stylist corner

The single purpose of the Stylist Corner is to bring you reliable information from reputable "gurus" from around the globe. To kick things off we thought we'd start this section with a MUCH NEEDED article by Florida Extensionist Denise Chapman...

I'm going to tell you the truth about all hair extensions and the logic behind it. There is so much misinformation about hair extensions is hard to tell who knows what they're talking about. I want you to erase from your mind everything you think know about hair extensions and regard this as the Bible of hair extension information.

Not all hair extension systems are created equal. Nor are all extension hair & nor are all hairdressers are created equal. In your quest to find the perfect hair extensions, you must consider the following things:

Your hair extensionist:
Make sure your hair extensionist is a licensed cosmetologist for a minimum of five years. It is important that your hair extensionist understands all aspects of hair, not just attach it to your head. It is important to understand how colors, textures, placement, cutting, and finishing work fit into the final look that the client is trying to achieve. Make sure your hair extensionist has also taken classes in the method of hair extensions to be used on you. They should be able to produce a certificate of training in the method that they're offering from a reputable continuing education company. Make sure your hair extensionist has done a minimum of 30 or 40 heads in the method she is going to use on you. Also make sure your hair extensionist does several methods of hair extensions. This way, the professional opinion you get from her will not be biased on any one method. Hair extensionists who do only one method have no comparison to form an opinion on. Hairdressers and extensionists work on commission. Because of this fact, more than likely they will never turned down the opportunity to make a sale. Keeping in mind all of the above, a hair extensionist that only does what one method will more than likely tell you you're a candidate for their system, whether or not you are or whether or not you're a better candidate for a different system. Make sure they can do a proper razor cut. That is the key to making your hair extension fall naturally. Make sure they have pictures & ask for at least 3 references that you can speak to and look at their hair. Even ask if you can come in while they are working on a client. Go in near the end time so you can see the finished result.

Your own hair
Make sure the finished design they you're looking to achieve is compatible with your hair. Understand that all extension services may not pertain to you. This is why there is such a variety in hair extension systems. There is a certain amount of acceptance that you have to have with your own hair. Some looks are easier than others to achieve. Maintenance is also a big factor. Understand that if you change your hair color, your hair texture, and receive extensions, the maintenance required to keep looking fresh will probably have you in the salon once every three to four weeks at a great cost. It's a lot of work. Make sure that you are willing to put in the time to maintain this look at home with the proper tools & care.

Clients responsibility
It is imperative that you follow your extensions recommendations. Always brush your hair everyday at least twice a day from scalp to ends to avoid tangles. This is the biggest problem most people seem to have. If you ignore a knot, it will grow into a big knot. When you go to your hairdresser days, weeks or even moths later, by that time, they hairdresser can do nothing but try to brush out most of it but it usually ends up getting cut out. There is no reason to not brush your hair. Do not spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on your hair extensions to turn around & buy cheap stuff from the dollar store. Most people who are getting extensions have some sort of issue with their hair already & hat stuff does not help. Always use a professional product.

The hair extension system
All hair extension systems were created for different purposes. Twists, locks, cornrow and braids can be used to integrate extension hair and were meant to be visible in the final design.

Weaves are simply on the scalp braids, also known as cornrows, covered up by extension hair so directly on the braid. The problem is that tension is needed to security systems in place and the weight of the extension is not evenly distributed through the head can cause hair breakage. Another factor causing breakage in the systems is when the client goes to wash their hair. During washing, a lot of stress is placed on hair. Between the tension, the weight distribution of the extended hair and the added water weight will loosen the weave. A lot of people will not wash their hair as often as necessary to avoid this situation. It is also very hard to dry the braids under the extended hair properly, & wet hair or very dirty hair will sometimes cause a mildew odor.

Bonding is used to secure a weft of hair to the client's natural hair temporarily. The good thing about this method is its quick and easy and cheap. The bad thing about this method is a lot of people glue the weft of hair directly to the scalp. Most bonding pieces are made out of latex. There a lot of people out there who have latex allergies and don't even know it. The latex can create small blisters or scarring if attach directly to the scalp. To attach hair directly to the scalp you must use wig glue. Bonding glue must be used to attach a hair weft to the client actual hair. Latex will also pull your hair out if you do not use patience and a lot of oil and heat. This is a messy system that requires patience. The strand-by-strand methods fall into three categories: adhesive-based fusion, heat shrink tubing, and metal tubing.

Metal tubing has been known to cut off some of the strands of hair that it was attached to. It is also difficult to pry open. If the tube cannot be pried open it must be cut off. This is not always the case but why risk it? It is also not good for delicate find or baby hair as this method carries additional weight on baby fine hair & really does cause breakage.

Heat shrink tubing will not harm your hair but the tubing must have a thermoplastic adhesive lining for additional security. There is not enough adhesive in this system to wear nicely for extended period of time. The problem with heat shrink tubing is once the two is shrunk down, after a few washings some of the extended hair will start slide out as the only thing holding it the tension from shrinking. There is not enough adhesive lining to cover all of the hair is properly for the best security. Once that starts to happen it's a matter of time before they all come out, as there are gaps where the hair used to be in the tubing. Since heat shrink tubing uses the same adhesive that adhesive-based fusion uses, it makes more sense to forgo the shrink to and just use the adhesive.

Adhesive-based fusion systems are really the best systems out there today. There really is no drawback to using adhesive as long as you're using a professional adhesive. Make sure you know what kind of adhesive is to be used. Some adhesive are made up mostly wax, and since wax has extremely low melting point, will melt when you try to sit under a dryer, blow-dry, flatiron, or curled your hair with a curling iron. Your hair extensions needs to use a professional grade adhesive from a reputable company with a high melting point to it endure chemical and physical manipulations. Professional adhesives use a remover that dries out the bond to turn it to dust, rather than using oil to pull it out of the hair. This is a no stress way of taking it out of your hair.

Bad things to avoid
Do not walk but run as fast your legs can take you if you see your hairdresser to any of the following.

Try to "correct" any differences in color or texture on the hair extensions while they are in your head. Since most hair comes from India, you are already working with two different textures of hair. Extended hair is processed with chemicals that we normally do not use on our own hair. It also can be recolored using an ink rather than regular hair color & can react unpredictably. This is the reason why there are many different versions of hair chemicals out there. Not all hair will fit one texture chemical or coloring agent. This is almost guaranteed to ruin your hair and is one of the most unprofessional things a hairdresser can do. If you had to go to somebody other than your regular hairdresser to get your extension installed and your regular hairdresser is not familiar with that system, do not let them work on your hair. A lot of times, if the hairdresser is unfamiliar with the system, they do not know how to work around it or what concessions had to be made to keep the system from being compromised and can ruin all that of the hard work.

If your hair extensionist starts to put in your extensions and you see that she is using makeshift tools instead of professional tools, run. Ask a lot of questions. If they do not give you logical answers or do not make sense or give you vague answers they you're comfortable with, please seek a second opinion. If for any reason, you do not like what you hear, get a second opinion. It is your head and your money. If at any time, anything does not look right, stop the procedure and ask what is going on. Give their work a hard look. If you see any inconsistencies or sloppiness in their work, run. That is a dead giveaway of a lack of experience.

In fusion, look at the bonds. Each bond must be symmetrical; you must be able to part hair at any point to be able to see the scalp. It should not be pulling the client hair nor should it be too tight for the scalp, as this will cause uneven weight distribution as it grows out, which in turn causes breakage. The good fusion shop should look invisible, even when the hair is in a ponytail or moving around.

If your hairdresser says that there is no maintenance involved in their system, run. This is also a sign of no experience. Since nothing will be as good as your own hair, and there is always an attachment site, there will always be additional maintenance. Make sure your extensionist is going to perform the work herself & not have an apprentice do it as they do not have much, if any, real experience. If an apprentice is going to do your hair, make sure you get a break on the price

Price is always consummate with experience, even if the extensionist is going to stand there & watch. Make sure your extensionist takes notes & has a consult form that asks pertinent questions pertaining to your situation. If they do not take notes or want pictures, guess what? RUN!

Good things to do
Always look at the extensionist portfolio. If they do not have portfolio, ask to speak to a client of theirs with similar extensions or ask to come in and see their finishing work on a live client. Make sure your hair extensions understands exactly what you want. Bring in pictures of hair that you admire. These pictures should show the desired color, texture, finished design, & length. Make sure you get a copy of the consult form as well as a receipt. Take your own before & after if your hair extensionist doesn’t. This is to protect yourself if your extensionist does not perform the work they were contracted for. Make sure they use name brand supplies, hair, adhesive, tools, etc. You are probably paying a lot for this service, so they should use quality supplies to achieve quality results. Be impressed by their work. It should look really good, even when you part the hair to look at the interior. It should be neat & clean & consistent.

Get an estimate!
When you go for a consultation, get a written estimate. You want to make sure that the written estimate includes the following: Color of hair, amount of hair to be used, length of extended hair, method used & labor fees. This is your documentation if anything goes wrong or if they try to charge you more money for the work they said they were going to do at the consult. Get it in writing on how long this method will last in your head. These are the most common things that go wrong. If you don’t have it in writing, you are out of money. Protect yourself. Find out what steps the hairdresser will take to correct their work if is does not meet your requirements. Ask if there is are extra charges. Document everything. Protect yourself, your hair & your money.

Length of time
All extension systems have different length of time. The average length of time for almost every system never extends past three months. There are a few good fusion systems out there that will last until the hairdresser removes it which can be past three months. If anyone tells you that lasts longer, then understand that there is maintenance involved. The reason why hair extensions do not last past three months is based on the following things:

Weight distribution
If the extension is too heavy for the hair to hold, after a certain amount of time, the extension will fall out, slide out or break off.

Shedding
Hair naturally sheds. This goes hand-in-hand with weight distribution. Any natural hair that sheds that is attached to extended hair does not fall out of the head, rather it comes out when the extension is removed. Shedding hair with hair while it was in your scalp, was used to hold the extension in. Too much shedding results in not enough hair to hold the weight of the extension. That is why it is imperative that you get your extensions maintained, redone, or the very least checked by your hairdresser at the three month mark.

Hair growth. Most people's hair grows at a rate of 1/2" per month. At the end of three months, your hair has grown a little over 1 1/2". So when people tell you that system will last for six months or longer, imagine where the attachment point will be in that time. Hair extensions and additions will never be truly "permanent" the matter what anyone says.

Application time
Varies with each type of extension plus how much attention to detail your hairdresser is willing to give. Make sure your hairdresser is a patient person who is by appointment only for all services. It is not fair to the client to pay lots of money for a high end service, only for the hairdresser to stop working on you to service another client. You will be there a long time, even without interruptions.

Rumors about hair extensions
Do not believe everything your hairdresser tells you about any method that they do not use or have not done. They want you to use their method or they are usually afraid of an established client going elsewhere for services at the risk of losing them. Some like to tell horror stories. It is true a lot of people have had bad experiences with extensions, but most could have been avoided with the proper choice of supplies & the proper choice of hair extensionists & the proper choice of hair extensionist. Extensions are not "burned off" or "cut off" or knotted into the hair. At least not any proper methods, maybe some home made rigged extensions, but not good ones. You should be able to texturize or color your roots with good extensions. You should not know you are wearing extensions nor should anybody else.

What makes me such an expert?
I have been a licensed cosmetologist for 20 years. I have been doing extensions for 12 years, fully devoted to the art of all hair extensions for 6. I offer 21 types of hair extension services. In my years as a hairdresser, I limited my practice to corrective services & advanced methods for all aspects of hairdressing. I have studied the science of hair, adhesives in hair chemicals. Continuing education in my field is very important to me, therefore, I try to maintain my education level through valid cosmetology courses. I am a perfectionist. I guarantee my work. I am in the process of working with chemical companies, hair factories & laboratories to come up with my own line of high-quality extensions, including a do them yourself at home line and professional line. I've installed literally hundreds, if not thousands of hair extensions. I attended college & majored in Art. A lot of my clientele deals in corrective work rather the cosmetic and I also fix other hairdresser's work. It gives me the greatest satisfaction and pride to know that I can fix anything to do with hair that is given to me. I love when a client comes to me thinking that nothing can be done or they have very low expectations to come out with the most unbelievable gorgeous looking hair beyond expectations. I have a real passion and love for my work.

Quality Products will make an enormous difference in the finished results. Use only the best quality hair that you can afford that is available, the correct attachment method, products, quality tools, and experienced extensionist. If you are not sure, you can always call the extension company for a recommendation of someone that your area. Make sure that the hair you buy says tangle free human hair for use on all extensions except those such as twists, locks, and braids. The latter can use synthetic or cuticle free hair. Synthetic hair is not recommended for any other type of extensions because it is made out of extruded nylon which basically means it cannot be styled what you would normally style your hair. In fact if you put a hot iron or a curling iron to it, it will melt off. Quality products for home use will also make a difference.