Hair extensions aren’t synonymous with hair damage or baldness and should in no way be demonized. While hair damage is associated with hair extensions in numerous cases, it isn’t the hair extension itself, but the lack of maintenance, poor application, poor quality and numerous similar factors that actually lead to hair damage. What type of hair you have is also an important factor as some perfectly safe hair extensions for women with thick hair may cause serious damage when installed on fine haired women.
Hair extensions come in numerous shapes, sizes and application techniques. Matching the correct extension with the right type of hair and finding a professional to apply it can most of the time be the key to a great experience. This being said, some hair extensions are considered less potentially damaging than other, regardless of hair or who applies them.
Clip-on Hair Extensions
Clip-on hair extensions have a good price/quality ratio and are fairly easy to install by oneself, without the help of a trained specialist or a salon appointment. They are a safe option mostly because they don’t create a lot of stress and tension on the hair and can easily be removed. This helps with maintenance and allows hair to heal in case it did suffer some damage. They are also quite durable and will withstand a lot of wear and tear.
The only downside to clip on hair extensions is that they are not permanent and will require constant attention. Quality clip-on extensions will blend seamlessly with natural hair regardless of length and can be a great solution for fine haired women who want a safe and quick solution to their lack of volume, but aren’t quite ready to commit to something permanent.
Tape Hair Extensions
Tape hair extensions may have quite a controversial background, however, this relatively new technique is one of the safest types of extensions one can wear if installed and cared for properly.
They are extremely lightweight and thus don’t put a lot of tension on your hair, avoiding traction alopecia or any other type of similar damage. No heat is used in their application and no potentially damaging chemicals either, protecting fine hair even further.
Heat applied hair extensions are particularly dangerous for women with fine hair and can cause individual hair follicles to fall out over repeated use. Tape hair extensions avoid this risk entirely as no heat is used when installing them, the only requirements being that you brush them on a daily basis. Maintenance is also quite easy as tape in hair extensions are easy to remove and care for.
Women with very sensible hair can also opt for single method application, where instead of two tape weft extension, a single extension is used and sealed with a single sided piece of tape.
MicroBead Hair Extensions
Microbead — also referred to as microlink — hair extensions are another safe hair extension for women with just about any type of hair. This is mostly due to the ease with which they are applied. Microbead hair extensions do not require any potentially damaging chemicals or heat when installed and can prove to be a great option for women with fine or thin hair as long as a professional is installing them.
If applied incorrectly they can lead to tension, headaches and some hair damage, however, they are quite a popular model and most salons and beauty professionals know how to correctly apply them. Most common problems with this type of hair extension arise when they are applied too close to the scalp or when they are clipped to a very thin strip of natural hair, thus weighing it down — however these cases are very rare.
If any pain or extended tension is felt a trip back to the salon is highly advised as some adjustments may need to be made. One of the biggest benefits of this type of hair extension is that they have quite a long lifespan, lasting up to 8 months. They also allow for a lot of modifications to the hair if you want to use a lot of appliances or heat based styling as they are extremely durable.
