Ask Karen - September 2000

September 30, 2000
Locks Of Love - Am I Being Selfish?

Question

Dear Karen,

You seem like such a nice person from everything I have seen you write at HairBoutique.com. I have a problem and I am feeling really terrible about it. I also have read that you are a professional women in your 40s and have very long hair.

I have naturally dark blonde hair to my knees. It is thick and healthy and I take very good care of it. In fact, I want to tell you that I think HairBoutique.com has the best long hair tips and styles and information that I have ever seen anywhere. Other sites advertise that they have long hair styling information, but nothing even close to what you offer.

At any rate, I am 45 and a lawyer in the South. My sister told me that I look too old with long hair and that I don't look professional enough. She said that I need to cut my hair at least to collar length.

I have resisted all of her comments until about 2 weeks ago. She gave me an article about a charity group in Florida that is called Locks Of Love. The article mentions that this charity takes donations of long hair for children that are suffering from diseases that have rendered them bald.

My sister told me that I should be a good person and donate my hair and that it is time for me to improve my professional image. Quite frankly Karen, I don't want to do this because I love my hair.

I did a search on Locks of Love on your site and did not find anything. I know that you donate to breast cancer and believe in charities but I am wondering if you have any information on Locks of Love and if you think I am being selfish for wanting to keep my hair.

Thanks.

Jayne

Answer

Dear Jayne,

First let me thank you for the nice things you said about HairBoutique.com. We do try very hard to provide as much information about hair of all types, lengths and for all types of people. Yes, I do have a soft spot for long hair because I have very long hair that I have been growing for years. You are right, I am President/CEO of a software company in addition to running HairBoutique.com.

I mostly wear my hair down below my waist and it doesn't seem to matter. My business customers seem most concerned with the software that my company manufacturers and less concerned about my hair length.

You letter makes me sad because I get so many that are similar. So many women with long hair are pushed, prodded and bullied into cutting their hair by a variety of "well meaning" friends, relatives and associates. I could go on for quite some time about this but will cut to the chase and tell you to listen only to your heart about your hair. It is YOUR hair. It is your body and your life. Do what makes you feel best about you.

You are correct, I do not purposely have any information on HairBoutique.com about the Locks of Love organization. I do not personally believe that Locks of Love is completely open with the public about how they run their organization. Yes, I believe strongly in charitable causes. HairBoutique.com and my other company, T&S Software have both donated as much as they could afford to the breast cancer cause. HairBoutique.com is currently sponsoring Tricia Brown in her 60 mile Avon walk in October. We have donated 10% of the profits from our store during May and are doing so again in September.

It is my personal opinion that there are still a lot of unknowns about Locks of Love. One thing that concerns me personally is that even though a very large number of people send their hair to Locks of Love every year, only a very small percentage of that hair is reportedly used on wigs for children. What happens to the rest of that hair? It is hard to say and I don't believe that the Locks of Love organization has fully disclosed enough of what they do with the "leftover" hair to be satisfied with their answers.

I encourage people to do what they believe is right but I also encourage people to research the facts before they make a donation of any sort whether it be hair or money. So many people believe that they are donating their beloved hair to a cause and that it will become a wig for a hairless child when that may not even be close to the reality. Since the Locks of Love organization does not disclose as much information as I believe they should, it is hard to really know what happens to hair that is not used for wigs for children.

I have gotten several emails over the past 3 years from people who have accused me of being selfish for not considering donating my hair to Locks of Love. I tell people who try to bully me into donating my hair that I generously give to worthy charities that I believe are honest and addressing a cause that is close to my heart.

Tell your sister that you will make a financial donation in her name to any charity that she would like and to back off about your hair. It is your hair. You grew it and it is yours to enjoy.

I wish the very best.

Karen

PS. Portia de Rossi plays an attorney on Ally McBeal and looks stunning in a variety of buns. Check it out.

September 22, 2000
Use Of Hair sticks?

Question

Dear Karen,

WOW. I am amazed at the beautiful Mei Fa hair sticks that you have started carrying in your Marketplace. I would love to wear the sticks but I don't have long hair like you. My hair is only to the top of my bra strap. Any suggestions on how to get my hair to grow faster so I can own a lovely pair of those sticks?

Janie

Answer

Dear Janie,

Hair sticks can be worn EITHER as a functional hair tool OR as purely decoration. Many people are not aware of the fact that over 75% of all hair stick wearers are not using the sticks to hold their hair in place. They are only using the sticks as decoration for their hairstyles.

One thing I should point out about the Shelley Pryor Gallery that was designed around hair sticks. None of the styles that Shelley created for our model Jill used the sticks as either functional anchors or as types of pins.

Because Jill had very thick hair the sticks would not hold Jill's hair in place. Shelley had to use blonde colored hair pins to keep Jill's gorgeous blonde hair in place. Once Shelley got the hair style the way she wanted, she used the hair sticks as decorations. They looked stunning.

Jill only has hair that is bra length and this was the first time she realized that she could wear hair sticks without using them to hold her hair in place. She was thrilled. In fact, even though HairBoutique.com offered to pay Jill for her hair modeling work, she choose to take two sets of lacquer hair sticks in trade instead. Two of the sets in Jill's hair for many of the photos are now her prize possessions and she loves them.

As far as making your hair grow faster, there are not secrets. Hair, when it is healthy, will grow at approximately 1/2 to 1 inch per month. A lot depends on your biological composition. Taking hair vitamins like HairTopia will help encourage healthy hair which then can grow to its maximum potential.

Best wishes,

Karen

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