Every women dream of long, straight or wavy hair. This is an incontrovertible sign of femininity. What’s more, men love long hair too. That is why women do their best to grow as long hair as possible, however in practice the whole process is extremely long-lasting, tiring and sometimes impossible. If mother nature wasn’t generous for you and your hair is thin, you won’t be able to grow them to the length you would love to. However, that’s not impossible. How? And here comes hair extensions to rescue your day and add some points to your confidence. If you haven’t heard of them before, you’ll find a lot of useful information below. And if you have, but you are afraid of your natural hair after some time with extensions – we’ll tell you if there is anything to be worried about.
A few words about hair extensions?
Hair extensions as the name says are strips of hair that you add to your natural ones to make them look thicker and add some volume to your hairstyle. That’s all if it’s about the theory. And now some practical information. The first thing is the fact that there are hair extensions made of a natural hair and synthetic one. It only depends on you which one you’ll choose. Extensions with natural hair are more likely to blend in your hair and this way there is a huge possibility that no one will notice the difference. The next thing is that there are different weights of hair extension strips. Whether you choose lighter or heavier, with less or more hair attached, depends on you. And your natural hair condition and the effect you would like to achieve. That is why it’s good to consult with a hairdresser, even if you want to apply hair extensions on your own. And last, but not least is the color. That is also very important aspect of hair extensions. If you don’t want your hair look strange – remember to choose the same color as your natural (or dyed) hair. Only this way you will make a volume, but there won’t happen questions like: Have you extended your hair?
How to apply hair extensions – the best methods
Now, if you know a lot about hair extensions it’s time to find out a little about the methods of their application. There are plenty of them, but we’ll present you 3 most popular.
- Weft hair extension – There is a hair weft which is applied to the hair in rows, rather than as stand by strand. Hair wefts can be applied using tape-in or sew-in/weave method.
- Tape-in hair extension – it is the most popular one. Hair extensions are applied using either double or single-sided polyurethane(PU) tape. It is the fastest and the easiest of available methods. You only need about 20-40 minutes for volume applications and 45-60 minutes for full-length application.
- Sew-in / weave extension – this method is the best option for curly, thick or coarse hair. Your hair is braided to create a base for the extensions, and then the wefts are sewn into the braids using a needle and thread. And the huge advantage of this method is the fact that there is no need of glue or heat whilst applying the extensions.
- Clip in hair extensions – this is a temporary hair extension method. It is ideal for some special occasions and when you don’t want to have long hair all the time. Wefts of hair are applied using small pressure sensitive clips with silicon. And you can easily apply them on your own, at your home without visiting hairdresser.
- Strand method - extensions with a keratin glue bond are attached to small pieces of your own hair. It can be attached with a keratin glue or with a micro link. The main advantage of this method is the fact that there is no possibility of any tapes becoming visible during the day. And it’s very long-lasting.
Do hair extensions damage your hair?
Hair extensions, no matter what method you’ll decide for are not as bad for your hair as they say. The only important thing here to bear in mind is the fact that it should be applied by a professionals. Or if not, you have to practice a lot to do it correctly. Only this way you’ll avoid hair damage and you won’t lose any of your natural hair. What’s more, you have to wash your hair extensions. Even temporary ones. Why? Do you wash your natural hair? Hair extensions while applied on your hair also have a contact with some cosmetics you apply on them. That is why, to keep them in the best shape, you have to wash them regularly. Be careful and after washing use a mask to moisturize them. However don’t apply mask on your scalp not to give your hair extension a possibility to slip down. There are special shampoos and other cosmetics to take care of extended hair. Are you ready for a Hollywood look with your long, beautiful hair?