amika Announces New Partnership With HairToStay, A Non-Profit That Supports Cancer Patients

amika has just announced their partnership with HairToStay, the first and only national nonprofit organization that aims to increase awareness for scalp-cooling technology—a system that works to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy—and provides financial support for cancer patients to receive this hair-saving treatment. amika will launch an ongoing initiative beginning in October 2018 to donate one-percent of all e-commerce sales from its website to HairToStay. Customers will also have the option to provide an additional donation to the organization at checkout.

Founded in 2016, HairToStay began with a mission of building a nationwide subsidy program for scalp-cooling technology, supported by partnerships with both philanthropic and commercial organizations. Recently granted FDA Clearance, scalp cooling is not covered by most insurance providers and thus inaccessible for many undergoing treatment. HairToStay has raised over 1.5 million dollars since its inception, and has awarded subsidies to over 900 patients nationally. The organization works to broaden the understanding and accessibility of scalp-cooling treatments in the US. Though used throughout Europe and across the globe for close to two decades, this technology was largely unavailable and unknown in the US, until the FDA Clearance in December 2015.

“Notwithstanding the financial, emotional and physical strain of treatment, cancer patients must also endure a change in appearance as a result of this devastating disease,” shares amika Brand President Chelsea Riggs. “Cancer doesn’t financially discriminate, and many patients can’t imagine paying for their medical treatments, let alone the additional cost for scalp cooling technology to save their hair. However, HairToStay makes this possible.”

“amika is uniquely positioned to support HairToStay, as our community of hairdressers intimately understand how important hair is to your sense of confidence and self-expression,” Chelsea adds. “We believe in the power of feeling beautiful and true to yourself—and want to work to ensure that those undergoing chemotherapy can look and feel like the best version of themselves possible.”

By using a scalp-cooling system during chemotherapy treatments, hair loss can be prevented by impacting two cellular processes. Scalp cooling works by constricting the blood vessels in the hair follicles, thereby exposing them to less of the chemotherapy medication that often results in total hair loss. Additionally, the chemotherapy’s effects on the hair follicle are reduced due to the slowing of the cellular metabolism. By inhibiting hair loss, scalp-cooling technology works to maintain a sense of normalcy and privacy in a patient’s life, and can thwart the emotional damage that hair loss can often cause.

“We realized early on that support from the haircare industry would be a critical component to creating the necessary wave of awareness and funding for this revolutionary new way to mitigate chemo-induced hair loss,” shares Bethany Hornthal, Co-Founder of HairToStay. “We are so fortunate that amika stepped up as our very first manufacturing partner, as their support has already enabled us to provide more subsidies to patients and opened doors in the industry that we never imagined possible.”

Throughout the month of October, amika will additionally donate one dollar for every product sold in its Detox Collection—across all salon and retail partners—to the foundation. The Detox Collection includes Phantom Hydrating Dry Shampoo Foam, Reset Exfoliating Jelly Shampoo and Reset Pink Charcoal Scalp Cleansing Oil. amika salons are also encouraged to host “salon-a-thon” fundraising campaigns that work to donate proceeds in a variety of ways to help support the HairToStay mission.

For more information, visit loveamika.com.