will go directly into a wig for a child.
Most of the hair LOL receives is either sold or just thrown away. A lot of people cut their hair, send it in, then LOL turns around an throws it in the trash. You could just save time and throw it in the trash at home.
The wigs are not given to families for free. Some have to pay up to $2000 for a wig!
Their stated purpose is to make wigs for alopecia sufferers, but news stories and talk shows say the wigs are for children with cancer who lose their hair to chemo. This gets more human interest from their audiences. But chemo patients are generally better served medically and functionally with synthetic wigs, and many are more comfortable with turbans or caps. Most children with cancer prefer not to wear wigs. The organization seems to make no effort to correct the misconception about who gets the wigs.
The Better Business Bureau has found them not to be totally compliant in following proper procedures for administering a charity. Look them up at the BBB.
Locks of Love has publicly acknowledged that they have ample supplies of hair, but they make no effort to switch their solicitations to cash rather than more hair. All they seem to want is for more and more people to cut off their hair. This seems to be much more important to the press, the organization, and its proponents than the wig making.
According to some in the medical field, synthetic wigs are better for cancer patients than natural hair wigs. If one wants to help cancer patients directly, a local hospital will welcome them with open arms.
If your sister wants to cut her hair because that's what SHE wants to do, then fine. But she shouldn't feel pressured to do it for LOL.
I said n/t! WHY DO YOU READ THIS YOU FOOL?! :D
She's planning on donating her hair - I just don't want her to give them her hair if they just end up selling it or something, i.e. if it's a scam.
Go the the page on ways to deal with reactions.
I've gotten some of the info from LOL's own FAQ page so you might also refer to that for some enlightening facts.
