Hair extensions are professionally fitted to your head using a specific method, which enables you to add volume and length to your hair. Occasionally extensions are also added to create the shading of highlights or lowlights. These additions to natural hair are built up using real or synthetic hair and are applied by a variety of methods from glue bonding to fusion. Hair extensions should last at least three months or more if applied by a trained cosmetologist.

Knowing a little about hair extensions can save you time and money especially with all the different types and styles available on today’s market. Most people prefer human hair extensions since they are normally easier to manage than others out there. Using hair extensions is a great way to have long hairstyles without waiting months for your own hair to grow. If you are considering hair extensions for an event such as a prom or a wedding, then bonded or clip in hair extensions would probably be a great option, depending on how long you require the extensions to stay in for.

Bonded hair extensions are one of the best methods of applying hair extensions. This strand-by-strand approach is the most meticulous form of hair extension application and by most standards, the best. Small groups of hair are applied strand by strand to the natural hair about 5 – 6mm from the scalp. With the use of a special keratin adhesive, strand-by-strand or fusion extensions can withstand heat and chemical treatments.

Caring for hair extensions is quite a bit different to caring for your normal hair. You have to follow the after care tips from your salon very carefully, otherwise they will not last as long as they should, which is rather a waste of time and money. Remember too that you can have extensions curled and highlighted and so on, but this must be done professionally and is not really something you should try yourself at home. Hair extensions should not be more than double the length of your natural hair. Never go to bed with them damp, and always tie your hair up when sleeping, this will help prevent tangling and other such problems. Run your fingers through the braids to get rid of tangles, doing this regularly is recommended to help maintain them. Don't brush harshly and tug at the extensions, as this can loosen and damage the bonds which hold them to your scalp. When you brush your hair, use a brush with soft bristles and work your way up from the bottom to the top, using the brush gently.

When your hair extensions are being applied your stylist should not place them any lower than the base of your scalp, say around the middle of your ears. The reason that they are not applied any lower than this is so that your hair underneath this point covers the extensions, if you want to wear your hair tied back or in styles such as French braids or French twists. This allows your extensions to be versatile and means that it really will feel just like your natural hair. Basically you will be able to create any style that you wish with your hair extensions in, as you will just have to treat them exactly the same as you would treat your own hair.

Written by Andy Black, owner of Rapunzels Hair Extensions.
www.hair-extensions-united-kingdom.co.uk