Hair Extensions – All You Need to Know
Extensions are made of artificial or real hair that is seamlessly woven, glued, or clipped into your own hair. The concept has been around for a long time, but now, with new technologies, it’s often impossible to tell.
Extensions come in all shapes, sizes, and budgets. Clip-ons are the easiest because you don’t have to go back to the beauty parlor when your natural hair grows. Woven or glued extensions – which are done at the salon – last between 2 to 6 months.
Weaving
Weaving is a two-part process. First, the stylist weaves a series of threads into your own hair, using underneath sections so the work won’t show. She then uses that weave as a base upon which she will attach the hairpiece, or weft (a curtain of extensions hair, attached at the top and free-flowing at the bottom).
Non-glue extensions
Here’s where the high-tech comes in. You can have hair strands attached to your own hair using micro-cylinders. Though time-consuming to apply, they will not cause damage. And when you want them out, your stylist can remove them quickly and easily.
Even more 22nd century, choosing Microchet extensions means you can have hair placed in spots that are thinning! It uses a patented threading technique that is considered gentle and painless.
If you don’t mind a 3-7 day install, and you have a stylist you trust, you might want to go for a process called Invisible Strands. Application takes this long because they put the extension on just one strand at a time. But it can last much longer than the other techniques.
Glue-based extensions
Yep, some techniques glue the hair, strand by strand, directly to your scalp. Glue-based extensions are also used to attach new hair to your already existing hair, using a strong, protein-based bond. Your stylist will use a fairly low temperature and the process will not harm hair or scalp.
Before going in for extensions, ask the salon what type of materials they use. And ask about prices – they vary widely. Best to go to a salon you already know, or one that a friend has used successfully for her own extensions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before and during the process.
New Hair Care
Gentleness is the word. You can comb, brush, style, swim, ride around in a convertible – anything you’d do normally. But be patient when combing out tangles, and don’t pull too tightly when styling. Also, experts do not recommend trying to color your extensions. The fabric or hair clips extensions has already gone through a lot of chemical processes, and at-home coloring could damage it. If you feel the extension getting loose after a few weeks, that’s normal – it just means your hair has grown enough that you need to go back to the stylist.
Washing your hair should be done at least every 2 to 3 days, using a gentle shampoo. Take the time to make sure your entire scalp gets washed. Then use a heavy-duty conditioner. Extensions don’t receive the natural oil that your real hair gets.
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