Hair Extensions- The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Karen Marie Shelton - Copyright - All Rights Reserved Revised Publication Date:  01/05/12 Introduction Almost everyone will agree that having long hair is a lot of time and effort. Sometimes it seems like the time and effort involved is too much. The instant way to have long hair is by wearing long wigs, long hair pieces or hair extensions.  Hair extensions have been popular off and on for several years. Many movie stars ranging from Madonna and Demi Moore to Cameron Diaz have used hair extensions for movie roles. It's a great way to create an instant long haired look. With the recent introduction of clip-in extensions more women,  celebrities and non-celebs alike, are wearing add-on tresses than ever before. What Are Hair Extensions? Many people are curious about what materials are used to create various hair extensions.  This is not an easy answer since hair extensions can be created from 100% real human hair, 100% synthetic hair or a mixture of human, synthetic and animal hair. Hair extensions are available in just about any color, texture or length. Popular TV star Brandi often wears extensions as well. Life Expectancy Of The Extension Most extensions, if applied properly, will last up to four months. After this the special glue-like bond attached to your natural hair will begin to loosen and fall off. Many people will only keep their hair extensions for a short period of time for a special event or occasion. How long extensions are kept is a personal decision. Care Of Your Hair Extensions Hair extensions are washed and treated the same way as you do your natural hair. Hair extensions may wear out with normal wash and wear. As your hair grows, this will tend to affect the extensions. It is recommended that you used high quality gentle hair care products to encourage a long life for your extensions. Removing The Extension Removal of hair extensions can be done by the professional that applied them or can be carefully removed at home. You can remove hair extensions by twisting the tiny braided attachments and then gently snapping the seal. Disadvantages Of Hair Extensions It is a well known fact that hair extensions can do damage to your natural hair. The glue that is attached to your natural hair can burn and split the ends of your hair. This means that you will almost always be required to have the ends of your hair cut after the extensions are removed. Also, if a lot of long or heavy extensions are added, this applies additional pressure to your scalp. One of the dangers of extra pressure to your scalp can be a thinning of your natural hair. In some cases there have been reports of headaches from the added weight of the hair or allergies to the bonding glue that is used. Everyone is different and will react to hair extensions in a different way. They are not necessarily good or bad. It depends on a number of factors that you have to consider. If you are trying to grow your hair long, you might want to think seriously of the potential damage the hair extensions could do to your long hair quest. However, if you only would like a new look for a few months and are prepared to lose some inches along with the extensions, they can be a great solution. The best advice is to find an expert at hair extensions and discuss all the pros and cons of the instant hair look. Advantages Of Hair Extensions Hair extensions can be a lot of fun if you are aware of the risks and the procedures. If you get good advice and find a professional who is skilled at extensions listed below are some of the advantages you can enjoy: 1.  An instant new look which is fairly easy to care for once it's applied. 2.  The ability to change your hairstyle at any time and know that the long hair has a limited life cycle. 3.  You can have an intricate pattern of different colors or beads added to the extension without additional damage to your hair. 4.  You can have the look and feel of long hair before you decide to invest a lot of time and energy growing your own. Summary Although it may be costly and time-consuming to have applied hair extensions can provide the instant gratification of a gorgeous new long hair look. There are both pros and cons for hair extensions. As long as you do the research and are willing to assume the risks, hair extensions can be a new adventure for your hair. To read lots of great tips by real Do It Yourself hair extension experts check out the DIY Extensions Forum on theHairBoutique.com HairTalk board. Original Publication Date:  05/01/2000 - Revised Publication Date:  01/05/12

If you want to talk more about this or other hair care articles on HairBoutique.com or anywhere else, please post a message on  HairBoutique.com's Hair Talk Forums. For additional hair care articles, tips and product information check out the following links: Hair Boutique Tips & Articles section.  Check out the over 10,000+ different hair care and styling tips at HairBoutique.com Hair Extensions & Related Articles - Check out our Hair Extensions Page Hair Extensions - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Karen Shelton investigates hair extensions. To read lots of great tips by real Do It Yourself hair extension experts check out the DIY Extensions Forum on the HairBoutique.com HairTalk board. HairTopia Hair Vitamins - Jane Bullock shares her experiences with this vitamin that helps hair grow. HairTopia Hair Vitamin Facts - Details on the ingredients for this hair growth formula. Stop by and check out our HairBoutique Daily Blog Hair Guru Barbara Lhotan Visits HairBoutique.com For Marathon Hair Extensions And Consultations

Hair Extensions part 3 (Bonding and Sealing Extensions)

Hair Extensions part 3 (Bonding and 

Sealing Extensions)

Bonding is an approach to hair weave that lasts for a shorter period of time in comparison to sew-in weave. It involves the application of hair glue to a section of wefted hair then onto a person's natural hair; special hair adhesives are used in bonding to prevent damage to one's natural hair. This technique is commonly used and does not cause damage to the hair unless taken out without proper directions from a professional. It is advised that weave bonding be installed for up to 3 weeks because the glue begins to loosen up and lessens the attractiveness of the hair. 

There are 2 types of bonds: soft bond which is flexible and comfortable to wear and are made using latex,acrylic or silicone and hard bond which is the professional name for super glue. Hard bond adhesives last longer than soft bond adhesives because it is not water based and therefore does not fall apart. Nonetheless, the hard bond adhesives are not as comfortable as the soft bond adhesive because they are rigid. These bond attachments generally last 4–6 weeks before a maintenance appointment is necessary.

Hair Extensions Part 2 (Metal Coil or Micro Rings Ext)

Micro Rings (Micro Loops)

Micro rings or micro loop hair extensions use small 

metal rings (usually 

aluminium) lined with silicone 

with the extension hair

 attached. They are fixed to 

small sections of natural hair

 and tightened using a 

special tool that clamps the 

loop around the natural hair. 

The micro loops are designed to be small enough so that they are not visible in normal use. They need re-positioning every 3 to 4 months as the natural hair grows and the micro rings move away from the scalp. One advantage to micro rings is a lower overall cost. Although the cost of the hair extensions is similar or slightly higher, they can generally be fitted in around half the time of sewn or glued/bonded hair extensions, reducing hairdresser costs.

As they do not use heat or adhesives, these hair extensions should cause less damage than 

some types. However some users report that the micro rings themselves can be uncomfortable, 

especially when sleeping, as they press into the scalp. 




Sometimes, its only the metal coil alone and 

without the silicone. I do not personally recommend this 

type of extension since it  damages the hair and scalp after

several weeks. It's only good for short term use.

Furthermore,

it would just prevent you from growing your hair faster.