Is Wearing Hair Extensions Risky?
Hair extensions, of any kind, pose risks to hair health. In particular, those for permanent or semi-permanent use can cause significant damage to the hair.
Hair extensions are a beauty technique that consists of adding sections of natural or synthetic hair to lengthen or make hair more voluminous. Although it is one of the most used aesthetic resources in the world, it involves several risks.
Models of the stature of Naomi Campbell have said that hair extensions have brought them various hair problems. Even so, these attachments continue to be used without taking any major precautions. But why can they cause problems? What should you know about it? We will detail it below.
Types of hair extensions
There are different types of hair extensions. They differ in the way they adhere to the hair or scalp. Similarly, the techniques used to fix it determine variations in the degree of risk. We will tell you.
Adhesive extensions
In this case, a special glue is used to adhere the extensions to the scalp. They must be applied and removed by a hairdresser, and the adhesives used must be hypoallergenic. However, they are not always.
Braiding extensions
It is a widely used technique and also one of the most harmful to hair. It consists of making horizontal crowns with very fine braids. These are hidden in the middle of the hair and the extensions are sewn to those braids. The positive is that no chemicals or heat are used; the negative, they produce strong traction and weight.
Of rings or staples
These are semi-permanent extensions, which last fixed to the hair for a period of between two and six months. In this technique , strands of hair are taken and attached to an extension, using a ring or staple. The procedure should be performed by an expert hairdresser. They produce strong traction on the hair.
Silicone and keratin
It is a technique similar to that of adhesives; It consists of melting the silicone or keratin on the scalp to fix the extensions there. It requires maintenance every three to four months. Heat, compressed air or ultrasound should be used for fixing. However, they also cause traction on the hair.
Fixing with clips
They are the least harmful modality. The added strands of hair have one or more clips that can be attached to the hair. Afterwards, they are removed as would be done with a buckle or a hair clip. They are usually used on specific occasions and only for a few hours.
What risks are there?
None of the types of hair extensions is harmless, but, in any case, the most harmful techniques are those that involve the longest residence time. In the following space we detail the risks to which you expose yourself when using these accessories.
Hair loss
It is one of the risks that is present in almost all types of extensions. Since these are attached to the hair, they prevent it from shedding naturally. This can lead to a sudden and voluminous fall of the hair strands when they are removed.
Chronic mechanical irritation
The extensions exert traction or tension on the hair follicles. In the long term this can stunt them and consequently make the hair thinner. In the most severe cases, alopecic plaques or “bald spots” appear on various parts of the head. If the extensions are no longer used, the process is reversible; otherwise not.
Deterioration
Extensions can damage the hair cuticle. In the first place, this causes a decrease in the shine and vitality of the hair. Then, it can cause frizz or brittleness, with the consequent breakage of it.
Scalp injuries
There are cases in which hair extensions cause injuries to the scalp. In particular, they may lead to folliculitis, which is the inflammation of the hair follicles. If this happens, red papules appear that sometimes fill with pus, causing itching and pain.
Allergic reaction
Although it is not very frequent, there are people who have an allergic reaction to the glues used or to the extensions themselves. If so, it is necessary to remove them immediately and consult a doctor.
Is the use of extensions recommended?
Beauty should not conflict with health. Therefore, in general terms, the use of extensions is not recommended, since all of them involve some risk. If doing so is very important to a person, it is appropriate to use them sparingly and only occasionally.
Sometimes they are also placed to hide some types of alopecia. However, they are cases that also require caution, since some techniques worsen the condition and can cause inflammation and irritation of the scalp.
The most advisable thing is that they do not duplicate the length of the natural hair so that they do not exert excessive traction. In the same way, the correct thing is to go to a good hairdressing professional to advise what is the most appropriate extension modality, according to the type of hair and the quality of the capillary health.
Recommendations for the use of extensions
In case of opting for the use of extensions, the ideal thing is to choose the one with natural hair and not synthetic, since they are easier to wash and maintain. In turn, a good care routine should be implemented to minimize possible adverse effects.
It is not advisable to dye the hair to homogenize the color, as this could cause more dryness. You should also use the dryer sparingly and comb your hair gently. Keep that in mind!
