Everything You Need to Know If You're Thinking of Getting Hair Extensions

I've always had long hair and never really thought much about extensions. Do I envy the Kardashians? Sure. But I just didn't think of myself as an extensions kind of girl. Until I got them.

Many women opt for extensions on their wedding day, but for me, it was just about good old-fashioned vanity. I hadn't done a thing to my hair in more than five years, and I felt like changing it up. Of course, I was afraid—would it damage my hair? Would it feel weird? Flash forward to three months later, and I've got the full report: What did I learn between that fateful first day and now? And would I get hair extensions again? Read on for all the details of my experience.

Keratin-Bond Extensions

I opted for a half-head of keratin-bond extensions. These are tiny strands of real, virgin (unprocessed) human hair. Generally, you'll come in for a consultation ahead of time so the stylist can match your color and order the hair, but some salons have many shades on-hand, ready to be used same-day.

The extensions themselves look like a small wisp of your own hair, but with a keratin-based dried "glue" at one end. They can be curled, dyed, straightened, styled with heat—everything you'd do to your own hair. In order to attach them, either heat or ultrasonic waves (depending on where you go and what type of device is used) fuses that keratin "glue" to your hair. The extensions are placed in rows so that they always remain strategically covered by another piece of hair, even if you wear a ponytail.

What You Need to Know

My dry hair was sectioned off, and the stylist worked in rows, scooping tiny sections of my hair up (much like applying highlights) and placing an individual extension about a 1/2-inch away from the root. Then, she used a tool to fuse it on. The process takes between one and two hours and finishes with a blowout and dry cut in order to ensure the extensions are layered or evened out to perfection.

My First Reaction

Damn, I look good! I have princess hair!

My Second Reaction

Wait...this feels weird. Physically, there is a tiny "bead" (think of it like a bit of clear nail polish that hardens to a small spot of your hair) where the keratin "glue" is attached to your hair. When you run your hands through your hair, you will feel them, and at first it's like, "Oh, so now I'm going to feel like I have hard stuff stuck in my hair at all times? Why did I do this? Was this a mistake?" But then, you look in the mirror and see your princess-hair reflection again, and you take a million selfies (at least that's what I did) and all of that fear fades away.

After the First Wash...

You have to be careful with extensions, specifically the bonds. You can't yank a brush through your hair or clamp a flatiron onto the glue spot. Many experts also recommend you don't use products with sulfates, which can break down the bonds. Even if you follow all of those directions, it's still possible that the extensions will loosen over time. Losing one to three extensions is normal. Losing 10 or more is not. In my case, the latter happened, likely as a result of my bonds not being tight enough, as well as the weight of the extension being too heavy for the strand of hair it was attached to. For that reason, I did lose a bit of my own hair over the course of the three months that I had extensions, but my situation was atypical.

Damage Control

"Extensions are not for the low-maintenance," says celebrity stylist Jen Atkin. If you're a wash-and-go type of girl who doesn't even get blowouts often, then think twice. Extensions = responsibility. "You'll need to make sure you have a special brush (my favorite is the Sheila Stotts extensions brush) and to brush your hair regularly," says Atkin. "A lot of girls are afraid of brushing their hair when they have extensions, but this is key to keeping the hair tangle-free and healthy." Personally, I carried The Tangle Teezer everywhere for brush-ups throughout the day. Because it has a built-in case and is small enough to keep in your bag, you'll actually remember to use it when your extensions look a bit matted.

What's the Cost?

Kristina Noto, the extensions specialist at New York's Warren-Tricomi salon, says, "Quality extensions can vary in price depending on the desired end result, but adding a few pieces for fullness (usually a half head) should start at $500 and go up to $1,500 at a high-end salon. The price for a full head can range from $1,500 to $4,000." Beware of any salon that charges less than $500 for keratin-bond extensions. It's always better to splurge for a time-tested brand of extensions, as well as a salon that's known for doing them. "I use a few different hair extension companies and techniques," says Noto. "Great Lengths, SHE by SO.CAP.USA., and Hot Heads have some of the best quality hair extensions, and they also offer training on how to apply and remove extensions. Being educated on how to properly do extensions can be just as important as the quality of the hair extensions themselves."

Another Option: Tape-Ins

"Keratin bonds used to be one of the most popular types, but tape-ins have been gaining in popularity because the application is so much faster and they lie flat to the head," says Atkin. Instead of a tiny, thin strand, a wider, flatter piece of hair with a strip of special tape across the top is pressed underneath a piece of your own hair, with a second wide, flat piece pressed against the top, essentially sandwiching a piece of your own hair in between. (It looks like this.)

Bonded extensions typically last three to four months, says Noto. "When left in for more than four months, the regrowth starts to tangle and can cause breakage to your own hair. They must be professionally removed and replaced before it gets to that point. Tape extensions should be removed and retaped every two months, but are quicker to apply and remove [than keratin], which makes the cost lower." Another bonus: "Tape extensions can be reused up to three times before a new set is required."

Removal

The short story: You can't do it yourself. Head to the salon! Keratin bonds are dissolved with a solution of either acetone, alcohol, baby oil, or a mixture of two or more. The stylist uses a wrench-like tool to apply some pressure after soaking the bond (if you're concerned about your hair's safety, you might not like this part!), and then the loosened bond is carefully slid off of your own hair. With proper application and timely removal, you shouldn't lose more than a few strands of your own hair throughout the process. Technically, there is no way around shedding some hair in the process, but the more experienced the stylist and the better the application and product, the more this risk can be minimized.

Now that I'm extensions-free, I'm definitely missing my longer, fuller hair. What I'm not missing? Slowly sliding out a loose extension every time I blow-dry or brush my hair. That was traumatic! Would I get extensions again? Definitely. But I wouldn't go to just any salon or try just any brand, which was the mistake I made. Next time, I'm heading to a very well known salon like Warren-Tricomi for a half head of keratin extensions with their expert staff. Or, I'm trying tape-ins, which sound like a cool solution that might involve a little less risk of damage. In the meantime, I cut a few inches off of my ends to minimize the thinned-out look (it's nothing extreme, but noticeable to me), and I'm taking Olly Undeniable Beauty gummy vitamins for hair, skin, and nails , as well as experimenting with Women's Rogaine foam.