By
Rebecca Missel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Clairol sponsors campus tour to benefit children
University of Arizona students donated their hair to charity yesterday on the UA Mall with the help of Clairol and Locks of Love.
Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that collects hair for children who suffer from permanent medical hair loss. Some of the children who receive wigs from the organization have the hair loss disease alopecia, have been through a fire or recurring chemotherapy.
"At these cut-a-thons, all the hair cut that is 10 inches or longer is used to make hairpieces for financially disadvantaged children," said Robin Zucker, consultant to Clairol.
During their 16-city nationwide tour, Clairol combines the charity aspect with one-on-one hair color consultations, a trivia game and product sample giveaways.
"Clairol feels great about doing things for kids," Zucker said.
At an average one-day campus visit, Locks of Love collects about 85 inches of hair from about eight people.
"But that doesn't even make one hairpiece," Zucker said. "It takes 10 to 15 ponytails to create one hairpiece."
Hair donations of 10 inches or longer go directly to Locks of Love - those measuring five to nine inches are sold by the organization to other wig makers to decrease manufacturing costs.
Once the children have the wigs, they are free to cut and style them as they choose. Since the pieces use all-natural hair and adhere to the scalp, children can swim and wash their hair without removal.
"The kids go to the salon and get their hair done to their style," Zucker said. "It goes with our philosophy to help people use our products to express who they are."
Cheri Davis, a communication senior, donated six inches of hair to help the cause.
"If I lost my hair I'd want something like this," she said. "It's especially great for kids because at that age they don't want to be different."
While Davis and other long-haired students chopped away, those with shorter locks looked on and supported the donors.
"It's a great program in getting hair for children because people like to get a new style," said Vanessa Gallego, an accounting freshman. "People need to hear about this because I just cut my hair and the next day I found out about this."
Zucker estimated that about 1,000 people would visit the van on the UA Mall yesterday.
Rebecca Missel can be reached at rebecca.missel@wildcat. arizona.edu.
