Medical Facts About Hair Extensions

Hair extensions can give you an immediate new look that is great with longer hair. However, you need to make sure that you are not trading a new look for longer term problems with permanent baldness.

The technique used to attach the hair extensions is critical to the risk of injury and harm to the scalp.

Clip on hair is the least likely to injure the scalp.

Glue/Bonded hair can be a problem when used on an individual who is prone to seborrheic dermatitis with itching, flaking and irritation of the scalp. A certain percentage of the population is sensitive to bonding glue and it causes a chemical injury to the scalp that can lead to hair loss and scarring.

Weaved hair can lead to injury of the scalp if there is pulling or tension on the hair which can cause inflammation of the hair follicle. If you have this tension on your scalp for an extended period of time, the hair growth can become thinner and result in scarring or traction alopecia

Braided hair if applied as individual strands braided onto your hair should cause minimal harm to the scalp. If the hair is braided close to the scalp and the extensions sewn in then it is important for you to make sure that the braided hair on the scalp is not associated with itching, soreness or irritation. This can be an early sign that you are getting traction injury which can lead to permanent hair loss.

Lace Wigs require shaving the front of the hairline to blend in without being noticeable. This can be ok as long as your skin is not sensitive and you do not get irritation or bumps from shaving the hair.