What You Need To Know About Hair Extensions

Hair extensions have become very popular in the last decade. By using them, you can give a total change of your look instantly. Many Hollywood celebrities has been using them to get instant volume and length of their hair.

Hair extensions are lengths of either real or synthetic hair that can be affixed close to the scalp through a number of systems. When well matched in color and texture, and professionally applied by a competent extensionist, hair extensions mix in and move naturally with your own hair, making it difficult to tell you are wearing them. They can provide volume, extend hair, and add highlights or lowlights without the harshness of coloring your own hair. Some extensions can be worn continuously for up to 3 months before requiring maintenance, because as your own hair grows out the extensions need to be redone.

Hair extensions come in many colors, textures, styles and lengths to match any hair type. To get a natural, great looking hair with hair extensions, you will need help from an experienced hair extension artist. You will also need high quality hair extensions and products.

Types Of Materials Used For Hair Extensions
There are 2 types of materials used for hair extensions:

1. Natural or Human Hair Extensions.
These type of hair extensions are more expensive because they can be colored, set, curled, permed, flat-ironed, or treated like your own natural hair. High quality human hair extensions are made of 100% human hair.

2. Synthetic hair Extensions.
With the latest innovation, now you can have many styling possibilities with your synthetic hair extensions. With the special heat-resistant fiber (which can withstand heat up to 300 degrees), your synthetic hair extensions can be flat-ironed, curled, or blown dry.

Types Of Hair Extension Available
The two major types of hair extensions are:

1. Individual strands
These hair extensions 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.

2. Wefts.
On the contrary to individual strands, wefts 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.

How To Wear Hair Extensions
There are many different methods (and variations of them) in which you can wear hair extensions. Consult with your stylist before choosing a method.

1) Weaving is a process in which you create tracks on the individuals head and sew the hair extensions on. This method is the most widely used method in adding hair extensions.

2) Braiding is a process in which you add hair extensions by braiding them in. There are many types of braiding techniques which varies from one skilled beautician to another, such as Tree Braid, Braid Weave or Individuals, Cornrow, French Braid, and many more.

3) Ring – X is one of the new process in which the metal ring is already on the hair ready to attach using the His & Her Ring - Xer. It is very easy to apply and can be re-used.

4) I – Tip is a process in which an “I” shaped glue is already on the tip of the hair ready to be attach by using the His & Her Extension Iron or with a Ring. With the Ring, there's no heat applied to the hair.

5) U – Tip is a process in which the U shaped glue is already on the tip of the hair ready to attach by using the His & Her Extension Iron.

6) Hot glue gun method is a process in which the extension hair is attached directly to your own hair by heated glue stick. An acrylic glue stick is placed inside a glue gun which heats and melt the glue. Then, the hair extension and the glue are attached directly onto the individual's hair.

7) Bonding is the simplest method. A bonding glue is brushed or applied onto the weft of the extension hair and then it is applied at the root of the individual's hair. It can easily be removed by a remover the glue comes with. This is a temporary method.

8) Clip in hair extensions is pre-cut hair and has clips attached on the weft to clip in to your own hair, without any need to use glue on your hair. It is very simple and easy to wear, and so make it safer too. You can put it on or take it off as you please.

There are many hair extensions that come with ‘starter kits’ with complete instructions, which aren’t difficult to apply. So you can do it yourself 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.

How To Look After Your Hair Extensions
You look after Hair Extensions the same as you would do long hair that you grew yourself. Here are some tips:

1. Wash, condition and moisturize your hair every 2 - 3 days. The extensions do not receive your natural scalp oils and so need to have moisture added every wash. If you don't moisturize your hair extensions they will become brittle and break easily leading to split and ratty ends.

2. Be careful with them. Don't use hair dryer too often on them. Use blow dryer on medium setting, never apply hot curling iron directly to bond. Never use chemicals. Comb and brush them carefully. Absorb water with a towel wrap after every wash, never dry with a scrubbing action.

3. Always brush out all knots before you wash your hair, swim, or sleep. Start at the bottom and work your way up slowly using a paddle brush.

4. Hold hair extension bonds as you brush or comb through.

5. Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.

Ready to have a new look?