Choosing the best permanent hair extensions requires picking an application method and carefully choosing the right color, texture, and quality. Permanent hair extensions are not actually permanent, but can last up to six months when washed with high-quality shampoos and conditioners and not heat styled. The popular application methods for long-term hair extensions are glue-ins and sew-ins. Choosing the color, texture, and quality of the weave is best performed with the help of a professional hair stylist or beauty supply store employee. In the end, all permanent hair extensions must be thrown away or put to uses besides extending your hair, because the chemicals that once coated them are gone and the hair is left dry, dull, and brittle.
Many people prefer glue-ins and sew-ins when it comes to permanent hair extensions. As far as long-term hair extensions go, these application methods have minimum upkeep. The stylist usually braids a small part of the client’s hair across his or her head and then glues or sews in the hair extensions piece by piece. This is not a quick process; in fact, most stylists recommend setting aside anywhere from two to four hours, depending on how much hair the client wants put in. These types of extensions sometimes come with the glue or thread needed to use the extensions, but most of the time the stylist supplies these accessories herself.
Choosing the actual color, texture, and quality of the permanent hair extensions is the most difficult part. It is generally recommended to seek the help of a professional to match the texture and color as closely as possible. Quality greatly affects the price of the hair; for example, synthetic hair extensions that do not look as natural as human hair are usually the cheapest kind. Even human hair has varying quality standards, however, and salespeople at a beauty supply store can normally point potential customers in the right direction. In general, high-quality hair holds up to more washes, heat styling, and other damaging processes than low-quality extensions.
Lastly, no matter the quality or the care taken to upkeep your extensions, their quality will eventually deteriorate to the point that they no longer look good when worn. Human hair extensions undergo extensive processing to become extensions, which leaves each strand coated in chemicals. These chemicals wash off with the help of even the gentlest shampoos. In addition, dying the hair also shortens its life, especially if it is dyed a lighter color that requires bleach.