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The Truth About Hair Extensions | The Horror Story

Written by Christopher Box
Published on June 15, 2011

Ever wonder why there are so many bad hair extension stories going around? These tales have almost become somewhat of an urban legend.

My best friend's sister's cousin had extensions and all of her hair broke off when she had them removed. Hair extensions are evil and will ruin your hair! (insert sinister music here)

Sound familiar?

The reality is that there are several factors involved in the failure of any hair extension system.

I think the blame begins is from the hair extension manufacturers themselves. Most companies making extensions are so set on selling stylists on a one day training to “learn everything about hair extensions” that they short sell the entire art that I call hair extensions.

There are lots of things a stylists and client wearing hair extensions need to know.

You cannot teach hair extensions in one day. Can you give an intro? Yes. Can they show how to apply the extension? Yes.

Can they give stylists the complete picture on how to successfully implement a hair extension program in their salon. No.

A successful hairdresser did not learn how to cut hair in one day. An awesome stylist did not take a one day class on hair color and became a color expert the next day. More than likely they worked their butts off for years learning their craft. It takes dedication and passion to truly be able to make these services look so easy.

Hair extensions are right up there with cutting and coloring. It takes time to learn how to properly take care of the client who wants hair extensions. You cannot just slap in extensions and expect everything to always be great.

The reality is that there are times when problems arise with hair extensions. Good stylists working in a salon that have programs in place have the ability to problem solve anything that happens.

They also have the proper education for the client wearing the hair extensions. Hair extension experts are not afraid to let their clients know when they are doing something wrong.

If your hairdresser doesn’t know the ins and outs of hair extensions then it very well may be setting you up to fail. If your stylist doesn’t know how to properly operate hair extensions, then how are you supposed to?

If you have heard bad things about hair extensions keep in mind that you have probably heard bad things about hair color. This has not stopped you from getting your highlights done. I won’t even go into hair cuts. Everyone has had at least one traumatic haircut experience.

A skilled hair extensionist has the ability to transform your look like nothing else. Outside of a face lift or cosmetic surgery there isn’t a service out there that can deliver the results that beautiful hair extensions can.

So, next time you hear a horror story about hair extension, keep in mind that most people who wear extensions all the time, are more than satisfied.

Hair extensions are a solution to many problems and can give you the confidence to just be yourself. That is the real gift of a talented hair extension expert.

View Comments for this Video

- "Unfortunately, many people are unaware that weaves are actually in fact the safest method of hair extension installation on the market. A large percentage of our clientele suffer from male/female patterned hair loss, alopecia, trichotillomania, hormonal hair loss and have recently finished chemotherapy treatments. Because of this the percentage of our clients that have fine hair runs at 95%. Braiding was initially invented to promote hair growth, not stunt it.These days fine hair is no longer a rarity. To attach the curtain of human hair onto your own hair we must first have a buffer in between so we aren’t attaching anything directly onto your hair. This buffer is synthetic hair; we use this to create the braid only pulling tiny pieces of your own hair into the braid. Now this is where it gets a little more scientific. Everyone’s parting is completely different, due to your head shape, patternsof hair loss and lifestyle, we can’t install your braids in the same way as the person before you. One thing that is a common denominator is that all the parting must be square! This means that all of the tension points are 100% equal, because the braids are in a rectangle formation. Unfortunately you cannot have 100% tension points with fusion or singles, unless you are measuring a square in between each bundle of hair installed, if so, this process would take days!Also, with fusions and singles you are using bonds, glues or adhesives! Upon removal, that’s when the most damage is done, as heat, removal solution or extreme pulling must be used to take these out. At this point you’re losing handfuls of hair each time you remove them, not to mention the fact that you are unable to reuse that hair, which isn’t exactly cost effective. With free flow extensions, we only use thread and synthetic hair, so upon removal you aren’t losing any extra hair as all we have to do is cut out the thread and take out the braid. Because of this, we are able to maintain our clients for seven years and over (some even for ten +) and still have their hair in excellent condition, not deteriorating. Unfortunately, these days ‘weaves’ get a bad rap, simply because they aren’t installed properly.Clip-ins are a fantastic option for those looking to only wear them roughly a couple times a week. Anymore than that, you run the risk of irritation and rubbing due to the metal on the clips!Hair extensions are a great solution for all :)"