July
2008
The Truth about Hair Extensions0
Last year a local news station promoted a story called “Problems with Hair Extensions.” It caught my attention - would there be some new development, some new issue that I didn’t know anything about? I waited past the initial headlines, past the other puff pieces, past the weather…even through the sports update. The 45 second story was the last item in the broadcast indicating that this subject was a big draw for the largely female audience. The piece focused, primarily, on the damage that sewn in extensions can do after pro-longed wear. Sewn in extensions require tightly braided tracks of hair into which the extension hair is sewn, and these tight braids, worn over time, tear out the hair and may even permanently damage the follicle. This was not new information to me and I don’t imagine that it was a surprise to anyone whose mother ever pulled their hair into tight braids as a child. The story went on to extol the virtues of the strand by strand, keratin (protein) bond application method - information I also knew as someone who has researched, worn, and trained in extensions and eventually created Beauty Heaven, a salon which specializes in them. The broadcast ended without offering other critical information that I will cover here.
Great Lengths, the strand by strand application brand we feature, was first to develop and patent a damage-free technique using a keratin bond that is fused with your natural hair using either heat or with a new heat-free method we offer called Cold Fusion. Though I’ve seen imitations of this bond, I’ve never seen anything that works as well. Additionally, because they were first to market, Great Lengths negotiated first pick at the European Hair Markets which has a finite supply of good, quality hair We have never found another company that furnishes the quality of hair that Great Lengths provides.
A great product, however, does not guarantee a great outcome. Only a well trained extensionist can provide precise color matching (we usually recommend at least 2 different colors), color blending (a unique service we offer which gives a more natural look) and a special cutting technique to seamlessly combine the extension hair with your natural hair. Experienced extensionists will also ensure lasting healthy bonds and prevent damage upon removal. Extensions put in correctly should last from 4-6 months. Your natural shedding cycle (50 to 150 hairs a day), growth rate and natural hair texture will determine precisely how long your hair will last. If your hair sheds quickly, you may find that you lose some extensions over time as the hair that the extension hair is bonded to natually sheds from your scalp. If your hair grows quickly, you may find that you replace your hair more often so that your bonds do not start to show as the hair they are attached to grows. Extension removal is an often overlooked but critical part of the extension process. Removal by an inexperienced or unfocused stylist can cause terrible breakage. longer. To ensure a higher level of extensionist, we require our Beauty Heaven stylists go through a rigorous 6 month in-house training program in addition to the standard 3 day Great Lengths certification. All Beauty Heaven stylists must meet our strict quality standards (which includes applying and removing my extensions) in order to offer this service to clients.