Hairdresser Monica from Secunda donates ponytails to Cansa

SECUNDA – A total of 11 ponytails will be sent to the Cansa head office for the making of wigs.

Local hairdresser, Ms Monica Odendaal, said it had been close to a year of collecting and 11 special women to give back to such a good cause.

“Most of the women who donate their hair experienced or knew of someone who were battling with cancer. With Covid-19 there are now special treatments and steps taken when handling the ponytails,” said Ms Oodendaal.

Depending on the thickness, it is said to take anything from 10 to 20 ponytails to make one wig.

Requirements for human hair donations:

• The preferred length of the ponytail should be a minimum of 25cm

• Hair should be clean and dry

• All hair whether dyed or treated is acceptable

• No dreadlocks

• When cutting the hair, bind both ends with an elastic band and place in a zip-lock bag (this helps preserves the hair in its best condition while being transported to the wig manufacturer).

• Send your hair donation in a plastic bag with your name and contact details on it

Donating hair during Covid-19

Cansa are happy to announce that we will still receive hair donations during the Covid pandemic, however there are a few steps that need to be followed:

• Hair donations are to be delivered in zip-lock plastic bags (to prevent handling of the hair)

• The Cansa team will wipe down the plastic bag with disinfectant and it will be kept in a secure area for seven days prior to further processing or to wig makers.

• Hair donations are handled with gloves and masks in place and hands are sanitised.

• The period of seven days of keeping the hair at the facility is to ensure the Covid-19 virus would no longer be viable on the surface of hair.

Although there is no longer a Cansa facility in the Teks area, ponytails can be posted to Cansa at Lucinda Carter, Cansa Head Office, P.O. Box 2121, Bedfordview 2008.

You can also drop off human hair donations at Cansa’s Head Office at 26 Concorde Road West, Bedfordview. Cansa does not have a specific partnership with any hairdressing salons, however if you are unsure it is best advised to speak to your salon of choice when cutting your hair and what their procedures are in order to make a hair donation.

For more on the processing and ordering of wigs visit their webpage at cansa.org.za.