Which hair extensions are best for you?
Hair extensions can be applied in a lots of ways, so how do you know which would suit you best? Which will be the best fit for your lifestyle, hair type and budget? At NuTress hair extensions we’re often asked about the different techniques available, so to give you an idea of what’s out there we’ve put together this blog. New techniques are being developed all the time and this list is by no means complete, but it’s a start.
Clip in
Clips are sewn onto wefts of hair and then clipped onto natural hair at the scalp. They are for short term use only and should not be slept in. With practice, they usually only take a few minutes to apply.
Pros – Good if you have a small budget, good for short term use, minimal home care needed.
Cons – back combing and the weight of the wefts can cause severe root damage if worn frequently. Can be time consuming if applying regularly, Not secure and can be pulled out or even fall out easily, not suitable for short hair, can be seen through thin/fine hair, not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair, hair cannot be worn up.
Bonded/Glue in hair extensions
This type of bonding is not to be confused with micro bond hair extensions. Your natural hair is parted from ear to ear and wefts of hair are glued directly onto the natural hair at the scalp. They last up to 6 weeks. Usually takes less than an hour to apply a full head.
Pros – Good if you have a small budget.
Cons – the weight of the wefts can cause damage at the roots if worn frequently, not suitable for short hair, can be seen through thin/fine hair, not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair, hair cannot be worn up, extremely difficult to remove the latex glue causing root damage to your natural hair, moderate home care needed.
They have been linked to allergic reactions which have resulted in up to 20 deaths a year.
Sew in wefts/weaves
Your natural hair is braided and wefts are stitched to the braid. They last for up to 6 weeks. A full head usually takes 1-2 hours to apply.
Pros – Good if you have a small budget, minimal home care needed, easily removed at home.
Cons – Very uncomfortable if applied too tightly and can cause root damage. even when worn for short periods. Not suitable for short hair. Can be seen through thin/fine hair. Not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair. Natural hair cannot be worn up. Can cause permanent hair loss through traction alopecia, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/naomi-campbell-hair-exposes-bald-spot_n_1761999.html
Micro ring weft
Partings are made in the natural hair, small sections of the wefted hair and natural hair are taken along the parting, pulled through micro rings and clamped near the root. They usually last up to 6 weeks. A full head usually takes 1-2 hours to apply.
Pros – Usually inexpensive. Minimal home care needed.
Cons – Very uncomfortable if applied too tightly. Not suitable for short hair. Can be seen through thin/fine hair. Poor quality micro rings can cause breakage at the point of attachment. Not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair. Hair cannot be worn up. Can cause permanent hair loss through traction alopecia.
Micro rings/tubes/locks
Small sections of your own hair are pulled through the top of the micro rings/tubes/locks, *pre bonded hair extensions are then pushed through the bottom of the rings and clamped near the root of your natural hair. The hair extensions are applied individually, strand by strand along partings made throughout your natural hair. They last for 3-4 months. A full head can be applied in 3-4 hours. Micro rings tend to be rather bulky and unsightly, tubes/locks are flatter and more discreet.
Pros – Applied individually so grow freely with your own hair. Hair can be worn up but micro rings may be visible depending on hair type, colour and placement.
Cons – If pre bonded extensions are used, the size of the hair extension/bond cannot be adapted to suit the placement or hair type, so bonds may be visible or even worse too heavy for the hair they are attached to. Micro rings have a tendency to “slip” down the natural hair creating an uneven effect on the lengths. Poor quality micro rings can cause breakage at the point of attachment. Not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair if pre bonded extensions are used. Must be removed professionally to prevent root damage. Moderate home care needed.
Nano rings
Nano tip hair extensions have a tiny, metal loop which pokes out of the end of the *pre bonded hair extension. They are applied in the same way as micro ring hair extensions except it is is the loop which is inserted into the bottom of the ring rather than the bond itself.
Pros – Applied individually so grow freely with your own hair, much lighter than wefted hair, hair can be worn up but rings may be visible depending on hair type and placement.
Cons – The size of the hair extension/bond cannot be adapted to suit the placement or hair type, so bonds may be too heavy causing tension and stress, leading to hair loss. Because the nano ring is so small, only a tiny amount of natural hair can be pulled through it to support the pre bonded extension. This can lead to hair loss and root damage. Although the loop and nano ring are tiny, nano tipped bonds are enormous and unsightly and are clearly visible if the hair is worn up. They can cause an allergic reaction in metal allergy sufferers. It is not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair, must be removed professionally to prevent root damage, moderate home care needed.
Pre bonded fusion
*Pre bonded hair extensions are applied near the root of the natural hair, the keratin tip is fused to the natural hair using a heat connector and the bond is formed by rolling the keratin between the thumb and finger. The hair extensions are applied individually, strand by strand along partings made throughout your natural hair. Last 3-4 months. A full head can be applied in 3-4 hours.
Pros – Applied individually so grow freely with your own hair, much lighter than wefted hair, hair can be worn up but bonds may be visible depending on hair type and placement.
Cons – The size of the hair extension/bond cannot be adapted to suit the placement or hair type, so bonds may be visible or even worse too heavy for the hair they are attached to. Not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair, must be removed professionally to prevent root damage. Usually tipped with “hard keratin” which is difficult to remove and can cause significant root damage even when removed professionally, moderate home care needed.
Cold fusion
*Pre bonded hair extensions are applied near the root of the natural hair, the keratin tip is fused to the natural hair using an ultrasonic connector. “Cold” fusion is a very misleading term as the ultrasonic vibrations generate heat which melts the bond into the hair. The bond is flat and not rolled between the thumb and finger. The hair extensions are applied individually, strand by strand along partings made throughout your natural hair. Last 3-4 months. A full head can be applied in 3-4 hours.
Pros – Applied individually so grow freely with your own hair, much lighter than wefted hair, hair can be worn up but bonds may be visible depending on hair type and placement.
Cons – The size of the hair extension/bond cannot be adapted to suit the placement or hair type, so bonds may be visible or even worse too heavy for the hair they are attached to. Not always possible to achieve a good colour match to your natural hair, must be removed professionally to prevent root damage, moderate home care needed.
Micro bond fusion
A tiny amount of melted **keratin resin is placed on the root end of loose hair. The keratin tipped hair is then placed onto a small section of natural hair near the roots and the keratin and natural hair are ‘fused’ by rolled them together between the thumb and finger. The hair extensions are applied individually, strand by strand along partings made throughout your natural hair. Last 3-4 months. A full head can be applied in around 6 hours.
Pros – The only method where each individual extension is tailored in length and weight to the section of hair it’s attached to, making them the safest, lightest, most discreet hair extensions available. Safe and discreet enough to use in very thin/fine hair. Applied individually so grow freely with your own hair, hair can be worn up with complete confidence that the bonds aren’t visible. Most natural, bespoke of all hair extensions applications.
Cons – Due to the complexity of the method the application can be time consuming, must be removed professionally to prevent root damage, moderate home care needed, may not be compatible with very oily/greasy hair
*Pre bonded hair extensions come with the bond already attached. This means the length, colour, weight and bond size of each hair extension can not be adapted to suit the individual client. As such, not all colours and shades can be obtained resulting in a poor, unnatural colour match. The bonds tend to be rather large and unsightly and can quite often be seen through the natural hair, especially in thin/fine hair and blonde hair. They are not suitable for thin/fragile hair as the weight of the extension cannot be adjusted. They are applied one length with only minimal layering occurring on the ends of the hair and as a result don’t blend well if the natural hair is of medium/thick density or shorter than shoulder length.
**The soft keratin used by NuTress is heated to 120° and cools immediately, this is almost half the temperature of the average hair straightener which is 200°.
Cutting hair extensions is a totally different discipline to cutting natural hair, even the most skilled and experienced hairdresser seldom achieves a natural result. Individual, strand by strand hair extensions are tubular in shape and become very blunt and unnatural when cut. By far the best way of adding style, layers and shape to hair extensions is to measure and cut each and every hair extension before it is applied. This is by far the most skill, methodical and time consuming method but the results are far superior and eliminate the need to attempt to cut the hair after fitting.
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