Extensions have come a long way, and women are no longer required to glue or sew in mismatched hair wefts and restrict their neck movements throughout the day, as to not dislodge any additional hair. The extensions of today are 100% human remy hair, meaning the hair is all facing the same direction and bonded together. The main methods of application are hot fusion, cold fusion, tape-in and clip-in. Hot fusion extensions are bonded with a heat sensitive keratin, allowing the extension to firmly adhere to your natural hair. These tiny, “rice” bonds are layered around your head, adding length and thickness. Cold fusion uses small metal rings which are then clamped around your hair and secured in place. Other than the actual bonding method, they are applied the same way as the hot fusions; very small sections of your own hair are added to the extension and clamped together to give length.
Both methods provide you with the ability to care and style for your hair as usual- washing, drying, products, brushing, etc. If cared for properly, mainly brushing daily, these extensions last 3-5 months, and are virtually undetectable. The most important factor with fusion hair extensions, besides an experienced stylist, is choosing the correct hair. Your stylist can best recommend the color and textures that match your hair, as well as high quality extension lines.
Buying hair from discounted websites may result in matting and shedding, and who wants to throw money away? Make sure in your consultation you ask about hair quality, as this can make or break your new look, regardless of how well the hair is applied. The application process is tedious, so bring a book or choose a chatty stylist who can make the time pass quickly, usually 3-5 hours for a full head. Once in, your stylist will most likely cut and blend the extensions with your hair to reveal your new look! Tape-in extensions are much quicker to apply, usually only an hour, and last up to 6 weeks. After the 6 weeks, the hair can be re-used and reapplied for an additional 6 weeks. The hair can be re-used 3 times. Architeqt uses the Hot-heads brand for tape in extensions. Hotheads also offer hair thinning solutions. Lastly, clip-in extensions are great for a night out. An Architeqt stylist can custom make the extension to fit your head shape and teach you how to apply them yourself when they are not around.