Extension Application Methods

Over the last few years the Human Hair Extension industry has “taken off”, mostly due to the popularity of Human Hair Extensions with Hollywood Actors and Music celebrities alike. With this increase in popularity there has also been a large increase in Human Hair Extension suppliers in Australia, both wholesale suppliers and salons providing Human Hair Extension for retail consumers. As a result of the rise in the number of Australian Hair Extensions suppliers there is also a rise in the variation of quality of the Human Hair Extensions available to consumers, which leads to the many questions asked by consumers in trying to decide which product represents the best value for money.

Human Hair Extensions are supplied in many different qualities and it can be confusing to determine which is the best for you, especially if you are not comparing exactly the same product/quality. Many suppliers of Human Hair Extensions in Australia often advertised them as Remy quality. Although there is no definitive standard to define Remy hair, it is widely accepted that Remy quality Hair Extensions refer to hair that has had little treatment once collected form the original donor. So the hair has had less treatment with regards to stripping colour (to achieve lighter shades – particularly Blondes), also the cuticles on the hair should mostly be intact as well as the hair all being laid in the same direction (that is root to root and end to end). As “Remy” quality hair has undergone less treatment its feel and look are more natural and of course with proper care should last longer than other grades of Hair.

Some suppliers offer “Double Drawn” Human Hair Extensions, which refers to hair, which has been sorted (drawn) twice so that the hair is predominantly the same length. The idea is that with the majority of the hair being the same length it provides a thicker and healthier look once the Extensions have been applied. There is much debates as to whether the higher quality of double drawn Hair Extensions justifies the increased cost which makes it much less affordable for most people. It is worth noting that double or single drawn hair extensions can also be “Remy” quality.

Bonding glues are used to bond hair to hair (not hair to skin) and are commonly used to apply human hair extensions that are supplied in weft form. A weft is a long track of hair that can be cut to the required length to fit onto your head where you would like the extensions fitted. This method makes the hair extensions relatively quick to apply, however it can cause damage to your own hair when removing the wefts in the future. Given that hair extensions may need to be adjusted as your hair grows and the risk of damage to your own hair this method is becoming less popular. Many Australian Hair Extension Providers are moving away form this method.

Another method of applying Human Hair Extensions is to sew them into a cornrow/plait of your own hair. To do this you need to create a fine cornrow with your own in the area that you want to apply the weft. The weft is then cut to size and sewn into the cornrow with strong cotton. This method gives a natural look and you don’t have glues or clips that can annoy you from time to time. As with the previous method this does not allow for easy removal or adjustment of the Hair Extensions once applied. This method also has the added issue of extra tension being placed on your own hair, particularly if the cornrows are plaited too tightly. Another disadvantage is that it is one of the most time consuming and hence expensive methods to apply hair extensions in Australia.

This method involves small strands of hair (usually 1 – 5 grams per strand) to be individually applied to your head. The individual strands are either held with small aluminum or copper rings that are crimped onto your own hair or with Keratin glue at the tip of each strand that is melted onto your own hair. Once again there are advantages and disadvantages for both methods similar to the Bonding Glue method. However Micro Rings allow the extensions to be adjusted a little more easily. Although these hair extensions are applied individually an experienced technician can do a complete head of Hair Extensions in a reasonable time frame making it reasonablly affordable.

As can be determined by the name this method involves micro rings being attached to the whole weft of hair, which is then applied to your hair. This method is relatively quick to apply and adjust, however it allows for less flexibility/customization of the weft to your own head. This method gained some popularity amongst Australian Hair Extensions Salons and Technicians when first introduced, however it use as a preferred method has slowed.