To ask for your experiences with hair extensions.

[GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery]

Basically that.

I have a consultation tomorrow. My hair is really getting me down, I'm not vain, but my hair is affecting my confidence as I hate how it doesn't grow (okay, it does grow, but being blonde and using straighteners means it gets damaged) past shoulder length. I feel so ugly with over-processed, crappy shorter hair.

I don't want to change hair colour completey, as I look so pale when brunette, that I look ill. I also like being blonde.

So I haven't done my roots this month and thought I'd go for an ombre style (even though I don't like ombre) as it would reduce the chemicals on my hair and the extensions can be fitted to the regrowth / healthy hair.

There's just so many options the hairdresser offers, nano rings, micro rings, LA weave, tape-ins and I'm sure there's more.

Just after some insight if you've had / have extensions please. Any tips, recommendations for which system, any dos and don'ts, or anything you'd wish you knew when you first got them?

Thanks in advance.

Oven had bonds 5 times now, and normally keep them in for 6-8 months. I can take my own out, with a little fiddling! I’m waiting
To have new ones done again, I go a fiery red colour, long, and have around 180-200 put in. I love them!

I have tape in extensions for thickness not length, at the moment I only have a few in the sides of my hair. The difference is amazing, my natural hair is fine so the only extensions my hairdresser would put in for me is tape ins as they are the lightest and least damaging, they last about 10-12 weeks before they need removing and refitting and considering I wash my hair pretty much every day, I think that’s pretty good going, I have gone for a natural look, if you looked at my hair you would say it was average thickness and not fine with the extensions in and that was exactly what I wanted to achieve, definitely not the Cheryl/Barbie look for me. I do find them a bit itchy for a week or so after fitting but it’s worth it for nice swishy hair!

Hair can look very blonde and actually mostly be brown IYSWIM

This is a really good point. A few strategically placed highlights around the face can work absolute wonders.

Buy some clip in real hair extensions and dye them to match your hair. They are amazing and will not damage your hair.

@goodgirlinchachaheels I've done the whole clip ins thing many times and they are a massive faff! 😄

I've got the nano bonds. I love that my hair looks better when worn up and I don't find it a massive extra hassle having them in.

My biggest tip is to get the best QUALITY hair that you can afford. Cheap hair, especially blonde is bloody awful and you'll regret it. It'll only last a couple of weeks before turning knotty and will just feel terrible (been there before!!)

I struggled to maintain them, found they got matted and knotty and felt dirty around the bonds, and I started to be able to see some of them through my hair.

Ive had bonds in before. They looked fab but were very annoying; my head was so sore for 2 days afterwards that I couldn't sleep /had to take painkillers, they take forever to dry and style, your head never feels properly clean, they can get tuggy and hard to brush.
I loved the way they looked but for me all of the others factors makes it not worth it.

Following 😊

I’d love hair extensions for my thin hair. How do they feel running your hands through your hair? Is my boyfriend going to recoil in horror feeling loads of bonds?

I will post an update and pics next week for those following.

@Zebraaa you can't really run your hands through it

I loved micro rings, hated my tape ones. Also love clip ins and hair pieces when needed.

I always get 200 grams of hair which is too much for most people, but I always had loads of hair until I got sick and so I like this look. My extensions are always 24 inches too.

Micro beads: Easy to put in, look good, feels like 200 nails stabbing into your head when you go to bed for the first three nights until your hair grows ever so slightly and they relax. If they get loose you can use mini pliers to tighten the ring. Easy to remove (squeeze ring with mini pliers). Easy to move up when your hair has grown (squeeze ring with pliers, move higher up hair, squeeze ring with pliers again). When they need moving up you may start to see some rings at the back of your head when your hair is up. I was bleach Barbie blonde for two years of my micro beads and they held in perfectly fine and I was getting my roots done every 5 weeks. I was also red, dark brown and violet, at other times with micro beads, all with no problems.

Tapes: Worse extensions I ever had. If you apply heat to them accidentally (ie straightners) they will lift from your hair. I’m big on straightners for all styling and so was ripping tapes out constantly. I also didn’t like how they felt if I was putting my hair up - it didn’t sit as well as it did with micro beads. I also got a bad batch of hair where it knotted and matted when I washed it. My hairdresser didn’t believe so I had him wash and condition it and it took two stylists over an hour to unmatt and remove them.

With the micro beads I often just lightly dried my hair and then put it in a plait for bed and in the morning I would undo the plait and have gorgeous waves in my hair. If I was straightening my hair, it would take about half an hour longer than if I only had my own hair (as you get quick at doing it once you’ve had extensions for a while).

What’s good for me may not be good for you and you can only try and see what suits you best.

I’m extension free at the moment (except for the odd day of clip-ins), but this thread has made me want to get them again.

GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery Oh really? I love them so much. After years or hair extentions, they are a Godsend to me. :)

I have had extensions for the last 2 years, I love them. I have LA weave atm, I think they are the easiest to look after and can put my hair up without them showing. I'm blonde too, just spent last year with ombre balyage but back to full on blonde now.
I wouldn't be without mine

Have you thought about using a halo hair extension?

Hey all. I got them done tonight. I'm amazed at how lightweight they are.

I opted for tape-ins and 16" as I'd personally look ridiculous with hair to my arse at aged 42. 😂

I'm so happy. My bad hair before was actually sapping my confidence.

I think I will get an extra packet put in for thickness next time, but happy with this look until then.

Thank you for your advice.

Hi. They look great.

I was actually coming to recommend tape ins.

I have had loads of different types, but tapes in are my favourite. Easy to hide, genuinely cant feel them, past the first couple days.

I have mine redone every 7-8 weeks, but totally worth the visit. I did have kings ones. Now they are the same length as my hair and just for thickness. Definitely worth the money.

Ooh, so your hair did actually grow with extensions @Proteinshakesandovieshat?

Yes. I grew it from a Bob.

My hair is, now,about the length of the 16in ones. I had the long ones while my hair was growing out. Then got ones about as long as yours.

My hair grows really fast. About an inch, every 8 weeks. My own natural hair is thicker as aswell. My hair had got quite think from extensions.

I wore clip ins for a while after bonds ruined and pulled loads out. But I have had tape in for about a year and my own hair is great. I usually go after work one night, they take them out, then I go the night after to have them put back in and styled. I love that they are so easy to hide when I tie my hair up

The longer I have had them the less I need for thickness. So I now have loads of spares for when these get a bit ratty.

I would recommend you get a good serum and put plenty on the ends every day. I usually slap a load of before bed. It keeps the condition of the extensions.

Let me know how they go.

Can I ask what brand the hair is?

These are my longest ones

That's amazing @Proteinshakesandovieshat, will look at serums, one that's not greasy ideally.

That photo is STUNNING!

Mine are Beauty Works which I've heard mixed things about. But the extensionist is highly rated.