Hair Extensions 101

Hair extensions can be used to add volume, length, or even a splash of color to your hair.
If you don’t want to commit to a chemical color service, extensions can be used to create highlights and/or lowlights or even to add avant-garde fashion colors to your hair.

A reputable salon with up-to-date stylists trained and certified in extension applications will provide you with high quality hair in the colors, lengths, and textures you desire and a choice of different types of extension applications. WARNING: Never let anyone braid your hair and sew in extensions. This old-fashioned method which puts stress on your own hair, always causes some degree of hair loss and can often cause bald spots.

The 3 newest and most gentle types of applications are:

Two-Sided Tape
This application method is the least time consuming and, therefore, the least expensive.
Wefts of hair come on a strip with adhesive and are applied to your own hair with a “sandwich” technique. This type of extensions is comfortable to wear and light weight.
They can be placed higher up on the head and temples than other extensions allowing your stylist to add hair in all directions, not just lenghwise. This method is natural looking, as it does not cause ridges or bumps. With proper care these extensions can lasts for 2 to 3 months. They are ideal for hair that is thin, fly away, limp or damaged.

Hot Fusion
Tis multiple=strand application method uses a heat-activated bond and hot tool to attach the strands to your hair close to the scalp. This method is gentle to your own hair, gives a natural appearance, and allows you maximum styling versatility. Hot fusion extensions last approximately 3 months. A special remover causes the bonding agent to crystalize and turn to powder for fast and gentle removal.

Cold Fusion
This strand-by-strand application technique allows for the maximum amount of hair volume. There is no glue and no heat. Instead tiny metal rings are crimped to attach the hair to your own hair close to the scalp. As your hair grows, the extension hair can be shifted up and re-tightened. This can be done in different areas at different time intervals depending on how fast your hair grows in any given area. The time interval between re-tightenings is approximately 6 weeks. This is the only method which allows you to reuse the extension hair. (Eventually, over time, new hair will eventually have to be purchased, but not all at once., as with other methods.)