Helping Children With Hair Loss

For children who have lost their hair due to a diagnosed medical condition, a hairpiece can help restore a sense of normalcy and help boost their self-esteem.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that aims to provide financially disadvantaged children who suffer from conditions such as alopecia with custom-made hair prosthetics.

Hair is donated by people across the U.S. and Canada. Although most patients need long-term solutions, the donations are also used to make synthetic hair pieces for kids facing short-term hair loss from chemotherapy.

Writing for the Hattiesburg American, mother Amy Williams Backstrom describes how her daughter's desire to donate hair was an inspiration for her to do the same.

"As I sat in the chair watching my daughter smile from ear to ear as her long hair was being cut, I witnessed a pure act of kindness," Backstrom writes.

Even though her hair had not been cut short since second grade, Backstrom decided that the gift of her hair "grossly outweighs any pride or vanity I might have."

Locks of Love estimates that 80 percent of their hair donations come from kids who want to help other children.