Hair needed: Children with Hair Loss, The Longhairs hoping to set new world record
SOUTH ROCKWOOD — Monroe County residents can help South Rockwood's Children with Hair Loss benefit from a world record.
On March 16, CWHL's partner The Longhairs will hold its second The Great Cut in San Diego. The Longhairs will try to beat its own 2019 Guinness World Record for the most hair donated to charity in 24 hours. At The Great Cut 2019, more than 2,830 people donated 339 pounds of hair. All hair donations go to CWHL. The Great Cut 2019 also raised $50,000 for CWHL.
Hair will be cut in-person in San Diego, but donors also can register in advance and mail in hair donations for The Great Cut. So far hundreds have been received.
“They have to be there by March 16, so check with the postal system to see how long it takes. Donors also need to register through The Great Cut website in advance for it to count for Guinness Book. There is a fee to donate," Regina Villemure, Children with Hair Loss founder, said.
Hair donations must be at least eight inches long, but 14 inches is preferred. For The Great Cut 2019, hair was mailed in from across the U.S. and dozens of other locations, including Australia and Japan.
To learn more about mail donations and to register, visit thegreatcut.us/pages/donate-hair.
CWHL provides free hair prosthetics for children who have medical hair loss from conditions such as cancer, alopecia and autoimmune conditions. To date, it’s provided more than 8,000 wigs.
“Insurance does not cover what we cover for the kids. At a retail hair replacement center, it could cost $3,000 to $8,000," Villemure said. "These are very high-end prosthetics, not something you (put on for dress-up). It’s something these kids really need emotionally and to feel good about themselves.”
The Longhairs is a men’s grooming brand that offers masculine hair products. Founded in 2014, it’s also become a community for men with long hair. In 2017, The Longhairs learned about CWHL. Two years later it held the first The Great Cut and set the world record. The Longhairs and other donors took five years to grow their hair back in time for The Great Cut 2024.
Villemure said seven from South Rockwood are going to San Diego on March 16.
“It’s so high energy and so much fun. The energy those guys have is amazing," Villemure said.
The Longhairs expect more than 500 will donate hair in person at the event. Among the donors will be Longhairs founders Chris Healy of Fresno and Lindsay Barto of San Diego. Healy will donate more than 28 inches of hair. Lindsay will cut at least 14 inches. Sean Horton, Longhairs creative director, will cut 23 inches of hair in honor of his dad, who died of cancer in 2017.
The Longhairs, based in San Diego, also donates one percent of its sales to CWHL.
“They have been the greatest partner," Villemure said. "They come in for our Charity Ball, they MC it. They are amazing with the recipient children. They way their connect with the kids, the kids just love them. They design special hair ties for the kids. They give out their hair ties and really get to know the kids. They give to our golf outing and anything else we need.”
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Villemure said CWHL has a hair prosthetic manufacture that's based in San Diego. Several hair donations are often needed to create just one hairpiece.
“Several ponytails are needed to tie into the wig. It depends on how thick the ponytails are. If they are skinny, it could take 30. Some need just two or three," she said.
“The donations made through The Great Cut are so important,” Healy said. “They make an enormous difference for children and families."
To learn more, visit thegreatcut.us/pages/donate-hair, childrenwithhairloss.org and thelonghairs.us.
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Hair needed: Children with Hair Loss, The Longhairs hoping to set new world record
