Are Your Hair Extensions Non-Damaging?  

Hair extensions have been around for a long time, in fact, there is evidence that the ancient Egyptians wore them back in 3400 BC. They wore wigs, sewn-on hair pieces and braids that were made of human hair and dyed sheep's wool.

Fast forward to today and you can find women all over the country wearing hair extensions of all different types. Popular application methods include braids, keratin bonds and micro links; all of which can be found at most hair salons. While all these types of hair extensions will add length and volume to your hair, there are only a handful of methods that will not cause damage!

All the methods listed below will cause damage to your hair

• Micro-Link Hair Extensions
• Keratin Bond Hair Extensions
• Fusion Bond Hair Extensions
• Braid and Sew Hair Extensions
• Tape-In Hair Extensions

After doing your research you will see that all of these methods attach the extension hair directly to your natural hair; the strain caused by the weight of the extension is what causes the damage to your natural hair. The pictures below from Gia & Co depicts the bald spots that tape-in hair extensions can cause. If you do your own research you will see that similar issues arise with all the methods listed above. 

Think about it, If you are adding a lot of length and volume, you are going to be adding over 5 ounces of extensions to your hair. That is about the weight of a billiards ball pulling down on your natural hair and roots. 

When you add in brushing, styling and everyday wear and tear, you are going to be causing a great deal of stress on your natural hair! Over time this stress will ultimately lead to bald spots and hair breakage!

The Only Patented and Non-Damage Hair Extension Method

The Glamour Locks Hair Extension System was designed to take all the good parts of hair extensions and remove the damage causing parts. We were able to do this by introducing a third step to the application method that creates a safety barrier between your natural hair and the extension hair. That safety barrier is created by a patented tool called a Tension Strap.

The client below is wearing over 4 ounces of hair on one row or Glamour Track, that would be impossible with any other sew-in system. 

First, the Glamour Locks Certified Stylist will gather your hair to create a row across the back of your scalp. Then the stylist will create a Glamour Track using a Tension Strap.

The Tension Strap bears the weight of the extension hair resulting in less stress on your natural hair. The Tension Strap holds all the weight of the extensions resulting in comfortable and damage free hair extensions!

So What Makes Our Hair Extensions Non-Damaging? 

To summarize this article, non-damaging means that the hair extension application method you have chosen does not cause stress to your natural hair.

Hair extensions that are attached directly to your hair will break your hair, create bald spots and will cause long term damage that you will need to deal with for many years to come.

If you are interested in trying the Glamour Locks Hair Extension System you can schedule your consultation here. Or visit us at either of our locations in Costa Mesa or Mission Viejo. 

What Makes The Other Hair Extension Methods Damaging? 

We've covered what makes the Glamour Locks Hair Extension System non-damaging, not let's look at what makes the other methods damaging and why you should avoid them altogether. 

This type of hair extension method goes by a wide variety of names

• I-Tip Hair Extensions 
• Micro Ring Hair Extensions
• Micro Bead Hair Extensions 
• I-Link Hair Extensions 
• Loop Hair Extensions 
• Cold Fusion Hair Extensions

No matter what you call them they are attached the same to your natural hair. Micro-link extensions use beads that link your natural hair to the extensions. Each strand of [extension] hair has a link on it, and your stylist puts your hair through it and the link is clamped down to secure each extension. With the micro-link technique, one small strand of extensions and your real hair are linked together.  

These beads come in aluminum or copper, with or without a thin non-slip silicone layer inside them, different colors for different hair tones and different sizes for different areas and hair thickness. Depending on the thickness of your hair your stylist will choose one of the following types of beads

Micro-Lock - These are the most popular types of micro-link beads and are good for thick hair. They offer the strongest hold because they have grooves on the inside that interlock when crimped. But these are the most damage causing bead due to their robust hold. 

Flare Beads - These are better for women with thin hair because they are made of copper instead of aluminum. The copper is softer and the shape is longer which evenly spreads out the pressure. But, the root cause of damage is still there and that is the tension of having the extension hair attached directly to your natural hair.  

Silone Beads - These are aluminum beads that are coasted on the inside with silicone. The silicone is more gentle on the hair and is slightly less damaging than just a standard aluminum micro-lock bead. 

Don't Be Fooled. These Will Cause Damage To Your Hair

If you do a little research online, you will see that many companies and salons that offer this type hair extension method claim that when applied correctly they will not cause damage.

This is simply not true. regardless of how professionally they are applied, you are still going to be causing a great deal of tension on your natural hair with these extensions. Remember, they are being attached directly to your natural hair and scalp. The Glamour Locks Hair Extension method uses a Tension Strap to create a safety barrier between the extension hair and your natural hair. 

Additionally, these types of hair extensions are prone to becoming knotted and matted. Just read this woman's experience. After three months of wearing the micro-bead extensions where, in her own words, "a knotty, matted mess in my own hair. I have unintentional dreadlocks! A quick bit of research told me this was quite commonplace, and the only cure is to sit and comb it out. But I can only imagine the damage that will cause."

Another important fact to consider is that your natural hair sheds 80 to 100 hairs per day. This shedding becomes worse when heavy extensions such as micro-links are being attached to a small section of your natural hair. By the time you are ready to come in for removal and reapplication, the extensions are held on by fewer hairs and the weight of the extension, if left on too long, may end up ripping your hair out from the scalp. With Glamour Locks the Tension Strap carries the weight of the extensions along with your own hair.

Other Issues 

In addition to this type of hair extension method causing damage, these type of hair extensions have a variety of negative issues:

• They are prone to falling out. Your stylist will tell you to avoid using conditioner near them as that will cause them to become lubricated and slip out of the bead. 
• Micro-bead hair extensions are very expensive due to the amount of time it takes to apply them. They can cost as much as $2,500. 
• They are uncomfortable to sleep with and can be very painful if not applied correctly.  
• They are very time consuming to apply. Because these hair extensions are applied individually, they can take as long as 5 hours to apply depending on how many pieces you are adding.