If you’re a teenage girl hair is important to you. Did you know that the average woman spends ten whole days each year just making sure her hair looks great? And according to a recent British study a typical woman spends just under two entire years of her life preening her locks!

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We all want to look nice and hair makes a big difference to our overall appearance. But more and more girls out there are taking their hair — a feature so tightly associated with self-image — and transforming it into a beautiful act of selflessness. How? By donating it to cancer patients who’ve lost their own.

We spoke to several inspiring teens about what it takes to give away your tresses and what they’ve learned from the experience.