Removing your hair extensions… yourself. The unthinkable as happened for all extension wearers. They can’t go in for their scheduled maintenance appointments. These are uncertain times and the future of how salons conduct business with new social distancing guidelines are unknown.
Now more than ever, your at home extension care is essential. Here are some key points in caring for your extensions past your maintenance appointment timeframe:
- DO NOT brush your hair when it is wet. Hair is at its weakest when it is wet. The added water weight, in addition to the cuticle being open when the hair is wet, will add unnecessary tension while brushing.
- Minimal tension is best for overgrown extensions. Air dry your hair as much as you can before using a blowdryer on low heat.
- Use a boar bristle or wet brush to brush your hair. Start from the ends and work your way up to the scalp. Personally I prefer a wet brush that’s a mix of boar and nylon bristles. This is an excellent tool to help with the natural shed that happens at the point of attachment for extensions.
- Seperate your extensions so the bonds or tabs don’t intertwine or twist. Separating the extensions, injunction with diligent brushing will keep the natural shed that is inside the point of attachment of your extensions from interlocking, matting or causing dreads.
- Minimal styling is best. A low side braid, or braided pigtails keep all the hair exactly where it needs to be. Avoid high ponytails as they may cause too much tension.
- When the time comes to wash your hair, think of DRY CLEAN ONLY. Gentle washing with the pads of your fingers ( not nails), or your knuckles. Wash gently, using the “z” formation. This keeps your nails from snagging on your hair.
Extension Removal Resources
Now let us fast forward to the inevitable question… “What if I have to remove my own extensions?” Fear not, I found 2 awesome articles to aid you at this time.
The first one is:
How to Remove Hair Extensions at Home
This article features the Bellami Head of Education and showcases her Instagram videos on removing tape-in and weft extensions. I’m including the direct links to her instagram videos to remove Tapins, Itips and Wefts.
Tape-Ins:
Removing Itips:
Removing Wefts:
This article from Allure Magazine, covers the removal of tape ins, individual bonds, aka fusion or ktips, & sewins:
https://www.allure.com/story/how-to-remove-hair-extensions
If you have any questions, you can always click the button below send me to send me a DM! For more information on the types of hair extensions, check out my Methods of Extension page.
Hope everyone is staying safe!
-Love Rachel