Hair Extensions: A Complete FAQ

Answers to Common Questions About Hair Extensions

 

We talked to trichologists, hair stylists and other experts to get answers to frequently asked questions about hair extensions.

 

We have all the answers to your most common questions to help you make the right decision about getting hair extensions. We asked the experts about types of hair extensions, attachment methods, costs, maintenance and all the other pertinent information that you want to know.

Q: Can hair extensions help disguise hair loss?

"Hair extensions can add volume and contribute to the appearance of density, which can be very useful for those with hair loss issues," says Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a hair trichologist in New York City. A trichologist is a certified expert in the care and treatment of the hair and scalp.

If you suffer from progressive hair loss or don't have a lot of healthy hair left, hair extensions may be problematic, since they require hair to which the extensions can attach. For those with limited hair loss or thinning hair, weigh your options and talk to your stylist to decide which bonding method will be the least damaging to your hair.

"At least 2 inches of hair is needed to use more permanent methods, but the longer the better and more natural," says Teresa Cliff, hair colorist and extension specialist at Le Posh Salon and Spa in Los Angeles.

Q: What are the best kinds of hair extensions?

Hair extensions are created from either human hair or synthetic hair. The human hair comes from Europe, India or Asia. Although human-hair extensions are more expensive than synthetic extensions, they are also more natural, easier to care for and versatile. You can cut, color, style and otherwise treat human-hair extensions the same as you do your own hair.

Q: What are the different types of attachment methods for hair extensions?

"There are numerous different ways to attach hair," says Phillips. "Adhesives are widely used -- they can be composed of waxes and medical grade tape, or a keratin-based product. Bonding glue, microlocks, heat seals and track weaves are all methods of attachment as well."

Q: How much do hair extensions cost?

"The cost of extensions ranges depending on the method used and the quality of the hair. The usual cost is between $500 and $3,000 and can go higher for custom-length and colored hair," explains Norma Bouza, extension specialist at Cristophe Salon in Beverly Hills. Keep in mind that the area of the country in which you live plays a big part as well. You'd think the bigger cities would charge more, and though that's sometimes true, it's not always the case. In small towns having very few hair experts, hair extensions can be pricey because of supply and demand.

Q: Is any special care needed to maintain hair extensions?

"As long as the extensions are made from human hair, you can style and care for them as you normally would care for your hair," says Giovanni Mele, owner of Giovanni & Pileggi salon in Philadelphia. "You do need to be careful with classic bonded extensions so that your heated styling tools don't get too close to where the hair is bonded."

When shampooing your hair, use your fingertips and massage your hair and scalp gently. To dry, gently pat your hair with a towel rather than rubbing vigorously. Avoid small, dense brushes, which can tangle hair extensions easily. Talk to your hairstylist about the products and tools that are best for your hair extensions and their attachment type.

Many clients are wary about using heated styling tools on hair extensions; however, this shouldn't be an issue. "Heated tools -- blow-dryers, flatirons and curling irons -- can all be used on extensions," says Ron King, L'Oreal Professionnel stylist and spokesman and creator of Invisi-Tab Hair Extensions. "Remy hair (hair that isn't striped and is often considered the best hair available) is human hair, so it can be styled as you would your natural hair," he adds.

Q: Can hair extensions damage my hair?

"The biggest problem associated with hair extensions can be traction alopecia," Phillips says. "It is important to note that they should not hurt the scalp. I always say that they should be removed after eight weeks and reattached."

Never leave your hair extensions in beyond the recommended time frame or try to remove them yourself. "If you do not care for them properly or leave them in too long, hair extensions can cause breakage," explains Mele. "For best results, extensions should be applied and removed by a professional."

Q: How long does it take to attach hair extensions?

If you are looking for a full head of extensions, you might have to plan on spending most of the day at the hair salon. "Long-term 'permanent' extensions can take hours to apply, but it depends on the length and fullness you are looking to achieve," says Mele. "Clip-in temporary extensions are very quick and easy to apply."

Women, Hair Loss and Self-Esteem

Learn the Process of How Women's Hair Ages Normally

 

For those women who desire to reverse the appearance of aging, there are cosmetic hair loss treatments that effectively hide thinning hair and hair loss.

Is there such a thing as positive aging when you're a woman? "Most gerontologists support the notion of positive aging when it refers to efforts to prolong a happy, healthy life," states Kathryn Bayer in her 2005 article "Cosmetic Surgery and Cosmetics: Redefining the Appearance of Age," appearing in Generations, a publication of the American Society of Aging. She goes on to explain that most physicians also readily admit there is no actual proven way to halt the aging process but there are ways to slow, stop and reverse the appearance of aging. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons are leading the way in changing what aging looks like in the United States. Bayer explores the issue even further: "If aging is a natural process to be experienced by all, why are visible signs of aging met with such increasing cultural disdain?"

Baby boomers' favorable attitude toward changing the appearance of aging

Baby boomers have shifted the demographics in the United States to later in life, and even the classic bible of women's health written by women for women -- Our Bodies, Ourselves (New England Free Press, 1971) -- expanded recently to focus on the issues women face in the second half of life. In the original edition of the book written by the Boston Women's Health Collective, no pages were devoted to concerns of later life, so two new chapters were added in 2005, including 56 pages about aging issues.

In fact, people aged 35-50 had the most plastic surgery procedures, almost 44 percent of the total population, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's 2009 statistics on cosmetic surgery. These statistics showed that since 1997 there has been an increase of over 147 percent in the total number of cosmetic procedures. Women account for more than 9 million cosmetic procedures and over 90 percent of the total. Their favorable attitude toward cosmetic surgery has grown by 22 percent, and men's has increased 17 percent, as compared with five years ago, which bears out Americans' disdain for the appearance of aging. Dr. Sara Wasserbauer, a Walnut Creek, California-based hair transplant surgeon, says, "An understanding of the changes in your hair as you age can help you approach it positively."

How hair ages normally in a woman

Age may not be the most reliable indicator of when gray hair and thinning will appear, but the aging process is the number-one suspect, says Diana Jewell in her book Going Gray, Looking Great! (Simon & Schuster, 2004), in which she gives a detailed explanation of how the aging process affects a woman's hair:

• 40s: Jewell explains that graying begins as hair follicles lose their ability to create melanin, which is not in infinite supply. Hair doesn't "turn gray"; instead, new hairs grow in without their pigment-producing cells. These hairs without their color generally have a thicker cuticle that appears rougher and drier. "Thinning can begin, depending on your genetic predisposition, and hair doesn't take styling direction as well -- hair is finer, more flyaway, starting in a woman's 40s," adds Dr. Wasserbauer.
  

• 50s: "The average age for menopause is 51, [and] a lot of changes occur in your body that affect your hair follicles," says Wasserbauer. "During your 50s, thinning, hair fall-out at the part line and graying become more evident. As metabolism slows, hair and nail growth slow too and skin looks a little duller and not as elastic, which is all part of normal aging," she adds. Jewell explains that anything hindering normal body rhythms and processes (menopause, for example) can disrupt what cells are supposed to do and interfere with proper metabolic activity, such as the normal hair growth cycle. One day at a time the body ages a bit.
  

• 60s: "The hormonal factors of aging generally take over at this time," Wasserbauer notes. As female hormones decrease production, normally existing male hormones (androgens) such as testosterone can come into play. This androgen converts to the substance DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which combines with the naturally occurring enzyme 5-alpha-reductase type 2; this combination shrinks the hair follicles until they cannot produce any hair. As hair falls out as a normal part of the growth cycle, new hair cannot grow in and thinning occurs. Women experiencing hair thinning have a higher level of this enzyme and are usually genetically predisposed. Hair follicles in specific areas around the frontal hairline, temples and part line may be more susceptible to DHT. Wasserbauer concludes, "Hair continues to thin and gray during this decade. Any hairs that had resisted this activity will succumb, contributing to an all-over diffuse thinning and the androgenetic alopecia known as female pattern baldness."
  

Hair replacement to the rescue!
 
"Half of all women will experience age-related thinning or hair loss after the age of 40. Because this shows up at about the same time many women go noticeably gray, it's often part and parcel of the gray hair experience ... If you see no signs of thinning hair or retreating hairlines ... relax!" says Jewell. Hair thinning is a normal part of how a woman ages, but if you notice anything more dramatic than that, such as patchy clumps of hair loss or other symptoms that go along with the hair loss, definitely contact a doctor, suggests Dr. Wasserbauer.

"Luckily there is so much a woman can do about her hair color at the salon and hair loss in general," says Wasserbauer. She explains that once you've determined the cause of your hair loss by checking with your doctor, you can consider hair transplant surgery around the hairline or widening part, or you can look into a non-surgical hair replacement treatment, the best being perfectly natural-looking hair systems, some that even integrate with your own hair and move and act just like your real hair. And she advises, "Women in the earlier stages of hair thinning can consider using minoxidil and laser hair therapy, both of which are FDA-approved ways to help halt hair loss and keep the hair you do have growing strong."

Propecia Versus Rogaine

While hair loss medications Propecia and Rogaine can be effective hair loss treatments taken separately or as part of the same hair regrowth regimen, they do not work the same way.




When first announced as cures for hair loss, both Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) were hailed to be as important as the introduction of birth control pills and the Salk vaccine. Finally, going bald would be a choice, not an immutable verdict of nature.

Both have been available for a generation of use and proved to be helpful to men (both medications) and women (Rogaine only). But each comes with its own set of efficacy, side effects and costs. Following are the pros and cons of each, to help you decide if either is right for you.

Propecia & Rogaine: External versus internal application

Rogaine is applied topically to the scalp (foam or lotion), and Propecia is taken internally as a pill. Rogaine must be applied twice daily without interruption to remain effective, and uninterrupted use is required of Propecia as well.

For many people something you apply directly to the skin will always be preferred over an internal medication. This is because some medications that pass through the digestive system and the liver can be detrimental to certain internal organs. There are no known serious detrimental effects on the liver or other internal organs from taking Propecia.

Propecia & Rogaine: Effectiveness


Both Propecia and Rogaine are effective but in varying degrees with different types of individuals. Propecia, according to Merck & Co., its manufacturer, halts hair loss in a majority of those taking it (86 percent) and helps regrow hair in almost half (48 percent) of patients. The product is not available for women. Rogaine is 30 to 40 percent effective in its regular (2 percent) formulation and between 50 and 60 percent with its extra-strength (5 percent) version. Dense regrowth of hair, however, is uncommon (8 percent of users), and actual gains in hair count are less frequent as well (30 percent). It is more effective for women than for men.

With both Propecia and Rogaine, earlier use in patients under 40 will yield the greatest results. And the baldness that is prevented or reversed tends to be on the crown of the head, not at the hairline (which will continue to recede over time).

Propecia & Rogaine: Major and minor side effects

Rogaine can cause skin irritation, which includes burning, scaling, itchiness, dryness and flaking, at the point of application (crown of the head). Users are advised to limit sun exposure for this reason. Other, rarer side effects include lightheadedness, rapid heart rate, chest pain, swelling (stomach, face, hands or ankles), breathing difficulty and weight gain. Women who are or who could become pregnant are advised against using Rogaine.

Propecia is particularly problematic for women who may be pregnant (and, in particular, their male fetuses). Mere exposure to a broken pill, in contact with the skin, can lead to genital abnormalities in the male fetus. Men taking Propecia experience -- at a rate of about 3.8 percent -- adverse effects, which may include erectile dysfunction, decreased volume of ejaculate and decreased libido, as well as itchiness, hives, swelling of the lips and face and testicular pain.

Propecia & Rogaine: Can they be combined?

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) takes no official position on whether combination therapy, using both Rogaine and Propecia, is either dangerous or more effective, or both. Several online Web sites feature individuals who claim a synergistic effect of using both simultaneously.

Cost and prescription vs. over the counter

Rogaine in a 5 percent solution starts at about $19 for a three-month supply -- generic brands are less expensive than the original brand, which can be priced at more than twice as much. It has been available without a prescription since 1998. Propecia ranges in cost via online suppliers from $28 to $71 for a monthly supply. It requires a prescription from a medical doctor.

So, has either Propecia or Rogaine lived up to its expectation? That seems to depend on the individual using them. Personal choices about cost, side effects and daily maintenance schedules are generally what drives individuals to try and continue to use these medications (or not).

Trichotillomania - Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Trichotillomania is the First Step to Treating It

 

The hair loss disease Trichotillomania (TTM) is emotional in nature, leading to secret hair pulling (and hair loss) This is very often confusing to friends and family members. Understanding can go a long way in helping.

Q. How is this disease's name pronounced?

A. Trichotillomania is pronounced trik'oh-till'oh-may'nee-ah. People call it "trich" or TTM, for short.

Q. What's the difference between bald spots caused by Trichotillomania and those caused by another disease, such as alopecia areata?

A. A dermatologist is trained to feel for TTM and will suspect this disease if there is stubble in the bald spots, which suggests that hair is growing back because it was removed. The bald patches of alopecia areata patients feel smooth, as do pattern baldness spots, because hair is not growing back. A doctor will verify the disease by examining any bald patches through a scope to confirm hair growth.

Q. Why would anyone get into the habit of pulling out his or her own hair?

A. Trich is a strong compulsion to pull out hairs and can affect any head, facial or body hair, resulting in noticeable bald patches and serious hair loss in severe cases. This need to pull out hair is so strong that it goes far beyond a habit.

Q. How does someone "get" Trichotillomania?

A. Researchers are unsure how the compulsion starts, and they have found that trich can strike happy, well-adjusted people as often as emotionally disturbed or depressed people. It is an emotional disease and a compulsion, so it cannot be "caught" or spread among people. Usually the disease starts in early adolescence, with the typical first-time hair puller being around the age of 12. Many experts now think the disease is caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals.

Q. Does Trichotillomania affect men or women, or both?

A. The hair-pulling behavior affects approximately 1 in 50 people, and 90 percent of those with TTM are women, according to current statistics on the disease from the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC). Some experts think this is because symptoms are less noticeable in men with short hair and/or male pattern baldness. Men are also less likely to seek medical attention, so statistics may be skewed.

Q. Who can diagnose Trichotillomania?

A. A dermatologist is most often the doctor who will uncover secret hair pulling once hair loss or a skin or scalp rash from the pulling becomes a symptom. In addition, if the individual is referred to a mental health counselor, that person can confirm the emotional aspect of the disease. A hair replacement specialist will be able to help with a solution for hair pulling and subsequent hair loss, such as a wig.

Q. Can hair pulling be controlled?

A. In some patients, hair pulling is a strong compulsion and is unavoidable, but others can learn to control urges through willpower and awareness. Trich does not affect everybody to the same degree; in addition, some people pull scalp hair, others pull facial or body hair, and still others pull any and all hair.

Q. What are the current treatments for Trichotillomania?

A. Although no Trichotillomania treatment is effective for everyone, a number of treatment options have shown promise. Prescription medications and cognitive-behavioral therapy are the most successful options, although children and adolescents, in particular, have needs that are different from those of adults. Patients and doctors may need to experiment with varying combinations of treatments, medications and tools to find what works best on an individual basis.

Q. Are there alternative treatments to help reduce hair pulling?

A. Experts have found that depression is a contributing factor to the illness, so medication for depression symptoms can be helpful. In addition to medical treatment, many patients find relief through dietary changes, meditation, hypnosis, prayer, yoga and herbal remedies.

Q. Will hair that has been pulled out grow back?

A. In extreme cases of prolonged and severe hair pulling, hair loss can become permanent. In milder cases hair keeps regrowing, although facial hair such as eyelashes and eyebrows notoriously takes longer to grow back. A dermatologist can confirm hair follicle health and offer a prognosis for hair regrowth.

The best way to cover or hide bald patches is to solicit the help of a non-surgical hair replacement specialist. These experts can suggest a solution that covers just the bald patches, seamlessly, or they can provide for whole-head protection with a natural-looking, full-head wig. Sometimes, wearing a hair replacement can reduce the urge to pull and can help patients to feel and look better, but some patients have been known to pull even hair replacements. Check out the Trichotillomania Learning Center at www.trich.org for support groups, to help find a practitioner and to learn more about research on and treatments for TTM.

Hair Loss Treatment Website Survey Results: Hair Loss Reaches Into Every Part of Life

HairLoss.com, the world's most comprehensive consumer website providing unbiased information about hair loss treatments and conditions, has released results from their world-wide survey on men's and women's attitudes about their hair loss. The findings of the survey show that losing one's hair affects virtually every part of life, from social and work life, to dating and family life. Both men and women report that hair loss negatively affects self-confidence and self-esteem.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL. November 15, 2011 -- Results of a survey conducted by HairLoss.com, the world's most comprehensive website providing unbiased consumer information and free hair loss provider referrals, show that losing one's hair can be an "all consuming" experience that negatively affects many aspects of normal life.

According to a spokesman, the survey queried its visitors about their hair loss conditions and how those conditions affected their day-to-day lives. "Not so surprisingly, we find that over ninety percent of respondents who took our survey report that their hair loss makes them feel depressed," said Michael Garcia, Spokesman for HairLoss.com. "The same amount related that their self-esteem and self-confidence had been affected negatively by their hair loss condition."

Over four thousand visitors to HairLoss.com have participated in the survey over the last year. Those who complete the survey, which also queries for age, gender and the type of hair loss condition suffered, receive HairLoss.com's free eBook publication The Complete Guide to Solving Hair Loss. The eBook, written and published by HairLoss.com, reviews all known hair loss conditions for both men and women and details medical and cosmetic hair loss treatments for each.

"Medical treatments" refer to such procedures as laser hair therapy, hair transplant surgery or hair regrowth therapy using medications such as Propecia and Rogaine. "Cosmetic treatments" refer to procedures such as nonsurgical hair replacement, hair systems, wigs and hair extensions.

"The survey confirms what so many hair loss sufferers already understand about the nature of hair loss," said Garcia. "Namely that it is all consuming; that more than 90% of those who suffer from a chronic hair loss condition such as male pattern baldness or a receding hairline, not to mention alopecia areata, report that they think about their hair loss situation 'all the time' as opposed to 'sometimes' or 'not much'."

Respondents were also asked which areas of their lives they felt hair loss adversely impacts them, with more than 90% responding that hair loss affects social life and more than 80% responding that work life and dating is affected. Somewhat less than 80% of respondents answered that their home lives and intimacy were affected for the worst.

The survey, while not scientific, was developed, according to Spokesman Garcia, "to better understand the feelings of those who come to our website seeking treatment. "Obviously we're only able to gauge the opinions of those who visit HairLoss.com and take the survey. A great many individuals aren't affected negatively by their hair loss. But for those who are affected, we want to make certain that HairLoss.com remains the leader not only in providing the best individualized hair loss treatments, but to do so with understanding, warmth and compassion."

Those wishing to participate in the survey and receive the free eBook The Complete Guide to Solving Hair Loss may access the survey at http://www.hairloss.com/home/comprehensive-hair-loss-evaluation.html

"The good news is that we take the suffering out of being a hair loss sufferer," concluded Garcia. "There is hope -- and a solution -- for everyone."

Hair Loss Treatment Website Unveils Provider Directory

HairLoss.com, the largest and most comprehensive website dedicated to providing unbiased consumer information about alopecia and hair loss conditions, as well as hair loss treatments has unveiled a state-of-the-art provider directory. The directory, which goes live in November, offers basic plans as well as advanced marketing plans to hair loss treatment and product providers.

FT. LAUDERALE, FL, -- HairLoss.com, the Internet's leading website dedicated to providing unbiased consumer information concerning hair loss treatments and conditions has unveiled their hair loss provider directory. The hair loss directory offers a range of plans to a range of hair loss treatment and product providers.

According to Michael Garcia, Editor and spokesman for HairLoss.com, "the provider directory is "a state-of-the-art marketing solution" to those providers who haven't achieved a high-profile Internet presence. "It is much more than a directory. With the 'professional' and 'enterprise' plans, we're basically offering you a snazzy website built within our own website, complete with lead capture, client photos, testimonials, videos, social network links and more."

The influential website made public the directory at a hair loss industry marketing seminar in Fort Lauderdale, FL in October. The directory goes live on November 1.

The directory, which features a provider login, offers four plans, starting with a free Basic plan, a Business plan ($299 yearly), a Professional plan ($499 yearly) and an Enterprise plan priced at $699 per year. Each listing offers basic business profile listings with increased profile data, listing functionality and marketing enhancements with each upgraded listing plan. Unlike most hair loss directories, the provider retains complete control over their listing.

Directory listings are available for providers of nonsurgical hair replacement and hair transplant surgery, dermatologists, trichologists, non-profit organizations, service providers of hair systems, hair regrowth therapy, laser hair therapy, alopecia treatment and hair extensions as well as providers of cancer wigs and chemo wigs.

"This is a highly technologically advanced directory, customized for the hair loss provider industry," stated Garcia. "It serves the hair loss provider community and features search parameters that allows a visitor seeking treatment and services to search by business name, country, zip code, city, state, treatment specialties and more."

According to Garcia, HairLoss.com has partnered with Bright Bulb Solutions, a Los Angeles-based boutique Internet marketing firm to develop the custom software that operates the directory. "The directory is part of a suite of custom software products we're developing with Bright Bulb, which will include a forthcoming CraigsList-style classifieds for the hair loss industry."

"HairLoss.com is making progress in leaps and bounds," asserts Garcia. "Our visibility online has increased triple fold in only one year. Our desire is to elevate not only the discourse of what it means to have hair loss and how to treat it, but to improve the industry as a whole. Our philosophy is that the rising tide lifts all boats and what is good for the industry is good for us, too. That is why we're sharing the success of our increased visibility by offering this directory to the industry."

HairLoss.com's hair loss directory is available at http://www.hairloss.com, with details of each listing plan available on the provider registration page.

Wigs Are a Timeless Hair Loss Solution

Wigs can be fun and simple, but as a hair loss solution, they can be serious business.



Wigs have been around since the ancient Egyptians, and they are still as important, useful and stylish today. Why still? This is a time when hair growth medications, hair transplant surgery, hair replacement systems -- and shaved heads -- are in popular use by millions of men and women alike. And yet wigs, which technically are a full head of hair, covering from forehead to nape and ear to ear, offer an option to anyone who has experienced a sudden loss of hair due to medication, surgery or trauma. As a hair loss treatment, wigs remain hugely popular as well.

A wig can also be a fashion choice, a way to change one's appearance altogether or simply to restore a style that was lost because of thinning hair. Celebrities may wear them for performances or on the street -- for character, beauty or high drama. For many a wig can be a powerful way to make an aesthetic statement, regardless of whether it is a hair loss treatment or not.

Nevertheless, the selection, purchase and maintenance of a wig should not be a cavalier event. Wig wearers should consider how much time they can put into wig maintenance, whether they have the time to wait for a custom wig to be made, and if they desire a wig that conforms to styling changes. Variations in material (virgin or processed human hair or synthetic) and the anchoring cap selections (lace, machine-made, multidirectional, thin skin and capless) offer wig wearers many options.

Prices vary among these selections, with a wide range of costs. For individuals undergoing chemotherapy, some health insurers cover the cost of a "cranial prosthesis" (the medical industry term).

Take your time to investigate the modern approach to wigs.