HairToStay
HairToStay is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial subsidies to chemotherapy patients using scalp cooling therapy to reduce hair loss, partnering with all major device manufacturers and a national salon and oncology referral network to deliver subsidies nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HairToStay does
HairToStay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco, California, that provides financial subsidies to chemotherapy patients in the United States who elect to use scalp cooling therapy to mitigate treatment-induced hair loss. The organization traces its origin to a 2010 pilot under the name CCAPS and was officially rebranded and launched as HairToStay in April 2016. To date, HairToStay has awarded a cumulative $5,652,512 in subsidies to 8,960 recipients, with current capacity to subsidize approximately 100 patients per year.
The organization's core product is a patient subsidy program that covers a meaningful share of the cost of scalp cooling treatments and devices, channeled via partnerships with all major U.S. scalp cooling device manufacturers (Paxman, DigniCap, Penguin Cold Caps, Cooler Heads) and a referral network of hundreds of participating salons, spas, and oncology clinics. Eligibility screening, application processing, and disbursement are managed by a small internal team, supplemented by a dedicated patient liaison role assumed by co-founder Patsy Graham in 2017.
HairToStay is funded entirely through donations rather than commercial revenue, with income drawn from individual donors, corporate sponsorships from haircare and beauty industry partners (including Olaplex, JVN, Living Proof, Unite, BaByliss Pro, Kao, Henkel, and SalonCentric), foundation grants, peer-to-peer campaigns (SaveItForward), and signature events such as HairToStay Does the Bay. Geographic and donor-targeted funds expanded in 2024 across Michigan, San Francisco, Ohio, and Atlanta, and the organization received mainstream visibility through a 2024 CNN Champions for Change feature.
HairToStay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HairToStay
- Legal name
- HairToStay
- Website
- https://hairtostay.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HairToStay is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial subsidies to chemotherapy patients using scalp cooling therapy to reduce hair loss, partnering with all major device manufacturers and a national salon and oncology referral network to deliver subsidies nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where HairToStay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
HairToStay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: HairToStay operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through donations, corporate sponsorships, haircare industry partnerships, and community fundraising events to provide subsidies for scalp cooling treatments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Subsidy-based financial assistance for scalp cooling treatment |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
HairToStay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HairToStay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial subsidies to financially challenged cancer patients so they can afford scalp cooling treatment during chemotherapy to prevent hair loss. Patients apply through the organization's website and are connected to qualified scalp cooling suppliers (Paxman, DigniCap, Penguin Cold Caps, Cooler Heads). The subsidy program is funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and community fundraising events including the SaveItForward program.
Product overview
HairToStay operates as a nonprofit organization offering a single core service: a subsidy program that helps financially challenged cancer patients afford scalp cooling treatment to preserve their hair during chemotherapy. The organization connects patients with four qualified scalp cooling supplier partners (DigniCap, Paxman Scalp Cooling, Penguin Cold Caps, and Cooler Head), and provides financial assistance through various donor-targeted funds. The core offering is supplemented by SaveItForward, a patient-powered fundraising program that allows previous subsidy recipients to pay it forward, and a Breast Cancer Awareness Toolkit for salon-based fundraising. The nonprofit does not offer a technology platform but rather acts as a financial bridge between patients and existing scalp cooling equipment providers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Scalp Cooling Subsidy Program Financial assistance program that subsidizes scalp cooling treatments for financially challenged cancer patients, helping them afford the treatment to preserve their hair during chemotherapy. Patients apply directly through the HairToStay website and are connected to qualified scalp cooling suppliers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of recipients said subsidy was pivotal to their decision to use scalp cooling
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use HairToStay
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
HairToStay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
HairToStay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HairToStay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Family Reach: National nonprofit that delivers financial support to families facing a pediatric or adult cancer diagnosis, covering non-medical and treatment-related costs. Closely comparable mission, donor-funded subsidy mechanism, and cancer-patient focus.
- Lazarex Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit that helps cancer patients with costs associated with clinical trial participation, including travel and lodging. Comparable financial-assistance model serving financially challenged cancer patients.
- Pink Fund: Non-profit that provides 90-day non-medical financial aid to breast cancer patients in active treatment. Comparable donation-funded, cancer-population-specific assistance model, though focused on cost-of-living rather than a specific intervention.
- Patient Advocate Foundation: National 501(c)(3) that provides direct financial aid, case management, and co-pay relief to patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses including cancer. Highly comparable as a co-pay/financial-assistance intermediary between patients and treatment costs.
- HealthWell Foundation: Independent nonprofit that provides financial assistance to underinsured patients for out-of-pocket costs of medical treatments, including cancer-related therapies. Operates the same subsidy-payment business model as HairToStay but at broader therapeutic scale.
- CancerCare: National nonprofit providing limited financial assistance grants to cancer patients for treatment-related costs, as well as counseling and support. Operates a near-identical cancer financial-assistance model and complements HairToStay's narrow focus with broader service offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Susan G. Komen: Largest breast-cancer-focused nonprofit funding research and patient support; shares HairToStay's breast-cancer patient base and haircare/beauty-industry fundraising conventions. Operates a much broader research-plus-services portfolio.
- Livestrong Foundation: Well-known cancer nonprofit providing navigation, emotional support, and financial resources to cancer survivors. Comparable patient-support mission but with a much broader survivor-services scope and brand.
- American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer nonprofit offering patient services, financial assistance programs (e.g., road-to-recovery, Hope Lodge), and research funding. Overlaps with HairToStay on cancer-patient support but operates on a vastly broader mission.
Emerging players
- Hair We Share: Charitable organization that provides free wigs and hair solutions to patients with medical hair loss, including cancer patients. Adjacent in addressing chemotherapy-related hair loss, with overlapping haircare industry donor base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HairToStay social profiles
Digital presenceHairToStay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HairToStay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
HairToStay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HairToStay M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HairToStay
What does HairToStay do?
HairToStay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial subsidies to financially challenged cancer patients so they can afford scalp cooling treatment during chemotherapy to prevent hair loss. Patients apply through the organization's website and are connected to qualified scalp cooling suppliers (Paxman, DigniCap, Penguin Cold Caps, Cooler Heads). The subsidy program is funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and community fundraising events including the SaveItForward program.
Is HairToStay a public or private company?
HairToStay is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HairToStay founded?
HairToStay was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HairToStay based?
HairToStay is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does HairToStay make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are HairToStay's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Family Reach, Lazarex Cancer Foundation, Pink Fund, Patient Advocate Foundation, HealthWell Foundation and CancerCare. Broad incumbents are Susan G. Komen, Livestrong Foundation and American Cancer Society. Hair We Share is listed as an emerging player.
Does HairToStay have an API?
No public API is recorded for HairToStay.