My name is Lisa i'm from New Jersey. I have my prom coming up. and as you will see in a couple of seconds.. i have harrible hair.. its very very damaged because in the past i got relaxers.. i stopped using them about a year and a half ago when i found out how harmful they wore.. last augest i got japannese straighting.. didnt work much different then a relaxer.. and now i just flat iron my hair.. because my natural hair is SO hard to tame without using a massive amount of products.. i don't mind flat ironing my hair.. i have a chi straightner and i used biosilk silk therepy and joico moisture recovery shampoo & conditioner.. it takes me about an hour and a half to flat iron my hair and i always blow it out before hand.. for prom i would really love to have extentions.. my hair just doesn't really grow.. i have clip on extensions but i dont want to worry about them falling out during prom.. a stylist suggested hair locs because it would allow me to style them normally.. she was going to charge me $2500.. i didnt really now if she was just in it for the $$ or if she really thought that it was a service that would work well..  i do plan on keeping the extensions in for a while.. money really isnt an issue as long as i see the same quality back and am satisfied. i just must be able to flat iron my hair or the roots will be VERY puffy.. if you have any other reccomendations PLEASE let me know!!

 

here are photos of my hair (wet & dry)

 

Me personally, I can't really hang with the Liquid Gold since I have blonde hair, and the lighter formula glows in the black UV light. But since you have darker hair, the dark colored LG might be a very viable option for you to use in combo with Pro-tac (one of the least damaging and hair growth friendly options in my opinion). And you can do wefts which will be much simpler and friendlier in your takedowns and reapplications, also allowing you to reuse the hair for a while (if it's quality hair). 

And you can hot iron the top layers of hair very easily. I'm not too sure about hot ironing the pro-tac/liquid golded portions though. I think sometimes people will run their hot iron over them again just to help "resecure" them sometimes.

 

 

there's a girl on here named Frenchie who just did this method and has some great pics posted. Also look at Sherrie's pics.

 

Or if you can find a good pinchbraider, that's probably the best in terms of least damage and they'll last fairly well.

 A good pinchbraider will make them so small and tiny that you can't see them. There's a girl on here named Jenny that does this with synthetic hair. And her hair is Caucasian, blonde, and really short (pre-extensions), but in the photos, you would never know it.

 

 

As for the texture of hair?  I'm not really too sure what I'd reccomend. It seems like curlier regrowth at the top and straighter/damaged/thin at the bottom.

 

Oh, and the best thing I've ever found for removing glues and stuff is Goo Gone (can get at your local grocery store). Most of the "removers" and such you get at your local beauty supply are pretty much useless. Search this forum for "Goo Gone" and you'll find some pretty good threads/instructions on it too.

 

there's so much more, but I'd probably be writing a book. But one thing I can tell you from experience, make sure whatever method you plan on doing, that you can continue the upkeep, because no matter what method you choose, one of the culprits of damage (escpecially in a strand by strand method) is keeping the same ones in too long. Because, what happens is your hair, (the hair that would normally be shedding in your hair brush, is being trapped up there). And eventually you will start getting matting. Basically, you're giving yourself dreadlocks. And think about it this way, if you go and spend $2500 on ONE initial installation, you're going to want to keep them in there as long as you can right? And get your money's worth. Well, that's what a lot of people do, and the damage process to their hair begins. And you're initial goal of getting your own hair to grow will NEVER happen like that.

 

let me give you some links to some other forums too (this one is awesome too, but the more information the better):

 

http://hairextensions101.com/forum/ - http://hairextensions101.com/forum/

 

http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/ - http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/

 

I agree since its only for prom,something like protac tape method or even liquid gold blonded wefts would be good,and would look natural.As far as hair to buy you have alot of options since you are planning on flatironing it.

I would check out this demo for protac.the same idea is used for bonded wefts as well with only liquid gold and no tapes.I would also enlist a friend or maybe your mom or whoever else you can.So they can help you with the back.The back can be tricky,even with a mirror.Its better to have another pair of hands.Good luck.And post pics.

http://shrinkies.net/protacdemo.html - http://shrinkies.net/protacdemo.html