Hair Extension Care: How to Properly Care for your Hair Extensions

Many women with short hair dream of having long thick locks. Some women find it difficult to grow their hair, often taking years only for it to grow an inch or two. Hair extensions have become one of the leading choices for women looking for longer hair, providing instant gratification. There are a vast range of lengths, colours and styles you can choose from.

With a variety of options available, you will need to have some idea on the maintenance and care of the different types, helping you make the best informed decision when making your selection. You want to ensure the care your hair extensions can fit into your lifestyle.

Clip In Hair Extensions

Clip in hair extensions are the cheapest option on the market that enables you to wear your hair long when you want, and short when it best suits you. These hair extensions are very manageable and you can install them yourself within minutes. Simply clip the extensions into sectioned partings you create in your natural hair. The snap clips are easy to open and can be hidden in with your natural hair. These are available in synthetic and natural human hair at a variety of lengths, colours and thicknesses.

Clip in extensions are low maintenance hair extensions and generally best for temporary use. You only need to wash and condition them after every 10 to 15 uses. Due to the fact you do not wear these extensions twenty-four hours a day, there isn’t a lot of oil or dirt build-up on the extensions. Use a gentle shampoo for hair extensions to reduce the hair becoming dull. After washing and conditioning in the sink, comb out any tangles with a wide tooth comb. You can blow dry and heat style human hair clip ins as normal.

Tape in Hair Extensions

Tape in hair extensions are suitable for anyone with thin or fine hair or if your hair is broken at the ends due to colour damage. These are temporary/permanent extensions which tape in like a sandwich to produce voluminously thick hair that offers you that bounce you have always dreamed of. The extensions lay seamlessly flat against your head to provide a very natural look.

Tape in hair extensions can stay in for up to six weeks before maintenance is required, depending on your hair type. You will need to brush your extensions every day, using a special extension brush. Washing should be carried out once to twice per week. Sulphate free products, including shampoos, are the best products to use. Over time your own hair will grow and the tapes become looser. Visit your salon and ask for the extension to be removed and refitted to ensure it aligns with your natural hair growth.

Sew-in Hair Extensions / Weaves are best suited to longer hair, blending seamlessly and making it difficult to identify which is natural and which is extension hair! This extension method is applied using a needle and thread and sewn onto a row of micro rings.

Caring for this type of extension requires less maintenance, as they are one of the easiest methods to look after. You just need to come back for a re-tighten of your weave every six to eight weeks.

Pre Bonded Hair Extensions / Fusion Hair Extension

These are known as bonding, bonded or pre-bonded extensions that are extremely natural-looking with long-lasting results. The natural hair is parted and the extension is attached with a strand glued into place with a natural keratin tip. These extensions can last up to four months and are applied with a heat connector tool. They are the most secure and discreet method of extensions.

Of course, as your hair continues to grow over the months you wear pre-bonded extensions, this causes the bond to move away from the roots over time. Unlike the other methods, you do not need to visit your salon for touch-ups every few weeks as the bonds can’t be moved up or re-used.

Use a soft bristle brush to detangle the hair from the roots without damage. Cleanse your hair from the roots down, working the shampoo gently into the mid-lengths and ends of the hair, before rinsing and detangling.

Micro Ring Hair Extension

Micro Ring hair extensions are best suited for thicker hair and can enhance your natural hair offering you longer, thicker locks. Micro rings are small beaded metal rings that attach to your own hair. Each piece is made from copper with a silicon lining built-in to protect the natural hair. Micro Rings are applied one at a time strand by strand using a special pair of pliers as the application tool.

You will need to attend routine maintenance appointments every eight weeks with your hair extension professional. During these appointments, the rings are opened, extensions moved up and then re-attached to fresh new sections of hair. The extensions can be washed as often as you need. Ensure you massage the sulphate free shampoo in between the strands and follow with a cool rinse. After washing, applying moisturising sprays and light oils to the mid-lengths and ends of the extensions can help to keep the extension hair looking natural and healthy. All extensions should be fitted by a hair extension professional. Contact us today to arrange your free consultation!