Many women are less than enthusiastic about their natural hair. Maybe it isn’t as thick as they want, their preferred texture, or the color they would choose. Whatever the complaint, though, the reality is that only some of these issues can be resolved by cutting or coloring your own locks. But there are other ways to transform your hair beyond a trim or color change. In particular, you can achieve a significant change in style by opting for extensions, but if you’re new to this world, you need to learn to care for them properly first.
1. Know the Types
The first step in learning how to care for your new hair extensions is exploring the different types available. As a result of popular culture, most people are primarily familiar with sew-in extensions, but there are also clip-in, tape-in, and hand-tied extensions.
Hand-tied extensions have grown popular in recent years because they offer wearers several advantages. In particular, they can minimize breakage during the placement process, but they can still add plenty of volume and length, though they are really only suitable for straight-to-wavy hair. It can be a pricy, and long process for women with particularly fine hair, but the upkeep is reasonably affordable since the extensions aren’t actually tied, but are attached with small beads.
2. Material Matters
If you’re going to invest in hair extensions, you want to make sure you’re getting them from a hair salon that uses top quality materials. In particular, you want to look for real human hair extensions, not extensions made from synthetic materials. These will not only look more natural, but will be easier to maintain since they are materially more similar to your natural hair, even if they’re a different thickness or texture.
3. Make Time for Maintenance
What does it mean to maintain hair extensions? With hand-tied extensions, you’ll typically need to visit your salon every 6-8 weeks in order to have the wefts tightened. This keeps your extensions from growing out with your hair. Sewn-in extensions generally need a salon check-in on about the same schedule, but will either be removed at that appointment or have filler tracks sewn in.
4. Keep It Combed
When managing your natural hair, it’s easy to just grab a brush off your vanity and run it through your locks, even if they’re looking a little tangled or greasy. With extensions, however, you need to be much more careful. Whether you have hand-ties or sewn-in extensions, you should carefully comb and detangle your hair to prevent the extensions from knotting or becoming damaged. It’s particularly important to be gentle with sewn-in extensions, however, since pulling on the tight, underlying braids can damage your natural hair and scalp.
5. Don’t Over wash Them
A lot of women have bad habits when it comes to hair maintenance, especially when it comes to how often they wash their hair. That’s because we’re taught to wash our hair approximately every day or every other day, but this can strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it looking worse than if you hardly washed it at all.
When it comes to extensions, of course, a similar temperance applies. Wash your hair once or twice a week and avoid using heat for styling or drying. Remember, unlike your natural hair, your extensions can’t naturally refresh their own oils and once damaged may need to be removed.
Hair extensions are a great way to transform your hair, but they’re a commitment and can be a lot of work to care for. Make sure you’re prepared for the commitment before you dive in – then get excited and embrace your new look.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
