Tape in Hair Extensions Pros and Cons
Hair extensions have become widely popular over the years. They offer the versatility of switching up styles, adding highlights without chemically damaging your hair, adding length and volume, among others.
For a long time, having thicker and longer hair was a luxury only few could afford. Every other person had to grow their natural hair out if they wanted glamorous tresses.
With more options available now, anyone can get those glamorous and luscious looks they lust over in magazines.
There are different methods of applying hair extensions to hair. They include, tape-in hair extensions, sew-ins, clip-ins, individual bonding, to name a few. Each method has its own unique features.
With all these options, making a choice can be quite overwhelming, but for the sake of this article we would be covering Tape-in extensions.
How Tape in Extensions Works?
As you have probably guessed, tape-in extensions are extensions applied with a tape. The tape is a double sided adhesive which is first applied to a track of weave and stuck to the desired parts of your head. It has a semblance to clip-in extensions.
While clip-ins might tug at your hair and weigh it down, tape extensions are light weight and grow out with your hair.
Tape extensions are becoming one of the most sought-after extensions in salons and it’s not difficult to see why.
The application is not as time-consuming as other methods, neither is the take-down. It typically takes less than an hour to apply the inch-wide tracks to your hair. Taking them off is as easy as peeling away.
A solution is usually applied to the adhesive to weaken it and make it easy to detach.
However, be cautious of the solution used by the stylist as some might contain alcohol or acetone which could lead to dry hair.
Issues that need your attention
It might feel uncomfortable having the extensions in at first, but you would get used to it as the days go by. Tape-ins are not usually heavy so you would get the hang of it pretty fast. Most people who wear tape-in extensions swear they often forget they have it in.
It does not require any high maintenance other than your regular hair maintenance.
However, there’s a catch as you can only enjoy this with human hair extensions. This technically means that your hair is of the highest quality.
Cheaper grades of hair would tangle, shed and not last as long as human hair versions. With human hair, your tape-in extension could last between 10-12 weeks. This is longer than the average glued-in extensions.
Pros of Using Tape in Extensions
Nonetheless, most extensions come in human hair, making it flexible. That is, they can be flat ironed, curled and even dyed to suit your preferences. The tapes, which are invisible, add to its flexibility. This means you can do various hair styles without anyone guessing it’s not all your hair. Some parts might be impossible to achieve as tapes are applied in a line. Nonetheless, ear-to-ear part scan be done creatively.
Although there are tales of tape-ins being damaging, they are safe for your hair when you get them done and cared for the right way. This is why we recommend getting it professionally done. Cost of Tape-in extensions varies on the first application. Although they can be quite pricey, it is worth every penny.
Also, reapplications are cheaper and the extensions are reusable, meaning you can clean the tracks and re-add the tape.