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Human Hair Extensions Create Beautiful Long Hair
Styles Instantly
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As you glance across virtually every print medium such as
newspapers, magazines and catalogs, there seems to be one thing in
common as far as hair cut styles is concerned. The long hair cut
style is everywhere. So what are you supposed to do if you don’t
have long hair and you really want the long hair cut style? Well,
let’s see, human hair grows about ½” per month, so if your hair is
at ear level, that would be almost two years to wait for that ‘hair
cascading down your back’ look. And of course by the time you grow
your hair out, the short hair cut style will be in.
“Don’t limit yourself to just adding length to your hair. Hair
extensions offer a simple solution to fine hair and can add a little
pizzazz to thick, curly or wavy hair in any color or style.”
Rod Sickler
Owner
Images by Rod & Company
Rantoul, Illinois
 In
today’s society, two-year waits are OUT and immediate results are
IN. The
beauty industry recognized the demand for instant long
natural looking hair and thus today’s hottest trend was born—Human
Hair Extensions. Hair extensions are not only for lengthening your
hair, according to Rod Sickler, owner of Images by Rod & Company and
Sexy Hair Concepts Artistic Team Member.
“Any hair type can support hair extensions”, says Sickler.
Sickler makes hair extensions easy by creating cutting-edge hair
styles for his clients. Some examples include sleek and straight
hair, vivacious ringlets and striking color enhancements with the
use of different highlighted and lowlighted hair extensions. He
describes the hair extension process as very painstaking and
challenging as it requires many hours and various techniques to
complete. The rewards are many as he is able to re-invent hair,
tweak techniques and fulfill his clients’ needs.
One of Sicklers’ hair extension clients, Holly Leach of Rantoul,
Illinois, says she wanted to get hair extensions because she was
ready for a change and wanted Sickler to re-invent her look by
adding thickness and length to her thinning hair with European Hair
Extensions. She was absolutely amazed at the results. “I came into
the salon (Images by Rod & Company) looking one way, and came out
looking totally different”, says, Leach. Leach has had her hair
extensions for about 5 months now, with absolutely no issues and no
complaints. She maintains the hair extensions with non-soy based
conditioning shampoo and moisturizers from Sexy Hair Concepts, and
uses hair dryers and curling irons with no problems. Leach
concludes,”Hair Extensions are worth the time and money, when you
can get fabulous-looking long hair instantly”.
"Hair extensions are a huge self-esteem booster because they give
women the opportunity to get the long hair style look without the
wait" Guinevere Werr
Manager, The Spa East Bank Club, Chicago, Ill
Some women are concerned or have heard that hair extensions can
cause damage to their natural hair, or even loss of hair. Guinevere
Werr, Manager of The Spa at the East Bank Club in Chicago, Ill, says
the fusion application method Sickler uses from So.Cap., an Italian
company, does not create any damage to the natural hair since it is
applied ¼” from the scalp and not directly on the scalp. Werr
assisted Sickler with applying brown hair extensions with some
highlight extensions to her sisters’ hair. She adds that Sicklers
hair extension clients have lost almost no hair extensions and have
had very little maintenance issues.
So where do you start if you are thinking of getting hair
extensions? You must research the different types of hair used for
hair extensions, the different types of attachment methods, the hair
stylists’ education and training, any maintenance schedules and of
course the cost.
There are a lot of different types of hair that are used for hair
extensions. There is human hair and synthetic hair. Synthetic hair
is used to add the high fashion colors, such as pinks and blues.
Generally speaking, if you are going for the natural, it grew out of
my head, look you should go with human hair. Human hair comes in
many different textures and grades. The human hair must be strong
and healthy to produce extensions that will last and wear without
tangling or drying. European human hair is well- known as quality
human hair used for extensions.
There are three basic techniques to attach the hair. They are
fusion or strand by strand, weaving and bonding. There are many
variations to these techniques and they are sometimes called by
different names.
Fusion/strand by strand: This process is done strand by strand in
small sections using heated adhesive sticks or glue specifically
made for hair extensions. Extension hair is added directly to your
own hair. Sickler uses the fusion method from the Italian company
So.Cap. Hair is attached about ¼ “from your scalp and looks totally
natural. Sickler comments, “No one can visually see that you have
hair extensions. It’s up to you if you want everyone to know”. Weaving is a process where a corn row or track is created around
the head and close to the scalp. Extension hair is sewn on the
tracks. Your own hair lies over the tracks for a natural look.
Bonding is a process where bonding glue is applied onto the weft of
the extension hair and then applied at the root of your hair. A weft
is horizontal hair strands attached together at the top of
vertically flowing hair strands. Wefts can be machine-made or
handmade.
There are some disadvantages to each of these methods. Sometimes
if the hair extension application method is not done properly, the
hair extensions will simply fall out, or cause damage to your
natural hair. Also, with additional pressure to your scalp from the
weight of the heavy extensions, there could be some thinning of your
natural hair and/or headaches as you adapt to the new weight. There
have been some reports of allergies to the chemicals that are used.
You should discuss the disadvantages of hair extensions thoroughly
with your hair stylist so that there are no surprises.
The hair extension training and education your hair stylist has
received is very important to the success of their work. Sickler
received his hair extension training from renowned expert, Joseph
Accola, and he keeps up-do-date on techniques by attending beauty
shows across Europe where hair extensions are more popular than in
the U.S. “Hair extension education and training are paramount to
successful hair extensions for any hair stylist”, says Sickler. If
you are looking for a hair stylist to do hair extensions and they
don’t have the proper training, you could be very disappointed with
the results.
After you have your hair extensions in place, you will need to
schedule regular maintenance visits to check your extensions. How
often you need to go back will depend on the type of hair and the
method of attachment that was used. As your hair grows out, some of
the hair extensions will need to be removed and replaced or touched
up.
On a day-to-day basis you should treat your human hair extensions
as you would long hair. Brush, shampoo, condition and moisturize on
a regular basis. Some hair stylists will recommend specific
high-quality hair care products to use with your extensions. You can
also use hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons on most types of
human hair extensions. Color treatments can be done on the hair
extensions, but you should consult with your hair stylist before
considering this. Monthly color touch-ups to your roots will not be
a problem, as the hair extensions will not be touched.
Although it doesn’t hurt physically to get hair extensions, it
may hurt you financially. There really is no way around this factor.
To get good hair extensions on your whole head, you will need
quality human hair, an experienced hair stylist, at least one
assistant and about 6-8 hours of time. The ticket price can vary
from $150-$2000 depending on what you are having done. Adding a few
highlights or lowlight hair extensions can be quite less as the time
and amount of hair needed is less.
In short, here are ten tips to follow after you have decided you
want to get hair extensions and have selected a beauty salon. To
find beauty salons that do hair extensions, you can look in the
yellow pages or search online. The beauty salon directory at
www.hairresources.com will allow you to search for ‘hair extensions
in your City, State.
1.After selecting a salon, schedule an initial consultation to
discuss what you would like to have done and any concerns that you
have. 2. Ask about what hair extension experience your hair stylist
has and where they received their training.
3. Make sure the hair stylist listens and understands your needs
and concerns. Does he/she communicate well with you?
4. The hair stylist should ask you about your lifestyle, health,
hobbies and your normal hair routine
5. An analysis of your scalp and hair should be done at the
initial consultation to make sure your hair is in a condition for
successful hair extensions.
6. Ask to see before and after photos of hair extension clients
7. Ask for references and be sure to call them
8. Ask how often the average client needs to replace the hair.
This is very important for anticipating future costs
9. Get a written estimate for your hair extensions with an
itemized list of the services required to achieve your new look
10.Get a written maintenance plan. Plan should include
recommendations for products, grooming tools, follow-up appointments
and any special instructions.
Hair extensions have many advantages and several disadvantages
that should be addressed, but if you want to create an instant
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