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March 2004

Locks of Love


Nearly five million Americans are afflicted with alopecia areata, an autoimmune skin disease that causes hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body to fall out.

The body's immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles, leading to stunted or even arrested hair growth. The disease is not life threatening, but the National Alopecia Areata Foundation says it is certainly life altering.

The disease typically begins during childhood and it can be psychologically devastating, particularly for young girls. Madonna Coffman's daughter Abigail developed the disease at age 4. She recovered, which is uncommon, but Madonna, a former cardiac rehab nurse, decided to dedicate her efforts to running the non-profit charity Locks of Love because of her family's experiences.

WHAT ARE THEY, AND WHO'S ELIGIBLE?

Locks of Love gives these extraordinary prostheses to financially disadvantaged children for free.

The retail cost of the wigs start at about $3,000 and can go up to $6,000, depending on the length of hair. They're all made by hand with 150,000 real human hairs attached, one by one. These hairs are put into a soft silicone base that is tinted to match the child's complexion.

The base is made from a mold of the child's head, and it displaces air and creates a vacuum seal. This is unique because normal wigs are held on by tape or glue and can't get wet, thereby limiting the children's activities, as well as making them susceptible to falling off or being pulled off by other children.

Locks of Love does not discriminate as to the cause of hair loss, but it does require that the hair loss is long term -- meaning a period of a year or longer. Children undergoing chemo are usually not eligible.

Madonna says at least 90 percent of the recipients suffer from alopecia, and the other boys and girls are brain cancer survivors who lost their hair through radiation, trauma victims (like burns or dog bites) and other dermatological conditions that cause hair loss.

HOW CAN I APPLY?

To qualify for one of these hairpieces, contact Locks of Love for an application. Once the child is approved, Locks of Love will send the family a molding kit, which includes a step-by-step instruction video.

The kids get to choose the color and length of their new hair. The wigs are made in Indonesia, so it usually takes at least four months for each one to get made.

Madonna says they can last up to three years, and kids can continue to receive replacement wigs up until the age of 18. She says there is no waiting list, and in a typical month, 20 to 30 prostheses are sent out.

HOW CAN I HELP?

Hundreds of hairdressers across the country donate their time and talents to Locks of Love. If you are interested in donating your hair, it must be at least 10 inches long. Then, look on the Locks of Love Website for a hairdresser in your area -- your haircut will be free.

The longest hair donation they've received was 56 inches long and the oldest was a set of braids from the 1800s that had been in someone's family for generations. Madonna says since hair doesn't change, they could actually use that donation. If your hair isn't long enough, Locks of Love also accepts financial donations to help underwrite the cost the wigs.