Hair extensions have become one of the most effective celebrity hair secrets that allow them to sport a variety of hairstyles for different events and functions. In recent years, they have become widely popular among women because of the improvement in quality afforded by the technology and advanced methods of applying them.
However, there are still a few rules that you need to abide by to maintain its natural look as well as considerations for its upkeep. This will help you decide if managing hair extensions is a good fit for you and your lifestyle:
1. Different Styles
The different types of hair extensions factor which methods to use to keep them at their best. For the entry-level, clip-ins, you may want to wash them every after six to eight times you use them. It’s recommended that you clear them from any tangles before you wash them gently on your bathroom sink and then dry them. Tape extensions are attached to your hair by invisible bi-adhesives. You may want to avoid doing yoga or doing extensive physical exercise as the oil from your scalp will affect the bi-adhesives. Keratin hair extensions may last around three to four months with proper care. This is good for women who would like to change their hair color or are doing physical exercise like swimming because the keratin bond will keep the bond in place.
2. Synthetic Vs. Human Hair
There are differences between using synthetic and human hair. For one, synthetic hair will have to be replaced every after 3 to 4 months while human hair may last up to a year. So it’s important to keep with your maintenance schedule to keep your hair healthy and vibrant. Although synthetic hair might be shinier, it cannot compete with the natural look of its counterpart. Ask your hair extensions specialist for more details on the advantages of luxurious human hair and what you need to do for its upkeep. Human hair may require you to shell out way more than a synthetic one, so it’s best to know what your needs are so that you won’t end up overpaying something you won’t really have to wear all the time.
3. Home Maintenance
In between your fitter’s appointments, it’s important to take care of your care using available products at home.
- Avoid overwashing your hair, doing it one to two times a week will be sufficient to keep them clean and healthy. Shampoo can dry out your natural hair as well as the extensions.
- Hairstyling should also be minimized unless necessary. Color treatment of an already treated human hair can jeopardize the result and it’s much worse for synthetic and may cause irreparable damage. Dry your hair as best as you can before you blow-dry them and keep the setting to low heat.
- When curling your hair, as with any hairstyling methods, make sure you apply a heat protectant to minimize the damage. Also, try to keep your curls for 1 to 2 days before doing any touch-ups.
- Use a wide-tooth comb or a hairbrush that doesn’t have beads at the ends of its bristles. The beads may get tangled with the wefts of the extension and damage it.
- You may also want to braid your hair at night to avoid breakage when it gets pulled when you sleep.
- For your shampoo, use a sulfate-free shampoo and avoid the dry ones to avoid getting your extensions frizzled. You can also use leave-in conditioners and blow-out cream to protect your hair and keep it shiny.
4. Hair Extensions Replacement
A hair extension replacement method is a technique that involves replacing your extensions with around 20 to 25 bundled hair. You may need to have your appointments every 4-6 weeks to keep the proper volume of your extensions. This method removes old hair and its bonds to make your hair look new and the bond stronger so that new healthy hair can grow underneath. This is good if you have kept with your own maintenance and have only lost a few of your extensions. This way you’ll be able to grow out your own hair and keep your extensions for a long time.
5. Uplift
Hair uplift is a method where the extensions are removed and moved back up to their original position. This method prevents your extensions from growing down as they will be placed back to their original position from the scalp and may improve with the volume of your hair. However, it can be difficult to re-attach the extension, depending on your own maintenance, since the tip of the extension may not be as firm and clamping it will not be as strong. No new hair will be used so you must keep any extension that you’ve lost so you can reattach it. This is a lengthy process, which would cost more but would typically be needed every after 6-8 weeks.
Doing home maintenance will show its results when you go to appointments as your fitter or specialist will assess your hair’s growth and its progress. Maintenance also reduces the chances of tangles and hair loss, this means you’ll get to keep your extensions longer looking new than when you’ve first worn them.
