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Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Locks of Love Comes to Pepperdine

Pepperdine University's outdoor amphitheatre was transformed into a beauty salon from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 23, when volunteer stylists set up shop to chop off 10 inches or more of willing participants' hair for Locks of Love.

The event was co-sponsored by Housing and Community Living, the Student Programming Board and Malibu salons. "This is the seventh annual event at Pepperdine," said Elizabeth Austin, Seaver College graduate student and intern for the Housing and Community Living office. "Last year we had nearly 50 people come, but the weather wasn't quite what we hoped for this year, and so we had about 30 people participate."

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses provide help to restore their self-esteem, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

"Thousands of children are helped each year, and Locks of Love offers these wigs to children free of charge," said Austin. "Each wig uses six to 10 ponytails, so there is a continual need for hair."

The hair prostheses provided are custom-made from donated ponytails and would retail between $3,500 and $6,000. These prostheses are different from synthetic hairpieces because they form a vacuum seal, and do not require the use of tape or glue. Only the wearer of the prosthesis may remove it, by breaking the vacuum seal at the temples. Children can dismiss insecurities about classmates pulling off their hairpiece, or losing it during sports. They can also swim and shower with it in place. This sense of security allows the children to get back their self-confidence and be kids again.

Stacy Rothberg, associate dean of students, housing and community living, not only helped bring the event to Pepperdine, but has also donated her hair several times in the past. "As a cancer survivor, it has been meaningful to donate my hair three times through Pepperdine's Locks of Love," she says. "Your hair donation is an act of kindness that gives hope and encouragement to kids that need it."

For more information on how to get involved call (310) 506-4104 or visit www.locksoflove.org.