“Hair is a beautiful form of self-expression. Wear it like a crown.”
This popular statement summarises the significance of human hair in everyday life. Hair is also a reflection of how people take care of themselves.
However, hair donation is very uncommon in Calcutta. There have been many campaigns for organ donation but not for hair. It is true that hair is not an organ but an appendage like nails. Also hair donation is not lifesaving.
But the importance of hair donation is phenomenal. It touches lives.
In India, the majority of live organ donors are females. Worldwide, most hair donations are also done by females.
Men can also donate hair if certain criteria are met. Unfortunately, many are not aware about hair donation. Hair is not considered as a valuable resource.
Incidentally, India is one of the largest exporters of human hair. The sources are salons and some religious institutions.
In 2010, various social organisations in Israel started a campaign regarding hair donation.
Women were invited to donate 30 cm of their long hair to help cancer patients to have a real hair wig. This initiative became popular and continues till today. It is considered as an act of altruism or unselfish concern for the well-being of others. It symbolises bravery and self-sacrifice.
In the outskirts of Calcutta, a female nurse donated 15 inches of her hair for chemotherapy patients. She became extremely disturbed while working in a female cancer ward.
In Calcutta, such donations are few and mostly individual initiatives.
There are various reasons for alopecia or hair loss. It can be genetic, autoimmune, environmental, emotional stress or cancer chemotherapy.
Even hormonal problems like hypothyroidism can cause hair loss.
Alopecia can be in patches or in the whole scalp. Additionally hair loss can also involve eyebrows, beard and hair all over the body.
Medical treatment can reverse some conditions but not all. The option of hair transplantation is also available. It is done by trained plastic surgeons and dermatologists. It is an operative procedure and may be costly.
Insurance rarely covers such operations. Hair transplantation is not recommended in scalp burns. Wigs from hair donations is an easy option.
Hair loss can severely affect mental health. It causes emotional distress, anxiety and depression.
Also, it lowers self-esteem and makes individuals vulnerable to body shaming. Workplace discrimination and deterioration of interpersonal relations have been reported.
Productivity is affected and absenteeism has increased. In a study of 596 adults with hair loss, 80 percent had depression or anxiety while 50 percent felt embarrassed.
For hair donation around 10 to 12 inches of hair is necessary. It should be clean and dry.
Chemically treated or bleached hair are usually not accepted. One wig of human hair needs at least 6 to 8 donations. Straight hair in the same direction is “remy” hair. It looks like natural hair. It lasts long but is costly.
Hair can be donated without any surgery or physical damage. It is a safe procedure. Donation after death can also be done. Donors are not linked with the recipients.
It is incorrect to assume that hair donations are only used as wigs for scalp hair or to enhance eyebrows, moustache or beards.
Various forms of artwork, decorative items, cosmetic brushes and stuffed toys also use human hair.
Cleaning up of oil spills are done as hair is a very good absorbent of oil. It has also been used for pest control as a rodent repellent.
Disposal of hair residues are casual, improper and inadequate. It creates environmental problems as solid waste.
Accumulation of large amounts as solid waste chokes drainage
systems. Hair loss and cancer chemotherapy are intimately connected. During chemotherapy hair loss is temporary. But it adds to the stigma of cancer diagnosis. Patients get identified against their wish. Some face social isolation. Many cured survivors have been terminated from jobs citing other reasons.
Mental health is adversely affected.
Chemotherapy attacks cells which grows fast like hair cells. Hair loss can occur all over the body. Not all chemotherapy drugs cause severe hair loss. It depends on the type of drug and the dosage. Some people have thinning of hair and not significant loss.
Usually hair loss begins three to four weeks after chemotherapy starts. Regrowth of hair occurs three to five months after completion of chemotherapy.
However it may not have the same colour, texture or length of the original hair.
Scalp cooling during chemotherapy have been useful in some cases preventing hair loss.
Radiotherapy to brain also causes hair loss after 4 weeks. Although the hair loss is temporary the overall effects are profound.
Human hair wigs provide physical support and reduces mental agony during this difficult period.
Alopecia is not an uncommon problem. Around 147 million are affected worldwide with patchy hair loss according to a report. Organ donation can be lifesaving and must be encouraged. Hair donation can redefine the purpose of life for those who require it.
Gautam Mukhopadhyay is a surgical oncologist trained at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. He has been working in Calcutta for more than three decades