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Hair extensions come in two different styles. There is the strand and there is the weft. The strands are supposed to look the most natural, but they are much more time consuming and if you are having it done at a salon, they will be more expensive, too. Wefts are wider strips of hair and as such, are easier to attach. Hair extensions come in all the colors of natural hair, though some colors are more plentiful than others. The handmade type of weft is best.

Virgin hair is considered the best for hair extensions, though European hair is a close second. In the end, if it is price that matters, European hair is easier to find and so is less expensive. Virgin hair is hair that has not been processed and that which has not undergone any type of chemical application after being cut from the head of the seller.

To put in wefts, your hair dresser will lift up the top layer or “crown” of your hair and make corn-rows that traverse around your head, from one side to the other. When the top layer of your hair is pulled back down, you will not be able to see anything different.

How many cornrows there are depends on how many wefts you are going to use. The sizes of both the cornrows and the wefts should vary as does the natural way in which your hair grows. Depending on how long your hair is and how long you would like it to appear, the number of wefts and cornrows will differ. Wefts may also be used to “fill out” your hair rather than lengthen it.

Once the wefts have been sewn into the cornrows, your hair is placed over them. You can now brush your hair as though all of it is your natural crowning glory. Don’t think of your new extensions as fake as you need to care for them as you do your own natural hair.

Taking Care of Your New “Do”

Your new hair extensions must be taken care of as though they are your actual hair. Because they are (or should be) real hair, you must wash it and moisturize it. In fact, because they do not actually grow from your scalp, they do not have the benefit of being naturally oiled by your sebaceous glands and so they will need more conditioning than your normal hair. When you wash your hair, make sure to give extra attention to the corn-rowed areas to prevent the overgrowth of bacteria and possible problems with a skin infection.

Do not use hot blow dryers and curling irons on your wefts. Permanents, bleaches and colors are also big no-no’s. These damage hair and hair extensions will not renew. When you brush your hair, use a gentle brush and start from the ends, working your way up to the top to get out tangles. Pulling a comb through tangles will break your hair and it will not be long before your extensions are ruined if you do it that way. Wefts are not cheap. Be careful with your hair.

Hair extensions must be maintenanced every 6 to 8 weeks. This means the hairdresser needs to remove the wefts from your hair, take out the cornrows, inspect for damage, and then re-braid your hair and sew the wefts back in place.