Which hair extensions are right for you?

Want to completely change your hairstyle and transform your look? Consider hair extensions! There are several choices to make before you find the perfect ones. Many women love the way their extensions look and feel, and delight in being able to vary their appearance instantly: short to long hair, layered to smooth, natural colour or not, fringe or no fringe! The possibilities are numerous with hair extensions!

Length

Longer extensions will cost more but give you more flexibility. You can use the additional length to experiment with different styles, and it's easy to have your hairdresser trim to adjust the length if you find it doesn't suit you.

Human hair or synthetic

Human hair extensions are versatile and worth the additional cost as you can wash, dry, style and even colour them just as you would your own natural hair. Good quality human hair extensions look so natural that they are virtually undetectable if properly attached. Synthetic extensions can be fun too! They are less costly, but an excellent choice if you just want to add some funky colour to your hair for a night out on the town! Most synthetics are a bit harder to manage, owing to the fact that they can't be straightened and are difficult to dry. A new synthetic blend of extensions has recently hit the market. Thermo heat extensions can be straightened and blown dry or curled up to a certain temperature and cost a little more than other synthetics.

With hair extensions, you can add just a few or have your entire head done. If cost is not an issue, a full head of extensions gives a thick, beautiful mane.

Attaching

Hair extensions can be simply clipped in, bonded to your natural hair or sewn in. Sewn in may be less of a hassle since you won't have to reattach them on a daily basis. One drawback is that over time the extensions loosen up, so regular maintenance — normally every two months — is needed to keep them tight. If your natural hair is slow to grow, you may be able to extend the time between tightenings. One other way to stretch the life of sewn extensions is to wash just the top of your hair and try to avoid shampooing the extension length.

Bonded extensions will feel heavier on the head, and some women have complained that they feel uncomfortable, particularly when they go to bed. The bonding process may cause some fraying of the natural hair and the bonds will also need maintenance which can add to the cost.

Clip-in extensions are gentle to your own hair unless you have a tendancy to be rough when removing them. They certainly offer the most flexibility — just clip them in for your long look, and remove them yourself whenever you want!

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