Get an Extension

Extensions add instant length and volume to hair. Here are four different ways to do it.

HUMAN-HAIR EXTENSIONS
What are they?
Lengths of 100%-human hair.
The lowdown
The hair is sewn or glued onto your natural hair. Most salons use hot glue. ‘We use a glue gun to bond the extensions to the roots of the hair‚ says hairdresser Brian Warfield of Mzizi Hair in Johannesburg. While sewn-in extensions cause the least damage to your natural hair, a more advanced method fuses the hair with your own. ‘Your own hair is pre-tipped with a patented bond with a similar composition to that of human hair‚ says Ivy Wong of Great Lengths, a national distributor of 100%-human hair. ‘When the bond melts, it attaches the extension.’
‘Fusion extensions are slightly more expensive than other methods but they’re the most durable, flexible and natural-looking‚’ says Johannesburg hairstylist Nana Agyekum of the Sun Hair and Nail Bar.
Maintenance
‘Wash and style as you would your own hair,’ says Wong. ‘Human-hair extensions can be blow-dried, tonged or flat-ironed but use the correct brushes and professional products recommended by the salon,’ she says. Human-hair extensions will last between three and six months before you have enough regrowth to need to go back to the salon.
Cost
Application at a salon costs between R3 000 and R7 000, depending on the length of the hair.

CLIP-IN PIECES
What are they?
Each extension has a little comb that clips onto your own hair. ‘You can attach them yourself and add instant length and volume,’ says Wong. Just find the correct colour and texture to match your natural hair.
The lowdown
If your clip-in extensions are made of synthetic fibres, dip them in hot water and then apply styling aids to set your style, but don’t use heat, as they will melt. Human-hair clip-ins can be treated like human hair.
Maintenance
‘Clip-ins made of human or synthetic hair can be washed with a gentle shampoo and left to dry naturally,’ says Agyekum. They can last up to a year, depending on the quality and how often you wear and wash them.
Cost
Prices vary depending on the quality and length of the extensions.

BRAIDS
What are they?
Braids made from synthetic fibres are plaited into your natural hair.
The lowdown
The braiding process can take from 10 hours to two days, depending on the size of the plaits and how quickly your hairdresser works.
Maintenance
Have your hair washed at a salon at least every three to four weeks. ‘Braids are not supposed to be washed frequently, as this can damage the natural hair. For best results, use methylated spirits to clean the scalp weekly,’ says Agyekum. At night, plait your hair gently or cover your head with a stocking to reduce tension. Ask your hairdresser for an oil spray to prevent a dry scalp. Braids shouldn’t be kept in longer than 12 weeks.
Cost
The braids will cost you anywhere from R50, but having them plaited in will cost you more.

WEAVES
What are they?
A weft of either human or synthetic hair is stitched onto a corn row. (Corn rows are tight rows of plaits close to the scalp.)
The lowdown
‘The extension is sewn into the corn row, leaving the little plaits hidden,’ says Warfield. ‘This is the most commonly used method for ethnic hair, as it causes the least tension on the natural hair,’ he says.
Maintenance
‘Use methylated spirits to clean the scalp weekly and have it washed at a salon every two weeks,’ says Agyekum. ‘Your hairdresser should also make sure that the corn row underneath is completely dry before styling.’ As your own hair grows, the weave needs to be readjusted and tightened. A weave will last a maximum of eight weeks.
Cost
Weaves will cost you between R600 and R1 500.

Author: Lesleigh Kivedo