For sale: used blond hair.

• Position: Russia - Brief article

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Paris Hilton helped popularize blonde hair extensions in the U.S., but where does all that hair come from? Chances are, from poor women in the rougher parts of Russia or Ukraine, where the economies have never completely recovered from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Because that part of the world has a high concentration of blondes--a color prized because it's easy to dye and relatively scarce--buyers of human hair flock there, offering about $50 for a 16-inch braid. The hair is then processed to make wigs, toupees, and, increasingly, hair extensions...