What are the different hair extension techniques, and how can you pick the right method for you?
Hair extensions are not all created equally. Neither is their installation method nor the hair quality.
At our two New York salons, we only use the highest-quality, real human hair for our extensions. Still, the quality of hair extensions and the various techniques can vary wildly across the industry. In fact, this post we shared actually exposed some of the dark side of the hair extension industry, so if that’s something you’re interested in, read that post next.
Now, in this post, we’re going to talk about the specific type of hair extension techniques, helping you get a clear idea of what method is right for you.
Different Hair Extension Techniques
These are the most typical and most popular hair extension methods:
- Clip-In
- Halo
- Tape-In
- Sew-In (Weft/Weave)
- Keratin Fusion (K-Tips)
- Microbead Extensions (I-Tips)
And each of these hair extension techniques can be divided into three main types:
- Temporary: are taken in and out daily
- Semi-Permanent: lasts for 6-8 weeks
- Permanent: remain in your hair for months
As with most things, there are pros and cons to each of these different hair extension techniques, so throughout this post we’re going to dive into them a bit further.
We’re going to start with temporary extensions and move our way into the more permanent extension techniques.
Clip-In Extensions
Clip-in hair extensions are a type of hair extension where the hair is attached to a clip that you can then clip into your natural hair. Clip-in extensions are usually mass-produced, and it’s important to know where that hair comes from. In this article, we shed light on why real-human hair extensions can’t simply be mass-produced.
Also, because clip-in extensions are typically mass-produced, this hair extension technique won’t match your hair perfectly. Each strand won’t be blended to match your natural shades and dimension. This means they often look like extensions instead of real hair.
Now, the biggest con about clip-in extensions is that they can cause hair loss, especially for women with thin or fine hair. One of our clients, who has baby-fine hair, used clip-in extensions and ended up with bald spots where the extensions were clipped to her natural hair.
The biggest pro of clip-in extensions is that you can take them in and out at home, which means you can experiment with length and style whenever you want to wear them.
They also tend to be the cheapest hair extension technique, but that’s not automatically a pro. Hair extensions with the cheapest upfront cost can actually end up costing the most long-term in some cases.
With proper care, your clip-in extensions should last for years, but that’s only if you take them out, keep them clean, brush them, and store them properly.
Halo Hair Extensions
Halo hair extensions are very similar to clip-ins, but in our personal experience, we tend to recommend these more than clip-ins. Halo extensions are worn like a headband, which means they’re less damaging than clip-ins that pull your hair down and cause that hair loss we showed you above.
Halos are made up of multiple wefts that are sewn together to create one thicker weft. You then wear this under your natural hair, like a headband. Like clip-ins, you can take these extensions out each evening, meaning with proper care they should also last for years.
However, the biggest con with Halo hair extensions is that they’re not likely to match your natural hair as well as more semi-permanent and custom extensions. They tend to be cheaper, which raises questions about where the hair comes from and how processed it is by the time it gets to you, because all of these things play into how visible the extensions are.
In other words, with cheaper methods like clip-ins and halos, it’s much more common for people to be able to tell that you’re wearing extensions.
Tape-In Extensions
Tape-in extensions are a semi-permanent extension solution that came on the scene after clip-ins. They’re 1-1 ½ inch sections of hair that are pre-taped. A stylist will then use medical-grade glue to attach the extensions to your natural hair.
This is not a DIY extension technique; you do need to have them professionally installed. They need to be applied to clean, dry hair to ensure that the adhesive sticks, as it’s sandwiched between your natural hair. However, they’re a fairly easy installation process requiring no tools or chemicals.
Tape-in extensions will last anywhere from 8-10 weeks depending on your natural hair growth and the quality of the extensions. They also need to be taken out by a professional using a specific tape-in remover solution.
It’s recommended that you buy the extensions “pre-colored” because the tape cannot get wet. This means this hair extension method is unlikely to match your hair perfectly.
So the biggest cons with tape-in extensions are that they’re going to be pre-dyed and won’t match your natural dimension perfectly, and that they use harsh chemicals during install and removal. These harsh chemicals can cause damage to your natural hair with repeated use.
Sew-In Extensions (Weft/Weave)
Sew-in extensions are often referred to as a weft or a weave. They’re a hair extension technique where strands of hair are sewn onto a super-thin cloth strip attached to your head.
There are hand-sewn and machine-sewn weft extensions. Machine-sewn extensions are cheaper because they’re made faster, while hand-sewn extensions will take longer but can be better customized to your hair. Once again, you will need to have these extensions installed by a professional. If your weft is installed incorrectly, it can cause headaches and hair loss.
In all the years our founder Christina has worked as an extension specialist, she has seen a lot of hair loss/tension from wefts sewn into her client’s natural hair. This happens because the wefts are bulky and heavy. They weigh down your natural hair, causing tension and alopecia.
Sew-in extensions will usually last around 6-8 weeks depending on how you care for them and how quickly your hair grows.
The pro with wefts is that they can add a lot of volume very quickly. But the cons tend to be that they’re more visible, they’re harder to style (if you wear your hair up a lot), and they’re heavy, which can cause damage to your natural hair.
Keratin Fusion (K-Tips)
Keratin fusion or K-tip extensions stand out as a hair extension technique because they use keratin bonds to attach individual strands of hair to your hair. They’re called ‘Keratin,’ but the bonds are still made with glue. The term ‘keratin’ is misleading because it often leads clients to believe there won’t be any damage to their natural hair, but glue is typically more damaging.
With this technique, your stylist can create unique strands of the extension hair to match your natural hair perfectly. When the technique is done correctly, you should be able to wear these extensions for 8-12 weeks without the hair slipping down.
The only real con with this technique is the glue. We prefer to use hair extension methods that don’t use any harsh chemicals or glue, because that’s going to be the safest for your natural hair.
Microbead Extensions (I-Tips)
Lastly, we have microbead extensions, which are the style of extensions that we use at our two New York hair salons. We take individual strands of hair to create bundles that we then bond together. These become your extensions, which then get beaded onto the natural strands of your hair.
To see an example of what this looks like, watch this video.
Like keratin fusion, this technique allows our stylist to blend your natural hair with your extensions perfectly. With microbead extensions, you can do everything you would normally do with your hair, especially because we only use the highest-quality human hair.
This ensures that your extensions behave exactly like your natural hair. Our clients need to come in for regular maintenance appointments (every 6-8 weeks), but because we rebond the extensions each time, they should last up to 12 months.
This technique is truly unmatched in the industry.
Microbead extensions are the safest and most natural way to achieve fuller, longer hair with extensions. When it comes to the pros and cons of various extension techniques, the only con you might find for microbead extensions is the cost.
They are going to be the highest-cost extensions on the market, but like we always say, “Quality isn’t expensive. It’s priceless.”
When it comes to the various types of hair extension techniques, you might be tempted to cut corners and choose a more cost-effective method. When you’re just starting on your extension journey, and you’re not sure you want something permanent, that’s okay.
But when you’re ready for natural-looking extensions, microbead is the best direction to go.
Wefts vs. I-Tips
When it comes to the age-old question of wefts vs microbead extensions, we can tell you that wefts tend to be heavy. We have a lot of women come to our New York salons to switch from wefts to i-tips, and one of the first things we hear is that our method helps their head feel lighter right away.
We know that the weight isn’t healthy for your natural hair. Our microbead technique keeps your extensions light and avoids tension on your root or natural hair.
If you’re ready to make the switch, or you’d like to explore getting extensions for the first time, make sure to book a consultation with us today.
For more hair extension inspiration and recent updates from our team, follow us on Instagram @oliviachristensensalon and our founder Christina @hairgoddessofNY.