Things to Know Before Getting Hair Extensions

Hair extensions make longer hair possible without the drawbacks of actually having longer hair! It’s important for first-timers to know, however, that they can have drawbacks of their own. There are certainly some important things to know before getting hair extensions for the first time.

Of course, there are basic things customers want in their extensions: they should be comfortable, affordable, reusable and easy to put in place. Although extensions used to be quite time-consuming, the good news is that they have become much more convenient over time. There are a few important dos and don’ts which every beginner should know.

• Don’t go for extreme lengths, especially if it’s your first time. Extensions should be, at the very most, twice the length of your natural hair. The longer they are, the more weight your real hair must support, so it’s usually a good idea to start out shorter.
• When extensions are wet, don’t rub them too hard with a towel. Instead, get rid of the excess water by squeezing them inside the towel and then hanging them to dry.
• When attaching clip-ins, don’t attach them too close to your natural roots, or they will pull too hard on your hair. Also, do not sleep with clip-ins still attached; it is a near-guarantee of inadvertent harm to your natural hair. If you have tape-ins or another type of permanently-attached extensions, don’t go to sleep when they are wet.
• To wash your extensions properly, use a gentle cleanser such as low-sulfate shampoo or even baby shampoo. Before washing them, use a wide-tooth comb to remove tangles by running it carefully through the hair.
• Condition and hydrate the extensions; just as your scalp’s natural oils hydrate your real hair, you should do the same for your synthetic hair.

If you are a beginner, there are also a number of terms you should know and understand:

•  “Breakage” describes damage to your natural hair where it meets the extensions.
• “Clip-in” is a particular method of attaching extensions, in which small combs hold wefts in place by being clipped onto your natural hair.
• The “halo” is also known as “hair on a wire.” On the crown of your head, a filament is placed to hold the synthetic hair, and natural hair hides it by being pulled out underneath the halo’s wire.
• “Strands,” simply put, are clusters of about fifty strands of synthetic hair which are attached to your natural hair.
• “Shedding” is the process in which individual strands are gradually lost from synthetic hair.
• “Synthetic,” as one would expect, simply describes hair that is not real. It can be colored, heat-styled or processed in another way.
• Like clip-ins, “tape-in” is another method of attaching extensions. These are literally taped to thin sections of natural hair; the extensions are held in place by being taped both over and under the real hair.
• Finally, the “weave” is a process of braiding or sewing hair into real hair at your scalp. It is slowly losing popularity, although still widely-used.

For all of your wig and hair accessory needs, we at Wig Elegance are here to offer you the most complete shopping experience in the Philadelphia area. Call us today at (215)-945-4900. We look forward to serving you!

We extend our services to each of the following cities and towns: Philadelphia, Bensalem, Bristol, Churchville, Doylestown, Feasterville, Holland, Langhorne, Pendell, New Hope, Newtown, Richboro, Upper and Lower Southampton and Yardley.