As lovely as hair extensions can be for an instant change in your looks, they can also be terrible for your natural hair - to the point where you're googling "Help! Hair extensions ruined my hair!". We can 100% tell you that this would be caused from them not being put i correctly, maintained properly or installed properly.
Regardless of the method used for applications tailored to each style of hair extensions that are available, hair extensions are attached to your hair - tugging at your scalp as well as your hair and because of this fact, hair extensions CAN ruin your hair but the damage can also be avoided. The tension from having extensions put in incorrectly can lead to traction alopecia which is a type of alopecia caused from when pressure has constantly been put on the roots which has damaged your hair follicles.
The most damaging factor of hair extensions is the application - if it's not done correctly by someone who is specialised in the particular type of hair extensions you're getting, you could end up with less hair than you started with. However, it's not always the hairstylists fault because if you're not taking the time to take care of your hair, than you yourself could cause some serious damage to your hair.
BUT I STILL WANT TO WEAR HAIR EXTENSIONS...
If you want to go against advice in avoiding hair extensions all together, look at temporary styles such as clip in's or halo's. Do not go down the road of permanent extensions like tape or wefts because this will be an all-day, all-night strain put on your head which in turn will not help at all with fixing your hair loss or traction alopecia. You want to purchase hair extensions for your hair that you can remove everyday and give your scalp a breather and time to recover.
Think of this... you know when your hair is in a high ponytail and you take it out at the end of the day and your scalp is almost unbearable to touch due to the sensitivity? That sensitive sensation comes from consistent strain put on your hair follicle, semi-permanent hair extensions will do the same thing therefore avoid semi-permanent extensions to avoid CONSISTENT strain on your already sensitive scalp/hair follicles. If we had to recommend either clip in's or halo's, we would recommend halo's.
Why? Halo's can be applied and stay in your hair with just a wire... our halo's do come with clips however they can be removed and aren't always required (it's just an added security to keep the halo in place). Not to mention halo's require no beads, tape, glue or any adhesive to stay in your hair, it's completely damage proof. Clip In extensions are applied with clip's. If you're not super careful with putting them in and taking them out, you could risk pulling out precious hair or the added weight of the clip in extensions can cause damage to the hair follicle. Just remember, we are talking to the thin hair, constantly losing hair ladies in this blog... the thinner your hair, the heavier the hair extensions will feel to your scalp - this is what you don't want.
IMMEDIATE DAMAGE CONTROL FROM HAIR EXTENSIONS
Weekly hair treatments can do absolute wonders for repairing your hair from damage caused by hair extensions. There are so many hair masks on the market but the brand that really sticks out for us is Olaplex! You see the name tagged in all the salons, boasted by so many trusted professionals and anyone in between because Olaplex does the job and does it right. With a combination of professional only products as well as products made for you to take home from the salon, Olaplex is known to repair broken bonds and reseal your hairs structure. At home we recommend using Olaplex No.0 intensive bond building treatment, No.3 hair perfector treatment followed by No.4 shampooand No.5 conditioner - Olaplex range goes beyond No.5 all the way up to No.7, finishing the range on a bonding oil. Always ask your trusted hairstylist before starting a new haircare routine but we'll be surprised to know if any trusted professional doesn't recommend Olaplex.
Try your best to lay off the heated tools if you have severe damaged hair, especially if you've just had hair extensions removed. Heated styling tools can cause serious damage to your hair because it's breaking down the hair shaft causing bonds to split and the hair to become brittle and dry. If you avoid using heated tools to style your hair for a long period of time, your hair will recover much faster and will prevent further damage. There are so many products on the market now to help with styling your hair without heat, our favourite being the TikTok trick of heatless curls where you braid your hair around a bath robe sash overnight - you'll wake up with beautiful waves without absolutely any heat needed!
Are you brushing your hair enough? If you are wearing hair extensions or have them in semi-permanently, it's important you take exceptional care of them to avoid damaging your natural hair when wearing hair extensions. Brushing your hair multiple times throughout the day using a gentle brush will assist in preventing tangles and knots in your natural hair and in your permanent hair extensions. Let's say you have semi-permanent hair extensions in your hair like tape, if you leave knots you are adding further weight in one particular part of your scalp because having hair clump together in one spot is adding weight in one section of your hair which will not help your hair loss. Frequently brushing your hair throughout the day will also equal to the vital nutrients coming from your scalp will reach the bottom of your ends where it's the most dry. Whenever you're putting hair extensions in your hair, make sure your hair is completely free of knots or tangles this applies to both temporary and semi-permanent hair extensions.
Throw out your fabric pillowcase and invest in a silk pillowcase! If you didn't already know, sleeping on a fabric pillowcase means that your pillowcase is sucking up oils from your hair and your skin (yikes, all those precious dollars spent on your skincare to only be absorbed by your pillowcase). Sleeping on silk means that the products you put on your face and in your hair STAY in place all the while keeping your hair from frizz and split ends because your sleep won't involve any friction that normally happens from sleeping on fabric pillowcases. We have tried and tested Slip Silk Pillowcases and have seen major differences in the state of our hair.
Your diet also plays a vital role in the health of your hair so put down the processed foods and pack your diet full of protein, iron, zinc and biotin which can be found in beans and lentils. Protein and iron help your hair to grow stronger and thicker because it nourishes your hair follicle. Studies suggest that zinc and biotin can help prevent hair loss and encourage more hair to grow.
Remember to put in the hard yards and do your own research. Google will be your best friend and so will reviews - also your trusted hair stylist. Hair extensions are an investment but can also make your hair a lot worse if you don't have the suitable hair type or the application is wrong. We strongly believe that hair extensions can be the answer to having longer, thicker hair but for the future of your hair and knowing it could get worse, hair extensions aren't always the answer. Your answer is patience, a well diet full of nutrition and the help of products to battle hair loss and encourage hair growth. We roughly have about 150,000 to 200,00 hairs on our heads and we loose around 100 strands a day, each hair strand is said to be programmed to return back approximately 22 times and last for 6 years - so when you're applying hair extensions you could be shortening those regrown hairs and lessen its life span because it's being pulled out quicker.
Want to learn what method is best for you? Book a virtual consult with our team. We install and do hair as our love and passion. We can help you develop your new glorious regime. hello@ouielle.com
