Hair Extensions

Who gets hair extensions? What are hair extensions, methods, etc.? When can you get hair extensions? Where do you get hair extensions? Why would you get hair extensions? And perhaps the biggest question....How are they attached?

A good place to start is explaining what hair extensions are all about. In a society where immediate results are very popular, the beauty industry has developed and improved the ancient technique of adding human or synthetic hair to your own hair and making it look like it grew out of your own head.

We say 'ancient' because people have been doing this since forever, with wigs, hairpieces, weaves and such. Many of today's methods have been adapted from African-American stylists that weave human or synthetic hair into corn rows for a long, flowing and natural look.

So who gets hair extensions? Many celebrities get hair extensions for various movie roles. The celebrity factor is what has catapulted the popularity of hair extensions over the last 5 years. When you see magazine covers with famous actors having long, flowing natural looking long hair, you begin to think that maybe you could get the same look. Once thought as a rich person's service, hair extensions have become much more affordable and even practical for everyday consumers.

The main reason for getting hair extensions is to add length to your hair style, although they can be used to thicken your hair or even add highlights. Hair extension expert Rod Sickler, Owner of Images by Rod & Company in Rantoul Illinois says, "Don't limit yourself to just adding length to your hair. Hair extensions offer a simple solution to fine hair and can add a little pizzazz to thick, curly or wavy hair in any color or style."

"Any hair type can support hair extensions", says Sickler. Sickler makes hair extensions easy by creating cutting-edge hair styles for his clients. Some examples include sleek and straight hair, vivacious ringlets and striking color enhancements with the use of different highlighted and lowlighted hair extensions. He describes the hair extension process as very painstaking and challenging as it requires many hours and various techniques to complete. The rewards are many as he is able to re-invent hair, tweak techniques and fulfill his clients' needs.

How to Use Hair Extensions

For some of you, the need for hair extensions will be apparent if you are suffering from hair thinning or hair loss. For others, the need of hair extensions will be to add some length or volume to your existing hair. Then of course, there are those who simply want to change their look. The question you will all be asking, is how do you use hair extensions? Well, the purpose of this article is to answer that very question.

Hair extensions exist to add length and volume to natural hair. The extensions can come from natural sources such as the highly praised Indian Remy hair, or they can be produced from synthetic materials. Fortunately for us, there are a wide variety of colors, lengths and textures so you don't have to be concerned about finding the perfect match.

Synthetic hair can be made from materials such as silk, silicone and polyester. They are in most cases a lot cheaper than the human hair alternatives - but the downside is they do also look 'cheap'. The other downside to synthetic is that they can not be styled using heating tools such as straightening irons as they will melt! Furthermore, they have a tendency for frequent tangling and frizz. If, on the other hand,
your intention is simply to wear for one night or as an experimentation then synthetic hair extensions are perfectly fine to use.

Real human hair tends to come from Asia, India and East Europe. There is plenty of human hair available and it can be processed to meet your requirements. Virgin hair is when it has not been processed in any way and is regarded as the highest quality and standard of human hair.

So, referring back to our question of how to use them - it depends largely on which method of application you wish to use. The method of application also depends on whether you are after a temporary set of extensions or a more permanent one. Below are some of the more common methods of applying hair extensions:

Clip-On Hair Extensions
To apply clip-on hair extensions, first separate the hair at the back by using a comb to draw a horizontal line from the top of one ear to the other. Clip the hair that is above the line out of the way. Now you can clip in the extensions across the full width of the back of your head. Release the hair from above and draw a new line about an inch above the last. Repeat the process, adding the extensions in so that they are not visible from beneath the natural hair.

Glue-In Hair Extensions
Divide the hair as you would with the previous method. The length of the weft should be a tad shorter than the width of your head from ear to ear. Carefully apply the glue provided over the length of the weft and wait a short time until it goes tacky. Now you can place it onto the hair at the divide line but make sure the glue doesn't make contact with the skin. Use a hairdryer to fully dry off the glue.

Hair Fusion Extensions
Once more, section the hair as you would have with the other two methods. Work through the hair taking small sections at a time to match the width of the extension. Attach the extension near to the root of the strand and use the heating tool to fuse them together.

In my experience, unless you are using clip-on extensions or you are a professional - you should go to a salon to get more difficult hair extensions put in - at least for the first few times to see how it is done correctly.

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