Hair Extensions: The Whole Truth

Well i've been browsing this site for a while now grinning at some of the misconceptions I have read regarding the above topic, so I thought I'd put fingers to keyboard and give you my professional opinion.

I have been a Hair Extension operator for approx. 18 years (since early 1982) as well as a Regular normal(hehe) hairdresser. I think I have tried all methods of application that there possibly are( and thats not many) and have come to the conclusion and that is.

Just like when you are having a colour,wave,set,cut or any hair service, the most important thing is an efficent & effective consultation, followed by a excellent hairstylist. not whether they use heats seals or thread or glue or Monofibre or dead hair or asian hair or synthetics etc, etc, etc. ad nauseum.

Hairdressers seem to have a built in ability to atack anything they dont have (No, that Shampoo you bought last time from the other hairdresser is rubbish, you should buy this one),(OMG who cut your hair Last time, what a mess),(Oh, was it that hbrand of haircolour they used ours is far more supierior to that) and clients believing that they are literally in the hands of a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL hairstylist tend to believe them.

When anyone makes a comment (including me) we base that upon our own paradigms(set of rules) to justify them.
Dome Hair extensions If properly applied, do not damage the natural hair.they look as natural as anything else does that is not grown from your own body, they do not damage the natural hair if removed correctly, and any style can be achieved if you have an experienced stylist(and enough hair to attach them to.

The above paragraph also applies to second hand human hair.

ALWAYS book a consultation before you have anything done(and be prepared to pay for it as it can save you money in the long run) and If you have any concerns about what is being told to you by the stylist have another consultation at another salon or ring up the company who supplies them to ask further questions.

And on a final note, if people such as Elle Macpherson,Cher,Pamela Anderson and Naiomi Campbell have chosen to use monofibre over another product, doesn't that justify its quality?

well I hope this helps solve a few qustions and remember, If in doubt Just run Out.

Hi PJ,

Thanks for the nice words about HairBoutique.com. Yes we sincerely do try very hard to give as many views as possible from both consumers as well as professionals. It is important to remember that this site was designed to be a place for consumers to share their hair concerns and issues.

Yes, a consultation is always recommended before any hair treatments are scheduled. Always a good idea.

Thanks again & please keep coming back.

Best wishes,
Karen

>>Hairdressers seem to have a built in ability to atack anything they dont have

I'm afraid I've experienced that many times! If I say I use "their" products, I am complimented on how healthy and shiny my hair is. If I say I use a drugstore product, I am told how much "better" my hair would look if I used their products. The truth is that I used the same shampoo (drugstore brand) both times but just told them I used theirs!!

What I find frustrating is that there is almost no way to make direct comparisons between extensions methods. Obviously, each company gives you advantages of theirs and usually doesn't have great things to say about other methods. And individual stylists seem to have either no experience or else promote the use of the method that they employ. I'd absolutely love to see a list of advantages and disadvantages of each method to be better able to decide which one is best for me.

Incidentally, I've been wearing extensions for several months now. It was extraordinarily hard to figure out which one to choose! I narrowed it down to either the pinch braids and string method or Great Lengths. I choose the pinch braids for two main reasons.

1) I've read on various websites that a few people had their hair ruined when the adhesive was removed with the Great Lengths. Oddly enough, I seemed to read either very good or very bad experiences with Great Lengths. The only bad thing I read about pinch braids is that sometimes the braids show through the hair.

2) It just seemed to me that not using any type of chemical on the hair is probably going to be more "gentle" than using a chemical. With the pinch braids, my hair is literally braided with loose hair and tied about a half an inch from the scalp, and that's it! I absolutely love them, and have had no problems at all. Since I haven't tried Great Lengths, I can't compare the two methods directly, but since I'm pleased with what I have, there's no reason to try something which produces an uncertain outcome.