HAIR EXTENSION

Could you imagine spending few hours in the salon and you have long hair that looks like a dream. That’s the work of hair extensions experts. Its always fantastic and real. Professionally made hair extensions can completely transform your appearance without affecting the health of your hair, but if they are done wrongly, extensions can seriously damage your hair. You should know what to expect before going to the salon.

What are hair extensions?

Hair extensions are hairpieces that can be attached to your natural hair or scalp; they enhance the thickness of your hair or the length. There are several kinds, but the most popular ones are · Strands, small clusters of about 30 pieces of hair · Wefts, slightly larger curtains of hair, joined at the top and free flowing at the ends. The best wefts are hand-made, not machine-made. · Braids and dreadlocks, which are pre-wound.

Some are synthetic and some are made of human hair. The natural hair of Caucasians is different from that of Asians or Afro-Caribbeans and you should choose an extension that will match your own hair.

They come in many varieties and can be pre-colored, pre-highlighted or pre-permed with curls or a body wave. Depending on how it was attached, you may need to have your hair extension re-done after 6 or 8 weeks, or it might last up to 4 months. Re-attaching will always be periodically necessary because our natural hair continues to grow, the bonding agent becomes loose, life happens, and you'll need to re-adjust and refresh your hair's appearance.

Would hair extensions cost a fortune?

Yes, extensions done by a professional hair extension artist and made from high quality hair would cost you several hundred dollars. The price really depends on the quality of the hair used - Asian hair is cheaper, while European hair costs 2-3 times more.

If you want good-looking hair - especially blond hair - you will have to pay for European material.Online you might find hair extension ‘starter kits' with complete instructions, which aren't difficult to apply. So if you feel adventurous, you can buy a do-it-yourself kit and save significantly. If done correctly, this type of hair extension looks as good as any salon made one. If you decide to follow this route, though, make sure that you order high quality hair.

What types of hair extension are available?

The two major types of hair extension are individual strands and wefts. Individual strands, as the name implies, are attached one piece at a time to your own hair, usually using glue, or with waxes and polymers. The problem here is that most of the attachment methods require coating your natural hair with rather unfriendly chemicals. Attaching these extensions isn't a problem, but removing this type of extension can seriously damage your hair. Wefts, on the other hand, are braided into your hair, so no chemicals are needed. A weft looks like a curtain of hair held together at the top and hanging freely toward the bottom. It is braided into your hair around the midline of your head - about ear level. It is safer for your hair but, on the downside, as you own hair grows wefts have to be rebraided - about once every two months.

What materials are used for hair extensions?

First, hair for extensions can be either synthetic or real human hair. Synthetic extensions are cheaper, of course, but you get what you pay for - they look like artificial strands attached to your hair. They're not very pleasant to the touch, either. Human hair used for extensions gives better results. Human extension hair differs by origin. The most common are hair from India and Asian countries. They are great, if you are an Asian woman yourself. Unfortunately this type of hair has a noticeably different texture from a Caucasian's natural hair, so on Caucasian women they just don't look right.

European hair is of better quality, usually originating from Spain and Italy, is of better quality but costs more. The only problem is that its natural color is usually coal black. To make blond extensions out of them, Italian or Spanish hair needs to be heavily bleached.

There are also so-called ‘raw or virgin’ hairs. These are European hairs coming from Central and Eastern European countries, like Russia and Poland. The advantage of these hairs are that they are naturally light and of a very high quality. However, these type of hairs are difficult to find and costs an arm and a leg.

How are hair extensions attached?

Strands are woven, glued, or clipped to your natural hair. If they're clipped, you can take them off easily any time. If they're glued, various bonding agents may be used and care must be taken to protect your scalp and natural hair. · For wefts, your stylist will make a small corn row or weave in your natural hair, and sew the weft to this weave. This method uses no chemicals. · Braids are usually woven in with your own hair and again no chemicals are used.

What kind of hair extension would best suit me?

That's a very personal matter and should be decided between you and your stylist. There are extensions for every kind of hair, even thin and baby-fine hair. Your stylist will assess your hair type, discuss how you would like to look and whether it's possible given your particular circumstances and hair status, and explain alternatives. When an extension is decided upon, she will personally customize it to match your hair, will attach it, explain how she's doing it, and give you information on how to care for it.

How do I care for my hair extension?

Hair extensions can be shampooed, styled and brushed the same as your natural hair, but don't try to alter their color. This should be professionally done. The most important thing is to be gentle with it so as to preserve the bond attaching it. Use a soft bristle brush and brush out tangles from the bottom ends up towards your head. At night, to avoid matting, tie it up or braid it if it's fairly long, and never sleep with wet or damp hair. Avoid using any silicone-based products or conditioners on the extension where it is bonded to your natural hair, as this will make the extension slip off.

Does it hurt to get a hair extension?

No, not when it's properly done. In the first day or two it will feel a little heavy perhaps, and this added weight on your head may feel slightly uncomfortable until you get used to it. The process of attaching it should not hurt at all. If it does, something isn't right. Sometimes if the cornrow method is being used, the weaving might be done too tightly, pulling too hard on your scalp. This can even cause headaches. But you should not accept this. The weaving doesn't have to be so tight that it's painful.

You may come across stories of how a person's hair was broken, burned, or otherwise damaged by their hair extension. The odds are that this person had it done by an untrained stylist, or one with little experience.

Do your homework

Since the demand for hair extensions is growing, more varieties will become available and research will give us more methods of creating and using them. The hair styling industry is not regulated, so do some checking and reading. Many websites recount personal experiences and have Frequently Asked Question pages.

Choose a stylist with training specifically in hair extensions, and with plenty of experience using them. Ask to speak to other clients who have purchased hair extensions, to hear what their experiences were like.

With the information above on hair extension you now know what hair extension is all about. Hopefully you now know the basics and the right choice to make.

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