Thread: Hair extentions-are they worth it?

Hi eveyone-
I have a big show coming up on New Year's eve and some of the numbers have a great deal of hair flipping and twirling. I was at my salon today for my normal visit and asked about them. I was able to have a consultation with the stylist that specializes in hair extentions for the salon. I have short-er hair, above my shoulders, kind of thin, and really would like a bit a length for the show. I do have wigs that I wear normally when I have short hair but am a bit nervous due to the types of dances, number of costume changes and the normal irritation of wig wear. The last thing I want is my hair flying off into the audience and constantly adjusting it (I think I have 5 or 6 costume changes during the show).

I was quoted $1500 for a full head of extentions to the length and fullness I want. They use real hair extentions with protein things (?) at the top that fuse with your hair, not plastic. My salon is upscale and I trust that they use the best products. But being that I have never had this done or known anyone that has had them done, in a salon anyway, I was wondering based on your expriences is it worth the money? Are they really easy to take care of? It would save me a lot of grief and I think look way nicer than my synthetic wigs, but it sure would cut into the Christmas budget...

Thanks for your thoughts!

:) Heather

That procedure better pay for itself many times over cuz that's a lot of money! If it would last for year then I would maybe go for it if you have a lot of gigs all the time. But anything artificial in the hair after awhile is going to slip out. Their procedure does sound like it's the best way to go but I would weigh the costs very, very carefully. With this economy, just to be sure.

I haven't had the fused hair done but I asked the lady who does my hair and she said they last between 4-6 months. I would like to get it done too. I'm debating.

Jesennia recently had this done, and posted about it.

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/fitness-be...ght=extensions

She wound up having them removed again.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Jesennia recently had this done, and posted about it.

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/fitness-be...ght=extensions

She wound up having them removed again.

You couldn't pay me enough to have sewn in extensions. ..l;,

Originally Posted by bellydnsr123

Hi eveyone-
I was quoted $1500 for a full head of extentions

Holy crap that is alot of money. I can't imagine plunking that down for hair extensions.

I had the keratin bonded extensions done last year like you are talking about. My salon used hairdreams extensions which are supposed to be the best ones. They were $2200 for the whole set.
Make sure they are using remy hair, which all goes in the same direction or they will tangle really badly.
once you have the extensions, you have to go in for maintenance every month and they trim the hair that you have shed away from the bond....otherwise you will get matting.

Mine didn't hurt at all like the sew in type do and they lasted about 7 months. The hair can be rebonded and used again but I decided not to do it.
The plus side of having the bonded extensions is that they sheilded my hair from a lot of damage. My hair was significantly longer and healthy when I took them out. I also loved the way my hair looked with them.
The cons are the price, and if you get someone who is not amazing at installing them, they can ruin your hair.
When you get them, you have to make sure you use gentle shampoo that does not have any silicone in it or the bonds will slide off of your hair. Also make sure you don't put the conditioner near the bonds and dont brush or comb the bonds.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Originally Posted by ssipes

Holy crap that is alot of money. I can't imagine plunking that down for hair extensions.

Ditto.

Originally Posted by ssipes

Holy crap that is alot of money.

LOL-That is exactly what I said.

Originally Posted by mrsnj20

I had the keratin bonded extensions done last year like you are talking about. My salon used hairdreams extensions which are supposed to be the best ones. They were $2200 for the whole set.
Make sure they are using remy hair, which all goes in the same direction or they will tangle really badly.
once you have the extensions, you have to go in for maintenance every month and they trim the hair that you have shed away from the bond....otherwise you will get matting.

Mine didn't hurt at all like the sew in type do and they lasted about 7 months. The hair can be rebonded and used again but I decided not to do it.
The plus side of having the bonded extensions is that they sheilded my hair from a lot of damage. My hair was significantly longer and healthy when I took them out. I also loved the way my hair looked with them.
The cons are the price, and if you get someone who is not amazing at installing them, they can ruin your hair.
When you get them, you have to make sure you use gentle shampoo that does not have any silicone in it or the bonds will slide off of your hair. Also make sure you don't put the conditioner near the bonds and dont brush or comb the bonds.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Thank you for your thoughts and info!! I will make sure to ask what kind and brand she uses. The stylist had a few extentions in her own hair so I got to feel them and have a look. They looked amazing. She told me that she had a lady coming in tomorrow that has had hers in for 8 months! and hasn't lost a strand. Though she did say that average was 6 months. Some people's hair takes better to it than others.
So here are some more questions-lol-sorry.
When you bush your hair how did you avoid getting that bonded part?
Do they bond it to the root of your hair or the end? (I didn't think to ask)
When you sleep on your hair do you feel the bonded part poking in your head? I guess day to day does it really feel that natural?
Did you just use baby-type shampoo and then just conditioner on the ends?
Did blow drying or other heat affect the bond at all?

I know with the economy the way it is it seems very frivilous to think of having such a thing done but I have been soooo curious and wanting to have this done for awhile now. My hair never seems to be able to grow past my shoulders and I would love long hair even if it is for a little while. I guess it isn't any different from cosmetic or any elective surgery just not permanent. Not having to think about any hair malfunctions during the show might be worth it in itself. And I have a feeling that I will feel like a million bucks (or at least $1500 ..l;, )everyday that I have them in. So I guess in a way this goes beyond wanting them just for the show-hehe.

:) Heather

Originally Posted by bellydnsr123

LOL-That is exactly what I said.


When you bush your hair how did you avoid getting that bonded part?

I use a boar bristle brush by mason pearson when the hair is dry. I would just lightly brush over the part near my head, and then hold the hair at the roots to keep it from pulling while i brushed the length of it.


Do they bond it to the root of your hair or the end? (I didn't think to ask)


They bond it to the root


When you sleep on your hair do you feel the bonded part poking in your head? I guess day to day does it really feel that natural?

I couldn't feel them at all unless i touched my scalp with my finger...even then you can barely feel them. No one else could tell they were there if they touched my head.

Did you just use baby-type shampoo and then just conditioner on the ends?

No, baby shampoo generally is not good for your hair. I really liked biolage for normal hair shampoo. Just be sure to read the label for silicones.
I used conditioner on starting a few inches below the bonds. I really liked fekkai shea conditioner. You will probably have to use a silicone based product for the ends because they tend to split and look frizzy if you don't.
Did blow drying or other heat affect the bond at all?

No, blow drying didnt affect the bond. You have to blow dry the bonds really well or your hair will mildew at the bonded area. I used dry shampoo so I could only wash and dry every 2-3 days and it still looked good.

Do not use a flat iron or other iron over the bond. That is the type of tool they use to bond them in and it will melt your bond. start about an inch below the bond.


:) Heather

I think they are worth it! I felt 100% more glamorous when I had my hair extensions! I hope to get some more someday.

wigs work great. i feel that long hair is a 70's look for belly dancer. I have med hair and i love long hair but it is not a must a lot of the egyptian dancers usually have modern hair style what or ever the tred is. I would much rather spend money on a costume. But if you feel it will make you feel better then go for it.

i researched and agonized over the decision for sew ins for months..somehow it was no problem to fork out big bucks for saline implants but hair extensions was a juried process:)

in a nutshell i was happy with the hair itself and ended up keeping it and using combs to secure it in when i want long hair

the sew in was painful but that could be just my head..i had residual pain for two weeks. it was hot, heavy and horrible. looked fantastic but she didnt blend my hair too well with it (color was fine but i have layered hair and it didnt all blend together very well)

my only advice is be SURE you take before and after photos so that if you have any pain, or problems, you have PROOF. I ended up getting my money back for the installation of the extensions AND had proof from two hairdressers who cut them out and saw how red my head was from potential damage. The extensionist was really rude to me and wrote me emails about karma and such ..i showed her the pics of the redness and she shut up real quick. I paid her for the hair and was done with it.

Go to someone you trust and ask to see a portfolio of their work.

that said, when done properly they do look really fabulous! my hair is mommy length right now and i cant wait for it to grow out again but having the clip in extensions is fun for dress up

oh..and if you swim or work out frequently..i dont know how the protein one works but its important to keep the bonded area clean..bacteria can get lodged in there and cause problems. i'm in the ocean and i henna my hair frequently enough so it was a good choice to just use clip ins

email me if you like :)

Originally Posted by bellydnsr123

I know with the economy the way it is it seems very frivilous to think of having such a thing done but I have been soooo curious and wanting to have this done for awhile now. My hair never seems to be able to grow past my shoulders and I would love long hair even if it is for a little while. I guess it isn't any different from cosmetic or any elective surgery just not permanent. Not having to think about any hair malfunctions during the show might be worth it in itself. And I have a feeling that I will feel like a million bucks (or at least $1500 ..l;, )everyday that I have them in. So I guess in a way this goes beyond wanting them just for the show-hehe.

:) Heather

Go ahead and splurge then - it would be a once in a lifetime girlie thing, and I know you would love the feel of all that hair around you so much that it would be worth it. It sure beats waiting around for the next five years for the hair to grow itself. Not to mention keeping you warm in the winter time.

In the past I have glued wefts of hair in. Costs maybe $75 for a pack of human hair, stays in great. I have other wefts with clips sewn on that I can take in and out, but for a performance like this you describe I think glue would be really functional. You have to use a special glue dissolver to get them out. They really stay. It's an economical option.

I have glued in whefts before too and I must say I had some breakage on my baby fine hair. I heard that the procedure you are thinking about is great. Youtube has some clips of before and afters and the process. And, long gorgeous hair is addictive! Once you feel that long silky hair you will never want to lose it. But over all I say go for it! We only live once!

I wouldn't be able to justify the expense *unless* the gig was paying a at least $1500 AND I couldn't have the gig unless I had long hair AND I couldn't modify the choreo to eliminate some hair tossing. In other words, I wouldn't consider it a business expense.

But if you have the money (over and above having some retirement and rainy day savings going on) then you should spend it however you want.