Is Locks of Love a Scam or Legit Hair Donation Charity?

The Fact-Checked Rumor: Do They Charge for Wigs?

A viral social media rumor claimed that Locks of Love charges families for wigs on a sliding scale or bills cancer patients up to $1,000.

• The Reality: This is completely false. Every child who qualifies for a Locks of Love hairpiece receives it free of charge.

The Controversy: Why Do They Sell Hair?

Many donors are shocked to learn that Locks of Love sells a large portion of its hair donations to commercial wig manufacturers.

• The Reality: The charity receives far more hair than it can actually use. Up to 80% of donated hair is rejected because it is too short, gray, or chemically bleached. Instead of throwing this hair away, they sell the unusable hair to commercial wig makers. The money raised from these sales is used directly to offset the manufacturing costs of the custom silicone-base prosthetics they give away for free.

The Misconception: Who Gets the Wigs?

People often assume that their hair is going directly to a child suffering from hair loss due to chemotherapy.

• The Reality: Most of the charity’s wigs actually go to children with Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease causing permanent or long-term hair loss. Children undergoing cancer treatments usually lose their hair temporarily and are more frequently fitted with synthetic wigs because the custom manufacturing process for a real-hair prosthetic can take several months.

Actual Fraud to Watch Out For

While the charity itself is real, independent scammers have historically used the "Locks of Love" name illegally. Phony solicitors and fraudulent salons have sometimes collected hair and financial donations under the guise of the charity but kept them for profit.

To avoid these actual scams, always make sure you are sending hair directly to their official headquarters.