As a scalp health expert, hair products maven Philip B isn’t a big fan of hair extensions which are hugely popular in his Hollywood home town.
“Done incorrectly,” he warns, “hair extensions can cause more hair loss. This is bitter indeed for those who are using them to correct thinning hair. Essentially, you’re paying for the instant gratification of longer, thicker hair now with broken, sparser hair later.”
He continues, “No matter which kind extensions you use – clip-in, tape-in, fusion (aka bonded) or sewn-in – all are stressful on the scalp because they create weight and pressure. Plus, the scalp doesn’t get the stimulation it needs to encourage hair growth. And while they’re in, you can’t do oil-based remedial scalp treatments because over time these will cause the extensions to slip out.”
Those that are sewn in are attached along a braid that has been cornrowed, while looking more natural, can cause traction alopecia if they’re done too tight. Philip notes that cornrows in and of themselves aren’t a problem when created in the hands of an experienced practitioner. You can still do healthy scalp oil treatments on those braids, no problem. It’s where the weft gets sewn on that creates the hair-pulling challenges.
Après extensions
Removing extensions should be done very carefully to avoid pulling out more hair. If you can afford it, have this done professionally, especially if yours have been sewn in. For DIY removal, extension bond dissolvers will help depending on the type attachment yours have. Either way, these are strong, volatile compounds that should be rinsed off the hair immediately.
“After the extensions come out,” says Philip, “your scalp is going to need a lot of TLC to remove any debris and get the blood circulation moving again. Once a week at least, give your scalp an oil treatment, warming it up section by section, and massage gently but thoroughly. Follow with a deep cleansing scalp scrub and finish with shampoo and conditioner as always. Even on days when you’re not washing and drying your hair, a few minutes of the scalp massage using the YA-MAN SPA STYLER Blow Dry + Scalp Massage is a lovely way to slow down and relieve stress.”
YA-MAN SPA STYLER® Hair Tools and Hair Products Collections are a series of heated hair styling tools and treatment products developed by YA-MAN LTD., an innovative Japanese beauty tech company renowned for its device sophistication and formula efficacy.
“Done incorrectly, hair extensions can cause more hair loss. This is bitter indeed for those who are using extensions to correct thinning hair. Essentially, you’re paying for the instant gratification of longer, thicker hair now with broken, sparser hair later.”
–– Philip B.
Founder, Philip B. Botanicals
w philipb.com
IG @philipb
