There are several different types of hair extension supplies, each used with different styles of extensions. For most types, pliers, links, and pulling needles are required. In some cases, bonding glue and glue remover may be necessary. When glue is involved, a fusing tool and glue gun are often used as hair extension supplies. The type of extension can also be considered a supply; the most common are wefts, pre-tipped wefts, and individual strands.
Extensions that are not glued in are either linked or sewn into the hair. For linking hair extension supplies, pliers and mini links attach the hair. The link is slid onto the extension, and the real hair is pulled through the link with a pulling needle. When the extension is in place, the link is collapsed with pliers to hold it in place. Extensions that are sewn into the hair typical utilize puling needles to weave the string attached to the hair extension into a plated braid on the head, thereby securing the new hair in place.
Certain types of extensions are affixed with bonding glue; glue remover is needed to take the hair out. The glue is placed on the tip of the hair extension and then attached to the real hair. When the hair extension is removed, the glue remover is applied to the area where the real hair and extensions meet, thus gently dissolving the glue and loosening the extension from the hair. The glue typically comes in sticks and is applied with a glue gun.
Hair pieces that come with glue already on the tip are known as pre-tipped extensions. These are attached with a handheld fusing tool. The tool has two small, flat tips that heat up. When the pre-tipped extension is placed on the real hair, the fusing tool melts the glue, thereby attaching the extension to the hair.
Wefts are usually the most popular styles and are sold as hair extension supplies. These are a group of several strands of synthetic or real hair fused together on one end. Wefts make applying hair extensions much quicker. They can come in several different lengths and hundreds of colors. They can be pre-tipped with glue, applied with glue from a gun, or sewn into the hair.
Single strand extensions are typically much more costly than other hair extension supplies. They consist of individual strands of hair that are linked, glued or sewn into the real hair; single strands are seldom pre-tipped. Although this style of extension can often provide an incredibly realistic look, it ca be extremely time consuming to attach.