I'm going to be getting hair extensions (great lengths) & my hair is damaged from a previous hair dresser over processing my hair (sitting under the dryer for 50 minutes with bleach in my hair!!)  -- I didnt know any better then... but, I started going to my new hairdresser & I love her she doesnt overlap my hair and doesnt leave the bleach in for long at all... so my hair has gotten alittle better..(she cost alot more but its worth it)

Well, I've heard that Great Lengths is the best but, for how damaged my hair is i'm afraid anything might damage it.. I dont want to do the extensions myself at all...   -- The girl who is going to do them works at the salon where I get my hair done... (its the best salon in my city)   She told me that the GL extensions cause "no damage" but i'm wondering if thats for people with healthy hair...

I got my consultation lastnight she told me it will be 2,000 dollars for 18 inches of hair.... I know thats pricey but, it doesnt matter to me as long as my hair doesnt get damaged...  Does anyone know if great lengths is the best for damaged hair???

With all fusion type bonds, you to remove them you  put acetone on the bond and try to crush it with a plier which is supposed to help break the bond down and turn it into a powder.  This sounds great in theory, but doesn't always work that way.

Sometimes that glue, and yes it is glue, is stubborn and doesn't want to break down and come out of the hair, so it requires a lot of acetone and trying to crush and comb it out.  Some people are not patient enough and try to rush through it, thus pulling your natural hair out.

I love the pinchbraid method.  It's become my most favorite strand method.  For a wefted method, I like the Ultratess or New Concepts Seamless wefts, no damage with those either. 

My own natural hair is as crappy as it comes, baby, baby fine and very thin.  I try all extensions that I offer to my clients, because if it works for me, than it will work for anyone.

In the meantime, look into clip on wefts.  That would be the ultimate no damage extension, because you clip them on and off yourself each day.  I currently am wearing those myself, and they work great!

Do a search for 'pinchbraids' and 'clip ins' and you'll get a lot of info.

metalgurlie~

please tell us how the wefts are atached

thanks

Cybermane, the most I have ever installed is 5 bundles of GL and it took me a little over an hour to remove them. I think removal time also depends on the person's hair. Some of my clients I can remove the entire head in 30 min and some it takes be an hour and half to remove the same amount of hair. I am very very careful with my clients hair.

Do you install GL?

Hi Charlene, I am also glad to meet you. I did hair for my first two years out of high school, but then I got married and moved out of California and did not work in the industry for the next 15 years. I bought my Salon in Ventura, Ca about a year and a half ago. I first took the training in the So Caps method because the GL was hard to get into. I had been wearing GL in my own hair for about 4 years and like you I think that alot of people on this board give fusion extensions a bad rep. I think maybe it is because most people on this board use some form of weft and link method. I have 9 stylist in my salon, some with as much as 25 years experience and none of them have ever worked in a salon that did extension, they had no idea, they had heard all kinds of bad things about extensions and now they all love what I do. I love fusion and would not have any other method in my hair. I had the GL training last October. I do more So Caps than GL in my salon because they cost less. I have found that for my clients that has problems with slippage, GL is far superior to So Caps. GL and So Caps hair quality is simular and I dont really have a preference between the two. As far as speed as I said sometime it takes me forever. I tell my clients that no matter what they hear they cant leave them in for more that 12 weeks. I think that helps also.

What kind of shampoo do you use? Do you give your clients home care instructions?

I look forward to talking to you more:-) My e-mail is mailto:frank.keri@adelphia.net - frank.keri@adelphia.net

Thanks

Keri 

Hey Cyber and Club,

I just wanted to chime in here because I am also a big fan of fusion.  I have tried many other methods, but for me, there is no comparison.  I've been wearing fusion for about a year now and I do my own.  I love it and I completely agree with both of you that it's not fusion that causes damage, it's the stylist's install/removal or the person's maintenance.  Anyhow, I have never had a professional fusion install.  I learned on myself through research, trial, and error.  I currently use the X-10 keratin glue, but I'm looking for something that holds longer.  Obviously because I am not a licensed cosmetologist, I can't be certified in GL or any of the other big names, but do either of you know of a really good keratin glue?

I'm interested in the Bacardi or Everclear removal, do you acutally put it onto the hair and it removes the bonds or do you have the client drink so much of it they don't care what their hair looks like??  I had GL about a year ago, and my stylist used the GL remover (not sure what it was) she worked on my head for about an hour, then handed me the pliers and the gunk, and cut other clients hair while I tried to get the rest out.  Then she put a bunch of conditioner in my hair and sent me home with a rat tail comb and told me to comb all the "knots" out, I had such a huge wad of hair I thought for sure when I looked into the mirror I would be bald.  I think the removal and the care during the 6 months, (yes 6 months)  damaged my hair so bad, that I still waiting for it to get better.

Anyways, I could have used a HUGE glass of Bacardi or Everclear during that removal process!!!

Club Salon wrote: What kind of shampoo do you use? Do you give your clients home care instructions? I look forward to talking to you more:-) My e-mail is mailto:frank.keri@adelphia.net - frank.keri@adelphia.net Thanks Keri

Hi Keri!!!

You are very fast in responding!  I like that!  Yeah, some people in this board love me and some hate me. 

But there is a really great private board of specialists who are very supportive.  They do many different methods and you'll feel very comfortable chatting with them about anything.  We never tell each  other mean things or put each other down.   I will email you the details.  I'll talk to you in about 4 days since I have to catch a plane tomorrow for business.  We would love to have you!!!  One of my favorite friend is looking to open her own salon and could use some advice from a very successful salon owner like yourself!  

Getting back to the maintenance, I give my clients the complete set- shampoo, conditioner, anti-tap, and brush- all GL brand and the GL instruction too.  Then I tell them to come in for their follow up 1-2 weeks for post care.  This is what I was taught when I took their class in April 2001.

Can't wait to chat with you online!!!

Charlene

BirdOfEden wrote: I currently use the X-10 keratin glue, but I'm looking for something that holds longer.  Obviously because I am not a licensed cosmetologist, I can't be certified in GL or any of the other big names, but do either of you know of a really good keratin glue?

Hello Bird!  Yes, I remember you well!

GL uses polymer glue.  I don't know any other alternatives for over-the-counter sale.  Mega may sell their glue OTC, check with them.  But ya know Bird, I read something about your salon wanting you to teach them your fusion- perhaps you can tell them to BUY the professional brand for YOU!!!- GET IT???

Best of luck!!! Charlene

gsmilie wrote: I'm interested in the Bacardi or Everclear removal, do you acutally put it onto the hair and it removes the bonds or do you have the client drink so much of it they don't care what their hair looks like??

 U R so funnnnny

gsmilie wrote: I had GL about a year ago, and my stylist used the GL remover (not sure what it was) she worked on my head for about an hour, then handed me the pliers and the gunk, and cut other clients hair while I tried to get the rest out.  Then she put a bunch of conditioner in my hair and sent me home with a rat tail comb and told me to comb all the "knots" out,

WTF???  Bad stylist!   You should report her.  GL will suspend her account. 

Gsmilie, how long had you had the hair in? bad stylist is and understatement!!! I tell mt clients, especially the ones with very thin hair that they have to change it every 12 weeks and follow the home maintenance very carefully

Cybermane, have a safe trip and I am very excited about your e-mail, cant wait to get it. I will help your friend as much as possible

Alcohol.Not the rubbing kind either,lol. Alot of people including myself have used oils and conditioners on the glue bonds to break it down.It can be time consuming.But for me personally it works quite well.I have never used acetone or alcohol on my hair.Oil has always been plenty.

Longhairdreams wrote: Alcohol.Not the rubbing kind either,lol. Alot of people including myself have used oils and conditioners on the glue bonds to break it down.It can be time consuming.But for me personally it works quite well.I have never used acetone or alcohol on my hair.Oil has always been plenty.

Thanks for the info, so.... any oil?  I do have olive and canola oil, will they work?  And when you said time consuming, how long did it take you per strand, and the whole head?  I have a full head of GL and there is this one strand I have in the front I can always see the connecting bond, want to remove it myself.  When the 3 months come, I might do the whole head too....

I have had like 400 strands at one time,lol.Amms orange oil is ideal for removing those bonds.It took like three days to remove all the glue.I havent worn great lengths so maybe someone who has removed their own can add some helpful tips.The big key to any removal is patience.Thats where most damage happens.People get in a hurry and start pulling at the bonds.Thats why I dont wear strand by strand anymore.I get to the point where i cant stand them and want them out no matter what,lol.

400 strands???  How do you fit 400 on your head?!?

Well you said its not great length so maybe other methods are a little different.  My stylist used 140 strands on me and today another GL stylist checked my extensions and told me I have no place to put more in.

So what do you wear now?

I currently switch back and forth between bonded wefts and clip ins.

Amms oil:shrinkies.net(wonderful site with even better products).

Everclear:liquor store,lol.

Good luck with boogiemama.I have seen pictures of her work and its awsome.

P.s. 400 strands were shrinkies.I had to get out liquid gold(cause I didnt coat the tips,duh me) And the shrinkie glue.Like I said I have never worn great lengths so I dont want to steer you wrong

I've had hair extensions for 2 years now. Great Lengths was the first system I tried. Started off with very healthy hair. Also tried glue system & now I'm using loc-ins. (some kinda round metal clip).

OK, I think Great Lengths is the worst! It gets my hair knotted up especially near the mane. It looks like a "birds nest" after only 3mths. Even only after 3 days of putting it in, my hair got tangled very badly on the ends... takes me an hour every morning to un-tangle my hair!!! Very painful for me coz i have an extremely sensitive head. Also, I lost ALOT of hair during removal... don't know why my experience was so bad...

Anyways, I'm thinking of trying Hair Dreams.. coz i was told that i can curl it & it doesn't tangle at all! Very expensive but i'm willing to find the best out there! Any feedbacks???

The only experience I've had with GL tangling and matting is improper maintenance.  This is true with all extensions...no matter what the method is.

concubine wrote: OK, I think Great Lengths is the worst! It gets my hair knotted up especially near the mane. It looks like a "birds nest" after only 3mths.

I have yet to have one single client complain about Great Lengths. 3 month is the max you should ever try to wear them before removal. Matting is caused by the client not taking proper care of the extensions. Daily brushing with some type of looper brush is required to prevent matting. I myself have been wearing them for years with non of the problems you described.

Keri

That sucks if it's really true that Hair dreams is the same as GL! Coz it cost alot more money & i already booked the appointment. Guess I'll just give it a try...   wish me luck ....

NOW, regarding maintenance... all i did when i had GLs was to brush till i couldn't brush anymore. It was SO painful!!! I have another gf that had the same problems wt GL. Maybe it was just bad luck!!! I take very good care of my hair coz extensions cost alot of money... hhmmm, GL is still a mystery to me...

I dont believe in method wars Rae and I would never be involved in one. I think that all methods have their drawbacks. I have had clients come to me with pinchbraids who were totally unhappy with them I always send them back to their stylist to have them removed, then I switched them to GL and they were happy. Since I wear GL all the time I know that proper maintenance and not leaving them in too long will greatly reduce the matting and damage to the hair.

Keri

I think different methods work differently on different clients!

The key is to find the method that works for that particular client.

Perhaps some get really bad matting problems because the extensionist did not do clean sections when putting the extensions in?