How To Take Care Of Hair Extensions?

“Good hair days make everything better," Dr. Chloe would say. “Black women now value hair extensions more than before”. Whatever your reasons are - color, volume, or length, hair extensions are the main deal in enhancing your look.

As we all know, hair extensions, especially human hair extensions are an investment of time and money. To stay beautiful and make sure it can last longer, hair extensions—like natural hair—should be taken good care of.

Hair extensions are common beauty products that could drastically modify your hairstyle and level it up. They let your natural hair have more length, volume, and color. So, you can try numerous hairstyles with these branded products. Still, you have to keep up a consistent care routine if you want your extensions to look their best for a long time.

Everything you need to know about taking care of hair extensions so they remain attractive and healthy for as long as possible will be addressed in this complete guide. This article will lead you through the many kinds of extensions, daily maintenance, washing procedures, styling ideas, and more to make sure you can flaunt your extensions boldly while in good health.

Knowing your Hair Extensions

First off, your new extensions look super amazing! Each branded hair extension purchased has its unique qualities and care demands. Effective maintenance depends on knowing the kind of extensions you have and what they are made of.

As a bonus, both synthetic fibers and human hair can be used for extensions; each has its perks. What's your rationale behind the particular form of hair extensions you pick? the most common hair extensions are:

The Clip-Ins:

These are temporary extensions you can insert and remove as needed. They are perfect for urgent programs and seminars, they can be swiftly worn and removed before bedtime.

The Tape-Ins:

These semi-permanent extensions, when attached to your natural black hair, can stay for several weeks. They need continual attention to keep it catchy and requires professional stylists for removal when the time is due.

The Sew-ins weave:

The sew-in weave extensions are often woven into your natural hair braiding and are often several months' worth of more permanent extensions. In addition, they last longer than others.

The Fusions:

This special type of extension requires your natural hair + a special hair glue. They give a long-term cure, especially for our alopecia ladies who seek more scalp coverage. To prevent harm, they need intentional regular care.

The Micro-Links:

They are attached with tiny beads or links that are replaceable and, with appropriate use, can last months. These extensions can be a bit pricey if you need quality over price tags.

Daily Maintenance Nuggets on Caring for Hair Extensions

Maintaining your dream extensions is a daily relaxed activity rather than a heavy task. Following this routine makes you feel alive and confident in your hair regardless of where you step. “caring for our hair extensions =  how we care for ourselves” Dr. Chloe will say.

With over 5 years of experience, put frequent cleaning and conditioning appointments on your calendar to assist you in not forgetting. You've got this! Here are my top 4 nuggets for my black girlies:

Tip 1: Detangle! Detangle!

Just like you detangle your natural hair, your extensions are calling for the same treatment.

To have a smooth appearance on your extensions and avoid damage depends on how much and how well you brush and detangle the day’s buildup. Metal bristle brushes should not be used as they shatter quickly. The boar brushes are preferable.

Gradually detangle by working your way up to the roots starting always at the end. Holding the hair near the roots will enable you to prevent stressing the attachments by pulling.

Do this as consistently as you can. To avoid immediate tangles and knots, brush your extensions at least twice a day, ideally in the morning and before the midnight sun or bedtime.

Tip 2: Lock Your Extensions when You Sleep

Moving your head while sleeping is bad for hair health unless you do the right things. The health and life of your extensions depend on night care.

• To help avoid tangling and friction, lightly braid or twist your hair before bed. Consider a silk or satin pillowcase. As a result, your extensions will stay smooth all night long.
• To further preserve your hair from tangling and keep it taut, think about donning a silk or satin cap and pillow cover. Remember, low maintenance doesn’t mean no maintenance.
• Never sleep with wet hair extensions. At this moment, your hair extensions are fragile and easy to get damaged from the friction, so, avoid sleeping with your wet hair. Air dry or blow dry it with low temperature.

Tip 3: Limit your Washdays

To get the best look and health of your hair extensions, it depends on how you wash them. Based on how you go about your day and how much you use styling products, wash your extensions twice weekly. For optimal scalp health, I highly recommend that you stay cautious.

Here, make use of sulfate-free goods for your kinky hair. Pick moderate, sulfate-free shampoos (Goldi-locks signature and Cantu shampoo) and conditioners to stop the extensions from losing their intrinsic oils. Let it shine! Be Gentle, please.

Massage the shampoo into your scalp and extensions instead of scrubbing or rubbing too much; it does more harm than good. On that note, to eradicate any product residue, rinse vigorously.

Tip 4: Deep conditioning and moisturizing

Let your extensions stay soft and under control with good conditioning. Applying conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends of your extensions while avoiding the roots can help prevent unnecessary buildup. Wait several minutes (15-20 minutes) before rinsing.

Once a month, treat your extensions with a deep conditioning mask to restore moisture and defend against dryness. Use the mask only when your hair is wet; give it time to sit in for 20 to 25 minutes before rinsing.

How to Give Extra Attention to Your Colored Extension?

How do you feel when you try a different look, COLOR, and style? Should your extensions be colored, you will have extra responsibility to keep the colors popping for a long time. I am sure you would feel good if your color stayed that way a month later.

Colored hair extensions could look their finest only with a touch-up over time. These extra details will guide you and leave your extensions looking 10/10:

• Choose shampoos and conditioners that are made for colored hair use. These treatments won’t allow your colors to fade.
• Do not shower or stay in a pool for a long time with them to avoid losing the colors to the waters.
• Extended sun exposure could degrade colors. Use a cap or apply UV protection spray carefully while outside.
• Stay away from hot water as much as you can. Use cold water post-washing to seal the cuticle and keep your colored hair alive.
• Semi-permanent dyes and color-depositing conditioners should be used in salon appointments to renew your hair color.
• See your hairdresser on regular visits for skilled color correction and upkeep. Remind yourself to schedule touch-up sessions and buy color-safe hair products.

Reinstallation and Removal of Extensions

Correct removal of your extensions will help to prevent damage to your natural hair. Work with a professional to safely remove semi-permanent extensions such as tape-ins, sew-ins, or fusion extensions. Removing them yourself might cause quite the damage.

If you wish to reinstall your extensions, considerable care is needed to keep them in good shape. Once your extensions are removed, give them a good clean and keep them somewhere cool and dry.

Give your natural hair regular rests between installs to reduce stress and damage. Before reinstalling the extensions, let your hair and scalp breathe. This is how to tackle some problems that could show up during the process:

Handling Matting and Tangles

The most common difficulties with hair extensions—especially in longer styles—are knots and matting. Regular brushing of your extensions and applying a detangling spray will help to prevent knots. Should you notice tangles, use a wide-tooth comb and start at the ends, working your way up.

Handling Shedding

For our black ladies who use hair extensions often, shedding is a common occurrence; nonetheless, too much shedding can lead to a concern. Heat and chemical treatments should be used sparingly to try to minimize shedding. Use moderate hair care treatments to keep the extensions from degrading. Ask your stylist for assistance on how to cut shedding and maintain healthy extensions should it continue.

Final thoughts

Remember to take good care of any concerns and, if needed, seek professionals. Your extensions could produce stunning, confidence-boosting hair for months if only you can take your care treatments more seriously. Your hair extensions would become that one body piece that complements your skin game with adequate care and attention.

Using the host of extensive techniques and super easy tips in this article will enable you to become a master in hair extension care. Nothing beats this! Accept the process, cherish the products, and let your hair reflect your beautiful self. This will leave you gorgeous the moment you step out of your home.