Hair ExtensionsThe Safe Way
By Karen Marie SheltonwithTerri Robert-Edwards Revised 2/7/05
Introduction
So you want to get Hair Extensions but you've heard the horror stories and you're petrified that you'll end up bald and ugly and a lot poorer when it's all over. Well, if you don't do your homework then this may well happen. But there is a way to have beautiful hair using Hair Extensions without damaging your own hair, and in fact allowing your natural hair to grow longer and healthier in the process.
Where Do I Start?
There are many different types of Hair Extensions on the market, but for the sake of simplicity we will focus on two main types of application methods - Individual Strands, and wefts. The Individual method involves taking small amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair (natural or synthetic, but we'll get to that later) and applying to small sections of your own hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing, clamping with metal rods or using waxes and polymers. All of these methods (except for the clamping which is self explanatory) involve coating your own hair with a chemical or foreign substance.
These extensions usually only last a few months before they have to be taken out and completely re-done. The main problem with this method is taking the Hair Extensions out without damaging your own hair. Many people who sell this method to clients will swear that there is no damage to your own hair, but in 17 years of doing hair extensions we have yet to see a client who has previously had the individual method applied without damage to their own hair. Without spelling it out I will leave it to your imagination what might happen to your own hair if you melt some plastic onto it or glue or clamp something to it. For a more detailed explanation of the Individual method check out Karen's article "Hair Extensions The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" on this site.
So, enough about the Individual method, what I'm writing to tell you about is the way to have gorgeous hair instantly without damage. But first, a little about hair.
Good Hair, Bad Hair - What's The Difference?
Hair comes in many qualities and apart from the method of application, the quality of your hair extension hair will determine whether or not they will look real, and how long they will last.
Bad Hair - Anything Synthetic
Unless you want to look like you've got a shredded plastic bag stuck to your head avoid it at all times. Synthetic Hair is basically plastic and will NEVER look like you grew it (unless you are 12 inches tall and your name is Barbie). Synthetic hair is however, great for dreadlocks - but that's another story.
Not Great Hair - Asian Hair (unless you are Asian)
This hair is a course hair strand and grows naturally very dark (black) and very very straight. Use it if you are Asian and you do not color your hair and you want the sleek, dark look. Only buy Asian hair that has been colored/permed if you don't expect to wear the extensions for a long time and you can't afford anything else.
O.K Hair - European Quality Hair
This is basically NOT European Hair but is the best of the Asian, Pakistani, Indian hair. Same as the above. Don't expect it to last.
Good Hair - European Hair
This hair mostly comes from southern Italy and Spain and usually is grown very dark. Some of it is naturally straight, some naturally wavy. European Hair is what most people use for Extensions. It is durable and looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.
All of the Human Hair above starts off very dark then has it's color stripped back to nothing and then it is re-tinted (usually using fabric dyes not hair color) to all the shades available. This means that if you want platinum blonde hair it has gone through a massive chemical process to get to that color. One of the main disadvantages of all these types of hair is the inability to change your color. Because of the chemical processes the hair has already gone through before you even see it, putting hair color on top of it will cause the hair to break down and fall apart. So, if you use any of these qualities of hair make sure you are certain you have chosen the right color or color blend. If you have highlighted (streaked)hair make sure you have your weft maker recreate your highlights(using different colors) in the wefts so that they match your own hair.
How Is It Applied?
O.K. You've got your hair - what now? Wefts are attached to your head by sewing them to a tiny braid (we will call it a track from now on) made out of your own hair. The track (known to hairdressers as a corn-row) runs horizontally around the back of your head. The tracks are done in the middle of your scalp underneath your hairline so you can't see them.
The crown area of your own hair covers the top track making the extensions seem invisible. The number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The wefts and tracks ideally should be made in different sizes in order to match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way yourself.
Depending upon how much hair you need depends on how many tracks you have. For example: If I had hair to my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5 or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my shoulders that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.
Once the tracks are done, the wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with and combed over the extensions. From now on you have to think of the extensions as YOUR HAIR.
How Do I Look After Them?
You look after Hair Extensions the same as you would do long hair that you grew yourself. If you have never been able to grow your hair long before it is probably because you are killing it just as quickly as it grows. Here's a few tips:
Wash, condition and MOISTURIZE (very important) 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. We recommend NEXXUS Keraphix as an every shampoo moisturizer for Hair Extensions.
Treat them with respect. They will not grow back if you yank at them with a brush, burn them with the blow dryer, kill them with chemicals. Be nice to them - they cost a lot of money so make sure you get your money's worth.
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.
Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.
What Happens Next?
Every 6-8 weeks (average) your own hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The braids will still be intact and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this time you will need to return to your Extensions Artist and have the wefts removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage etc. The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids. Voila! You look beautiful again
www.hairboutique.com/tips
Prologue
So you desire to obtain Hair Extensions but you've heard the horror stories and you're frightened that you'll end up bald and unattractive and a lot poorer when it's all over. Well, if you don't do your homework then this may well happen. But there is a way to have good-looking hair using Hair Extensions devoid of damaging your own hair, and in fact allowing your natural hair to grow longer and healthier in the procedure.
How do I start?
At hand are many different types of Hair Extensions on the market, but for the sake of simplicity we will spotlight two main types of application methods - Individual Strands, and wefts. The Individual method involves taking little amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair (natural or synthetic, but we'll get to that later) and applying to small sections of your own hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing, clamping with metal rods or using waxes and polymers. All of these methods (except for the clamping which is self explanatory) involve coating your own hair with a chemical or foreign substance.
These extensions typically only last a few months prior to having to be taken out and completely re-done. The major problem with this method is taking the Hair Extensions out without damaging your own hair. Several people who sell this method to customers will swear that there is no harm to your own hair, but in 17 years of doing hair extensions we have yet to see a client who has previously had the individual method applied without harm to their own hair. Without spelling it out I will leave it to your imagination what might happen to your own hair if you melt some plastic onto it or glue or clamp something to it. For a more detailed explanation of the Individual method check out Karen's article "Hair Extensions The high-quality, The Bad and The Ugly" on this site.
So, enough about the Individual method, what I'm writing to tell you about is the way to have beautiful hair instantly without harm. But first, a little about hair.
What's The Difference?
Hair comes in many traits and apart from the method of application, the quality of your hair extension hair will decide whether or not they will look authentic, and how long they will last.
Does it look fake?
If you want to look like you've got a shredded plastic bag stuck to your head steer clear of it at all times. Synthetic Hair is mainly plastic and will by no means look like you grew it (unless you are 12 inches tall and your name is Barbie). Synthetic hair is nevertheless, great for dreadlocks - but that's another story.
Asian Hair???
This hair is a course hair strand and grows naturally extremely dark (black) and very incredibly straight. Use it if you are Asian and you do not color your hair and you want the smooth, dark look. Only purchase Asian hair that has been colored/permed if you don't expect to wear the extensions for a extended time and you can't have the funds for anything else.
European Quality Hair
This is principally NOT European Hair but is the top of the Asian, Pakistani, Indian hair. Same as the above. Don't be expecting it to last.
Good Hair - European Hair
This hair typically comes from southern Italy and Spain and frequently is grown very dark. Some of it is naturally straight, some naturally wavy. European Hair is what the majority people use for Extensions. It is strong and looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.
All of the Human Hair above starts off very dark then has it's color stripped back to not anything and then it is re-tinted (usually using fabric dyes not hair color) to all the shades accessible. This means that if you want platinum blonde hair it has gone through a huge chemical process to get to that color. One of the main disadvantages of all these types of hair is the failure to change your color. Because of the chemical processes the hair has previously gone through before you even see it, putting hair color on top of it will cause the hair to break down and fall apart. So, if you use any of these qualities of hair make sure you are certain you have selected the right color or color blend. If you have highlighted (streaked)hair make sure you have your weft maker reconstruct your highlights(using different colors) in the wefts so that they are equivalent to your own hair.
How are they placed in?
O.K. You've got your hair - what now? Wefts are attached to your head by stitching them to a tiny braid (we will call it a track from now on) made out of your personal hair. The track (known to hairdressers as a corn-row) runs level around the back of your head. The tracks are done in the center of your scalp underneath your hairline so you can't see them.
The crown area of your own hair covers the top track making the extensions seem unseen. The number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The wefts and tracks preferably should be made in different sizes in order to match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way yourself.
Depending upon how much hair you need depends on how many tracks you have. For instance: If I had hair to my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5 or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my shoulders that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.
Once the tracks are done, the wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with and combed over the extensions. From now on you have to think of the extensions as YOUR HAIR.
What am I going to look like afterwards?
You look after Hair Extensions the identical as you would do long hair that you grew yourself. If you have never been able to grow your hair long before it is probably because you are killing it just as quickly as it grows. Here's a few tips:
Wash, condition and MOISTURIZE (very important) 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. We recommend NEXXUS Keraphix as an every shampoo moisturizer for Hair Extensions.
Treat them with respect. They will not grow back if you yank at them with a brush, burn them with the blow dryer, kill them with chemicals. Be nice to them - they cost a lot of money so make sure you get your money's worth.
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.
Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.
And then what?
Every 6-8 weeks (average) your personal hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The braids will still be unharmed and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this point you will need to go back to your Extensions performer and have the wefts removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage etc. The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids. Voila! You look gorgeous again.
www.hairboutique.com/tips
By Karen Marie SheltonwithTerri Robert-Edwards Revised 2/7/05
Introduction
So you want to get Hair Extensions but you've heard the horror stories and you're petrified that you'll end up bald and ugly and a lot poorer when it's all over. Well, if you don't do your homework then this may well happen. But there is a way to have beautiful hair using Hair Extensions without damaging your own hair, and in fact allowing your natural hair to grow longer and healthier in the process.
Where Do I Start?
There are many different types of Hair Extensions on the market, but for the sake of simplicity we will focus on two main types of application methods - Individual Strands, and wefts. The Individual method involves taking small amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair (natural or synthetic, but we'll get to that later) and applying to small sections of your own hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing, clamping with metal rods or using waxes and polymers. All of these methods (except for the clamping which is self explanatory) involve coating your own hair with a chemical or foreign substance.
These extensions usually only last a few months before they have to be taken out and completely re-done. The main problem with this method is taking the Hair Extensions out without damaging your own hair. Many people who sell this method to clients will swear that there is no damage to your own hair, but in 17 years of doing hair extensions we have yet to see a client who has previously had the individual method applied without damage to their own hair. Without spelling it out I will leave it to your imagination what might happen to your own hair if you melt some plastic onto it or glue or clamp something to it. For a more detailed explanation of the Individual method check out Karen's article "Hair Extensions The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" on this site.
So, enough about the Individual method, what I'm writing to tell you about is the way to have gorgeous hair instantly without damage. But first, a little about hair.
Good Hair, Bad Hair - What's The Difference?
Hair comes in many qualities and apart from the method of application, the quality of your hair extension hair will determine whether or not they will look real, and how long they will last.
Bad Hair - Anything Synthetic
Unless you want to look like you've got a shredded plastic bag stuck to your head avoid it at all times. Synthetic Hair is basically plastic and will NEVER look like you grew it (unless you are 12 inches tall and your name is Barbie). Synthetic hair is however, great for dreadlocks - but that's another story.
Not Great Hair - Asian Hair (unless you are Asian)
This hair is a course hair strand and grows naturally very dark (black) and very very straight. Use it if you are Asian and you do not color your hair and you want the sleek, dark look. Only buy Asian hair that has been colored/permed if you don't expect to wear the extensions for a long time and you can't afford anything else.
O.K Hair - European Quality Hair
This is basically NOT European Hair but is the best of the Asian, Pakistani, Indian hair. Same as the above. Don't expect it to last.
Good Hair - European Hair
This hair mostly comes from southern Italy and Spain and usually is grown very dark. Some of it is naturally straight, some naturally wavy. European Hair is what most people use for Extensions. It is durable and looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.
All of the Human Hair above starts off very dark then has it's color stripped back to nothing and then it is re-tinted (usually using fabric dyes not hair color) to all the shades available. This means that if you want platinum blonde hair it has gone through a massive chemical process to get to that color. One of the main disadvantages of all these types of hair is the inability to change your color. Because of the chemical processes the hair has already gone through before you even see it, putting hair color on top of it will cause the hair to break down and fall apart. So, if you use any of these qualities of hair make sure you are certain you have chosen the right color or color blend. If you have highlighted (streaked)hair make sure you have your weft maker recreate your highlights(using different colors) in the wefts so that they match your own hair.
How Is It Applied?
O.K. You've got your hair - what now? Wefts are attached to your head by sewing them to a tiny braid (we will call it a track from now on) made out of your own hair. The track (known to hairdressers as a corn-row) runs horizontally around the back of your head. The tracks are done in the middle of your scalp underneath your hairline so you can't see them.
The crown area of your own hair covers the top track making the extensions seem invisible. The number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The wefts and tracks ideally should be made in different sizes in order to match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way yourself.
Depending upon how much hair you need depends on how many tracks you have. For example: If I had hair to my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5 or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my shoulders that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.
Once the tracks are done, the wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with and combed over the extensions. From now on you have to think of the extensions as YOUR HAIR.
How Do I Look After Them?
You look after Hair Extensions the same as you would do long hair that you grew yourself. If you have never been able to grow your hair long before it is probably because you are killing it just as quickly as it grows. Here's a few tips:
Wash, condition and MOISTURIZE (very important) 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. We recommend NEXXUS Keraphix as an every shampoo moisturizer for Hair Extensions.
Treat them with respect. They will not grow back if you yank at them with a brush, burn them with the blow dryer, kill them with chemicals. Be nice to them - they cost a lot of money so make sure you get your money's worth.
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.
Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.
What Happens Next?
Every 6-8 weeks (average) your own hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The braids will still be intact and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this time you will need to return to your Extensions Artist and have the wefts removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage etc. The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids. Voila! You look beautiful again
www.hairboutique.com/tips
Prologue
So you desire to obtain Hair Extensions but you've heard the horror stories and you're frightened that you'll end up bald and unattractive and a lot poorer when it's all over. Well, if you don't do your homework then this may well happen. But there is a way to have good-looking hair using Hair Extensions devoid of damaging your own hair, and in fact allowing your natural hair to grow longer and healthier in the procedure.
How do I start?
At hand are many different types of Hair Extensions on the market, but for the sake of simplicity we will spotlight two main types of application methods - Individual Strands, and wefts. The Individual method involves taking little amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair (natural or synthetic, but we'll get to that later) and applying to small sections of your own hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing, clamping with metal rods or using waxes and polymers. All of these methods (except for the clamping which is self explanatory) involve coating your own hair with a chemical or foreign substance.
These extensions typically only last a few months prior to having to be taken out and completely re-done. The major problem with this method is taking the Hair Extensions out without damaging your own hair. Several people who sell this method to customers will swear that there is no harm to your own hair, but in 17 years of doing hair extensions we have yet to see a client who has previously had the individual method applied without harm to their own hair. Without spelling it out I will leave it to your imagination what might happen to your own hair if you melt some plastic onto it or glue or clamp something to it. For a more detailed explanation of the Individual method check out Karen's article "Hair Extensions The high-quality, The Bad and The Ugly" on this site.
So, enough about the Individual method, what I'm writing to tell you about is the way to have beautiful hair instantly without harm. But first, a little about hair.
What's The Difference?
Hair comes in many traits and apart from the method of application, the quality of your hair extension hair will decide whether or not they will look authentic, and how long they will last.
Does it look fake?
If you want to look like you've got a shredded plastic bag stuck to your head steer clear of it at all times. Synthetic Hair is mainly plastic and will by no means look like you grew it (unless you are 12 inches tall and your name is Barbie). Synthetic hair is nevertheless, great for dreadlocks - but that's another story.
Asian Hair???
This hair is a course hair strand and grows naturally extremely dark (black) and very incredibly straight. Use it if you are Asian and you do not color your hair and you want the smooth, dark look. Only purchase Asian hair that has been colored/permed if you don't expect to wear the extensions for a extended time and you can't have the funds for anything else.
European Quality Hair
This is principally NOT European Hair but is the top of the Asian, Pakistani, Indian hair. Same as the above. Don't be expecting it to last.
Good Hair - European Hair
This hair typically comes from southern Italy and Spain and frequently is grown very dark. Some of it is naturally straight, some naturally wavy. European Hair is what the majority people use for Extensions. It is strong and looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.
All of the Human Hair above starts off very dark then has it's color stripped back to not anything and then it is re-tinted (usually using fabric dyes not hair color) to all the shades accessible. This means that if you want platinum blonde hair it has gone through a huge chemical process to get to that color. One of the main disadvantages of all these types of hair is the failure to change your color. Because of the chemical processes the hair has previously gone through before you even see it, putting hair color on top of it will cause the hair to break down and fall apart. So, if you use any of these qualities of hair make sure you are certain you have selected the right color or color blend. If you have highlighted (streaked)hair make sure you have your weft maker reconstruct your highlights(using different colors) in the wefts so that they are equivalent to your own hair.
How are they placed in?
O.K. You've got your hair - what now? Wefts are attached to your head by stitching them to a tiny braid (we will call it a track from now on) made out of your personal hair. The track (known to hairdressers as a corn-row) runs level around the back of your head. The tracks are done in the center of your scalp underneath your hairline so you can't see them.
The crown area of your own hair covers the top track making the extensions seem unseen. The number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The wefts and tracks preferably should be made in different sizes in order to match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way yourself.
Depending upon how much hair you need depends on how many tracks you have. For instance: If I had hair to my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5 or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my shoulders that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.
Once the tracks are done, the wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with and combed over the extensions. From now on you have to think of the extensions as YOUR HAIR.
What am I going to look like afterwards?
You look after Hair Extensions the identical as you would do long hair that you grew yourself. If you have never been able to grow your hair long before it is probably because you are killing it just as quickly as it grows. Here's a few tips:
Wash, condition and MOISTURIZE (very important) 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. We recommend NEXXUS Keraphix as an every shampoo moisturizer for Hair Extensions.
Treat them with respect. They will not grow back if you yank at them with a brush, burn them with the blow dryer, kill them with chemicals. Be nice to them - they cost a lot of money so make sure you get your money's worth.
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.
Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.
And then what?
Every 6-8 weeks (average) your personal hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The braids will still be unharmed and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this point you will need to go back to your Extensions performer and have the wefts removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage etc. The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids. Voila! You look gorgeous again.
www.hairboutique.com/tips
posted by Your Hair Weaves Expert @ 9:07 PM
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