Hair Extensions: Care and Removal for Luscious Locks

The care and removal of hair extensions to maintain luscious locks is this Wednesday’s beauty question answered.

Happy Hump Day! Woot Woot! Welcome to another edition of Ask the Pro Stylist’s beauty advice, where I answer readers’ and clients’ beauty, hair and nail dilemmas. Ever wonder why a celeb like Beyoncé and Rihanna will suddenly go from long to short abruptly? The answer is simple. They or their hairstylists are practicing good hair extension care. And let’s face it, they can afford to. With the cost of applying and removing natural hair extensions, the hair care fad could become overwhelming for the everyday girl who wants long hair, but doesn’t have the wallet to afford the maintenance.

Proper hair extension care came to the forefront when a new guest suffered from extreme matting due to improper maintenance. The lovely young lady had hair extensions applied over six months ago and was overdue for an overhaul: a removal and reapplication. Plus, her hair had been colored multiple times over the current hair extensions and breakage was evident everywhere.

She had an appointment for a cut and color; however, an impromptu business meeting propelled her employer to insist she cover the pink and yellow hair. A quick dye job was necessary, but first, the entire head needed to be gently combed to take out the knots, which leads to the first maintenance tip for hair extension care. Use the recommended brush, shampoo and conditioner. For some reason she was told not to condition the hair with extensions in, but this shouldn’t be the case. Hair extension lines, like SoCap have coordinating products to use on the hair.

The client’s hair extensions have been falling out and this is because they haven’t been maintained and also due in part to the multitude of hair breakage. Her extensions were fused (bonded) and should be removed with acetone and the removal tool that came with the kit, but only by a licensed and trained hair care professionals in the art of hair extensions.

Her next appointment is for a haircut and the removal of the hair extensions. We are going to use temporary, clip-ins or the Halo Hair Extension, to give her long hair when needed, but for now she needs a good cut to bring her hair back to life.

If you have a beauty query similar to the hair extensions dilemma, please email me at DeirdreAHaggerty@gmail.com.

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