Joseph Mourad, a hair stylist attributes the growing popularity of the latest fad to fashion icons.
He states, “It's because of the celebrities. They change their hair so often. One minute it's short, then it's long, and people can get the same look in an instant. Plus, they're much better these days.”
According to experts, hair loss from hair extension is relatively common. If the extensions are worn continually and the tension on the hair not alleviated, it can cause permanent hair loss, leaving an individual with balding patches they will be forced to deal with for their rest of their lives.
Gravity of the problem
Hair extension involves taking small amounts (maybe 20-50 strands) of extension hair and applying to small sections of the natural hair by either weaving in, heat fusing, gluing or using waxes and polymers.
All of the methods involve coating the hair with a chemical or a foreign substance.
Extensions attached close to the scalp or few strands of hair can strain follicles forcing them to swell, become inflamed and fragile, leading hair to fall out - a condition known as traction alopecia.
Giving some insight into the gravity of the problem, the director of the International Association of Trichologists, David Salinger, said traction alopecia is irreversible and does not respond to medical treatment.
The hair fall in the beginning may not be so noticeable because the extensions disguise it. Gradually, the reduced thickness of hair will be evident but by then the damage to the hair follicle may have become permanent.
Greed aggravating the problem
According to experts, the problem is aggravated by a growing number of salons offering to do hair extensions at a cheap price.
Additionally, there are cases of some hairdressers performing the procedure when they are not qualified to put them in properly.
The greed to make an extra buck has some hairstylists recommending extensions to thin haired and curly haired clients when they are not suitable candidates for the technique.
Dr Jennifer Martinick, a hair specialist declared, ''So many hair salons are falling over each other to make an extra dollar. You go to the hair expo and there's every Tom, Dick and Harry doing hair extensions. They think it looks easy and they can get big money.
“The selection process is below par and hairdressers are not giving good maintenance advice.''
The best measure in the end would be to hold on to what you've got and start being kinder to your hair.
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