issues with human hair extensions

[ssipes]

So, I have been thinking about purchasing some human hair extensions -- the kind that clip in. I even bought some on ebay a couple of months ago, but it turns out what I bought was out of stock so the seller refunded my money.

Anyway, the reason I want human hair is because my hair is impossible to match (light reddish brown, believe me I've tried) but I know I can dye human ones to match.

Well maybe. Two things concern me. First a practical issue: I heard that most hair extensions have been subject to heavy chemical processing to bleach out and then recolor them, and then application of silicone-based products to mask the damage. If you get wavy or curly ones that is another step of chemical processing. How well would these really stand up to an additional application of color and then occasional heat styling?

Second, an ethical issue: if vendors are selling basically a full head of 20" human hair extensions for as little as $69.99, how much money did the woman who originally sold her 10 yrs growth of hair get? Probably not more than a few dollars. I'm not sure how I feel about this; its not quite the same as sweat shop labor but it just seems icky. Where does the hair come from in the world, and how desperate are those who sell theirs?

Thoughts?

[Marianna]

Human hair is of course much better than synthetic. It feels and looks natural, and yes, you can color it, wash it, condition it, like real hair.

I forget where hair comes from - I always thought it was Asian, but a hairdresser told me that Asian hair can be nappy. I think she said hair comes from India, but I'm not sure.
They do strip the color and then recolor it. Usually that's the only one chemical processing, which is not bad.
The best quality hair is European hair - I heard that these are virgin: meaning the blonde hair you get came from a blonde person, nothing has been done.

I use human hair extentions (hairdreams) and have been extremely happy with it. It feels and looks natural, I even forget I have it in my hair (semi permanent, lasts 4-6 months).

[lotus]

Quality varies widely. I wouldn't recommend getting anything that was only $69 for a full head's-worth of hair. Particularly if you need a lighter color. Good hair will cost $100-150 a pack. High-quality human hair extensions that are worn on a daily basis can be used for a year, according to sylists...including washing drying, styling, etc. So presumably clip-in should last at least that long.

I've heard the "Bohyme" brand requently recommended for caucasians (meaning suitable texture for blending) There are other good brands too, of course. Ask for hair that is remy if possible (also sometimes spelled with an i). That is not a brand name, but refers to the way it was collected.

[lotus]

ps. a lot of the 'human' hair sold at lower prices is actually synthetic (like dollhair) or animal hair.

(there's no regulation, and much of it is imported from asian countries so it would be hard to enforce anyway.)

so if you see 20-inch hair for 30 dollars, take a moment and think of the bald yaks who have sacrificed so much for the sake of female vanity.

[sabrinabellydancer]

i've read that a lot of the human hair comes from india and is collected during a religious ceremony [hindu?]where the woman's head is shaved. then the temples sell the hair to companies.

i'm not sure of the accuracy of this information. i read it in the context of why some rabis were saying indian hair is not kosher for orthodox women to use in religious head covering wigs. [nothing to do with the quality of hair]

re remy / remi :
this is very important for good quality hair because you want all the cuticles going the same way on the hair to help prevent tangles.

my friend works in product development here:
[easiXtend]
and she could probably answer your questions about coloring extensions[after the holidays]

[ssipes]

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

i've read that a lot of the human hair comes from india and is collected during a religious ceremony [hindu?]where the woman's head is shaved. then the temples sell the hair to companies.

Yeah, I read this too, and in the article said that the women and girls get *nothing* for cutting their hair, and the Hindu temple then gets all the profits. Ugh.

I also read that virtually all the "good" human hair on the market is Indian, because Chinese hair is not the right texture to be used by non-Asians and European hair is virtually non-existent on the market without paying very big bucks.

Still not sure how I feel about this...all this info is off the internet, so who knows how accurate it is...

[dunyah]

I love my human hair extensions. I bought them from a dancer who had never used them, I believe they were originally over $100 many years ago. They are top quality. Since I bought them used, I feel a little bit removed from the ethical questions. But I do say a prayer of thanks and blessing for the woman whose hair I am wearing, every time I use them.

Mine are the clip-in kind and they stay secure while dancing, though I don't do any head tossing (bad neck).

My very talented hairdresser dyed them to match my hair and they are just stunning. They are straight, not curly. I just store them in a "pin curl" and the ends are slightly waved when I take them out.

I've had them for many years and they are in great condition. I wash them once in awhile with shampoo and conditioner. I use a little water to dampen them if they get frizzy.