I have them, I love them!
I lost a lot of my hair at this stage due to many factors including stress, illness and menopause, my own hair was just above the bra line initially then needed to be cut shorter and shorter due to hair loss and I had a short bob that wasn’t strong enough to be coloured and I just didn’t feel like myself anymore.
My hairdresser suggested extensions and I was a little hesitant at first, I thought I was told old, presumed that they would look very obvious and my only really experience of seeing them was on TV programmes such a love island etc.
I had a full consultation and decided to go for the tape options as they were light enough not to put too much weight on my own hair and cause any further loss, the hairdresser matched them to my hair colour and also add a few lighter ones to lighten my hair up, I have a balayage on my own hair and my extensions also have this effect. It looks very natural and the colour match to my own hair is exact.
There were other types of extensions avaiable but tapes worked best for me as they put less stress on my own hair, they are a sandwich of two tapes which are placed either side of a small section of your own hair. they then grow down with your hair and are moved up at the maintenance appointments
I was quite shocked at the consultation as to how many of the hairdressers had extensions themselves some for length and some for thickness as I honestly couldn’t tell.
Initially I was only going to have them for fullness but once they were in before they were cut I really liked the additional length and had them cut to the length my own hair used to be.
I have had them for 3 years now and my own hair is back to being as thick, strong and long as it used to be, they absolutely prevented any further damage to my own hair and I would certainly recommend them to anyone in the position I was in.
I could have them out now but honestly I have gotten so used to the additional thickness and length that I plan on keeping them for at least another year.
You have to factor in the cost of the hair ( I have 4 packs of tape extensions) along with the maintenance time/cost. I have my tapes moved up and recut every 8/10weeks.
The hair itself lasts about a year before it needs replacing fully and during that year its gets shorter due to natural breakage along with cutting/restyling during the maintenance appointments.
I would recommend not having them cut too short at your first appointment, keep them longer for a few weeks and see how you feel, the hair is expensive and once you cut it it has gone.
Day to day I don’t even think about them now I wash and dry my hair as normal, it does take longer to dry as there is more of it but I find I don’t need to wash it as often and and any styling such as curling or straightening lasts much longer, this means there is less heat on my own hair too.
It is worth booking a consultation which is usually free of charge and discussing all the options, It made a huge difference to me as I finally feel like myself again.
Good luck