Long and lovely Tresses....

So you want to get Hair Extensions but you've heard the horror stories but you're petrified that you'll end up bald and ugly and a lot poorer when it's all over? I'm a bit of an expert on this and a few years ago I went through a long haired phase.

Well, if you don't do your homework then the horror stories will happen to you, so read on carefully! There is a way to have beautiful hair using Hair Extensions without damaging your own hair, and in fact allowing your natural hair to grow longer and healthier in the process. The secret is where you get your extentions from.

By the way, don't just think Bride here: how about the Brides mother and, don't gasp - the Grooms mother too? Why not all have a shared Goldilocks moment together on your big day?

Where Do I Start?

There are many different types of Hair Extensions on the market, but we will focus on two main types of application methods: Individual Strands and Wefts

Individual Strand Extensions

The Individual method involves taking small amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair and applying to small sections of your own hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing, clamping with metal rods or using waxes and polymers. All of these methods (except for the clamping which is self explanatory) involves coating your own hair with a chemical or foreign substance.

These extensions usually only last a few months, I had this done and the hair has to be taken out and completely re-done. The main problem is taking the Extensions out without damaging your own hair. Some Salons will swear that there is no damage to your own hair, but one hair extension expert told me that "in 17 years of doing hair extensions we have yet to see a client who has previously had the individual method applied without damage to their own hair. Without spelling it out I will leave it to your imagination what might happen to your own hair if you melt some plastic onto it or glue or clamp something to it". It took me a bout 3 years to get my hair back in shape – and it was much shorter than when I started out!

So, enough about the Individual method, what I'm writing to tell you about is the way to have gorgeous hair instantly without damage.

Good Hair, Bad Hair - What's The Difference?

Hair comes in many qualities and apart from the method of application, the quality of your hair extension hair will determine whether or not they will look real, and how long they will last.

The following comments on hair quality are meant as a guide only and are relevant to matching the hair strands of Native Irish people with all those pale and freckly stuff not the tall, dark and swarthy foreigners.

Bad Hair - Anything Synthetic

Unless you want to look like you've got a shredded plastic bag stuck to your head avoid it at all times. Synthetic Hair is basically plastic and will NEVER look like you grew it (unless you are 12 inches tall and your name is Barbie). Synthetic hair is however, great for dreadlocks - but that's another story – ready for the Rasta Bride look – no? I don’t think many of us are….

Not so Good Hair - Asian Hair

This hair is a course hair strand and grows naturally very dark (black) and very, very straight. Use it if you are Asian and you do not colour your hair and you want the sleek, dark look. I used them and it was ok but it never really was “mine”.

Good Hair - European Hair

This hair mostly comes from southern Italy and Spain and usually is grown very dark. Some of it is naturally straight, some naturally wavy. European Hair is what most people use for Extensions. It is durable and looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.

All of the Human Hair above starts off very dark then has its colour stripped back to nothing and then it is re-tinted (usually using fabric dyes not hair colour) to all the shades available. This means that if you want platinum blonde hair it has gone through a massive chemical process to get to that colour. One of the main disadvantages of all these types of hair is the inability to change your colour. Because of the chemical processes the hair has already gone through before you even see it, putting hair colour on top of it will cause the hair to break down and fall apart. So, if you use any of these qualities of hair make sure you are certain you have chosen the right colour or colour blend.

If you have highlighted (streaked) hair make sure you have your weft maker recreate your highlights(using different colours) in the wefts so that they match your own hair.

The Best Hair - Raw/Virgin Hair

This hair is like gold (and sometimes more expensive).It is grown in places near the Arctic Circle such as Russia and Poland. Genetic factors ensure that this hair is of the utmost quality. It has been grown for generations by the same families specifically to be cut and sold. It has never been chemically treated in any way (blonde hair is grown on a blonde head) and as such is much better suited to colouring and perming if necessary.

It is at its best when left in the virgin state (i.e. choose colours and blend them to match your colour exactly) but can last very well if coloured correctly and gently too.

This hair can last many years but most extensions artist don't use (or even know about) raw/virgin hair because it is very rare and very expensive. But if you can get it, and you can afford it - buy it!

Wefts - Hand Made or Machine Made?

What is a weft? A weft looks like a little curtain of hair attached together at the top and free flowing at the bottom. Wefts can be made by machine, but the best wefts are handmade. Your Extensions artist should be able to make them for you. The benefit of having them handmade is that you can match your own hair colour perfectly as the colour can be blended in the making process. Machine made wefts come in continuous widths and are then cut to size. Handmade wefts are custom made to suit your head perfectly. Also, handmade wefts tend to last much longer and are generally thicker than machine made ones. Machine made wefts are usually made from the lesser qualities of hair and very rarely can you find European Hair machine made wefts. You cannot buy virgin hair machine made wefts.

The basic choices come down to quality and price. If you want your hair to look real go for at least European hand made wefts, and if you can afford it (and find it - it is very rare) definitely go for the raw/virgin hair.

How Is It Applied?

You've got your hair - what now? Wefts are attached to your head by sewing them to a tiny track made out of your own hair. The track runs horizontally around the back of your head. The tracks are done in the middle of your scalp underneath your hairline so you can't see them.

The crown area of your own hair covers the top track making the extensions seem invisible. The number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The wefts and tracks ideally should be made in different sizes in order to match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way yourself.

Depending upon how much hair you need depends on how many tracks you have. For example: If I had hair to my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5 or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my shoulders that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.

Once the tracks are done, the wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with and combed over the extensions. From now on you have to think of the extensions as YOUR HAIR.

How Do I Look After Them?

You look after Hair Extensions the same as you would long hair you grew yourself. If you have never been able to grow your hair long before; it is probably because you are killing it just as quickly as it grows. Here are a few tips:

1. Wash, condition and MOISTURIZE (very important) your hair every 2 - 3 days. The extensions do not receive your natural scalp oils and so need to have moisture added every wash. If you don't moisturize your hair extensions they will become brittle and break easily leading to split and ratty ends. We recommend a good moisturizer for Hair Extensions.
2. Treat them with respect. They will not grow back if you yank at them with a brush, burn them with the blow dryer, kill them with chemicals. Be nice to them - they cost a lot of money so make sure you get your money's worth.
3. Always brush out all knots before you wash your hair, swim, or sleep. Start at the bottom and work your way up slowly using a paddle brush.
4. Make sure you wash in between the braids to keep your scalp clean and free of bacteria.

Every 6-8 weeks your own hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The tracks will still be intact and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this time you will need to return to your Extensions Artist and have the wefts removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage etc.

The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids. Voila! You look long haired and beautiful again.