Thousands of people donate their hair every year. Unfortunately, those donations don't always get used.

It's a nice gesture...if you follow these simple guidelines.

Take Luke Waldo. He has long, thick hair most women would envy!

"I've always had my hair long in one shape or form," he says.

These days, Luke doesn't let it end up on the salon floor. He donates it to 'Locks of Love'. It's an organization that makes hairpieces for kids in need.

"I get someone to cut my hair for me, and it goes to someone who's going to need it ultimately," Luke explains.

Madonna Coffman with 'Locks of Love' says the donations are great but it's very important that people follow the guidelines. There are several hair donation organizations, and rules vary slightly. You can find them on their websites.

Luke's response to this: "Once it leaves my hands it's in the hands of others, and I have faith it'll get where it needs to get."

A basic rule of thumb: The fewer chemicals the better! Some charities have stricter rules than others. Bleached hair is always a no-no.

"The manufacturer puts it through this process which basically strips the hair down to its natural color, and if it's been heavily chemically damaged through the years, the hair will fall apart at that point," Coffman explains.

Katie Harder is a stylist at Freya Salon in Bayview. She says it's not easy to find someone with 10 inches of hair they're willing to part with.

"People get very attached to their hair after growing it out for 2 years, as they should be," she points out.

It's important the stylist cuts the hair properly. They must put the hair in a ponytail or braid first...to show which way the hair grows.

"If it's implanted upside down in the prosthesis it will mat and tangle," Coffman warns.

Send hair in a plastic bag, but be sure it's dry first...otherwise it'll get moldy.

"So yeah, you just send it in, hope for the best, hope they can use it," Katie says.

And Luke says he'll definitely keep donating. "Take a little load off, it'll grow back again soon."

As for gray hair: Some organizations don't use it, but will sell it to wig makers to offset their costs. Others allow a percentage of the hair to be gray.

Hair donations are also a great way to get kids involved in charity. 80% of 'Locks of Love' donors are children.