Hairstyles are a big part of the social image and identity that children explore and develop. Because of disease or medical treatment, some children and teens must suffer the loss of a crucial part of their identity. Imagine being a teenager and going to school without your hair.

Locks of Love is a national organization which seeks to return that all-important sense of self identity by providing kids with custom hairpieces made from ponytails of women and men who generously donate a part of themselves to the cause. Students from Western Beauty Institute recently got together with the Locks of Love organization in the Antelope Valley for a special event to cut hair for donation. Twenty-two students from WBI were assisted and supervised by Instructors Ms. Daisy Enamorado and Ms. Bertha Rubio, and Placement Counselor Ms. Valeria Montenegro during the event, which was hosted at the Lancaster Baptist Church on Saturday, April 5th.

After parting with their ponytails, donors were given custom cuts and hairstyles by the talented students from WBI. “It was a lot of fun,” said WBI Instructor Ms. Daisy. Proud of her students, she smiled, “They really worked as a team.”

The cut hair will eventually be made into custom wigs that are attached using suction to the child’s head, designed not to come off until released by the wearer. “They can swim, shower and do gymnastics,” says Locks of Love. “In short, they can be kids again.” The recipients may have suffered hair loss from a number of ailments or injuries, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, severe burns or trauma, and other genetic or dermatological conditions. The Locks of Love organization has helped over 2,000 children since it was founded in 1998.

The hair-cutting event was to be featured on Lancaster’s Time Warner Public Access Channel 3 on Monday, April 7th.