Hello, and thank all of you for your incredibly informative discussion forum.  I've been perusing it for the last couple of days -- your collective knowledge is dizzying!

Two questions.  I'm planning to have extensions done for the very first time.  I should say that my hair is fine, somewhat wavy, abundant, and almost touches my bra strap.  I don't use heat on it (with the exception of the long layers in front, which have a tendency to want to do the water buffalo thereby forcing me to correct them); I let it air dry.

1.  Please tell me your views about Ultratress.  I've seen some discussion of it here, but little on how it differs from/stacks up against other methods.

(FYI, it's a keratin protein fusion method that works best when the adhesive joining the hair & extension is pressed together for a long time when installing.)

(FWIW, the extensionist I'm considering using has been doing extensions for 18 years and teaches.)

Among other things, I'd like to know what the potential is for damage to my hair and/or scalp.  Anything else you know about this method (for hair like mine) is greatly appredciated, as are tips/advice generally.

2.  Raw/virgin European human hair -- I'm told it's literally impossible to get, but I found this website: http://www.raweuropeanhair.com/ -  for a company called Cariba Group Ltd.  You can't specify colors/textures, sadly -- not sure how that works out -- but unless it's a hoax, which I kind of doubt, this appears to be the real stuff.

I saw a brief thread here discussing this company (in July), but no one had tried it.  Anyone know anything about it?  Anyone tried it?  Anyone want to go in on an order with me?

I'd be delighted to get your collective wisdom.  Thanks so much in advance.

--Pingapid

Correction to my earlier post:  my extensionist isn't proposing Ultratress's proprietary method after all.  Instead, he's recommending keratin tips.

Thoughts on keratin tips?

• Their health/safety/damage profile?
• How long they typically last (a range, even)?
• The shedding sitch?
• Care and feeding wisdom?
• Does this method work better with one type of hair over another?  (Mine is fine but not super-fine.  It's strong, abundant, and slightly wavy.)

Also, my extensionist is offering Cinderella Hair -- the kind that's 100% virgin human, and supposedly temple, hair.  It's a variety that he says is available only to stylists.

This confuses me b/c I thought virgin hair meant completely chemically untreated, and the allegedly virgin temple hair he's offering me comes in a variety of colors, including my light brown.  I figured virgin temple hair, being Indian/Hindu, would have to be limited to black/dark dark brown.

Thoughts?  Feelings?  Reactions?  Intuition?  Wisdom?  Advice?

Again, thanks very much in advance.

--Pingapid