How Hair Extensions Could Be Making Your Hair Loss Worse

The use of hair extensions has become commonplace. A popular option for fashioning a dramatic makeover in a hurry, we’ve become used to seeing them on celebrities at red carpet events and on social media. They’ve also been touted as a solution for masking thinning hair, patchiness, or bald spots for those experiencing hair loss. However, recently there has been a growing awareness that frequent use of hair extensions can result in damage to the scalp, the hair, and can even lead to permanent hair loss.  

How Hair Extensions Cause Hair Loss

Made of either natural or synthetic fibers, hair extensions can be applied to the head in different methods, which vary in the degree of damage they can cause to the follicle. Temporary, clip-in extensions attach similarly to a barrette and are the safest option, causing minimal stress to the hair shaft. Semi-permanent extensions occasionally referred to as fusion extensions, require an adhesive and are glued to the hair close to the roots. These extensions typically last four to eight weeks. The most permanent of hair extension options is the sew-in weave, which requires the hair to be woven into tight braids so the extensions can be sewn with thread into the braid. These extensions will last for a long time, but they also put the most stress on the scalp, the roots of the hair, and the hair itself. 

Hair extensions have come under increasing scrutiny lately for causing hair loss, with some trichologists (medical experts whose focus is hair) calling for a ban. While the occasional wearing of hair weaves and extensions should have minimal negative effects, people who resort to hair extensions regularly are prone to losing large patches of hair and experiencing thinning and damage that makes the strands break more easily. This is due to several factors and depends on the type of extensions used and the method of application. In some cases, the adhesives used to bond the extensions to the hair are liable to break the strands on removal. The added weight of hair extensions of any type can pull and stress the follicles. Most problematic is the sew-in method, which places tension on the follicles and scalp, causing the hair to fall out. This form of hair loss is called Traction Alopecia and can cause permanent damage to hair follicles and prevent hair regrowth.

How Hair Restoration Treatments Can Help 

Many people consider using hair extensions to cover up thinning hair without knowing that extensions can damage the hair further. With as many as 30 million women in the US alone report experiencing some sort of hair loss and the pressure to have red-carpet-worthy hair daily, it’s no surprise that hair extensions have become so popular. However, there’s a better solution available, one that improves the health of the scalp, and restores the look of a full head of hair, permanently. 

If you have concerns about what’s involved in a surgical hair restoration procedure, don’t worry. Hair restoration treatment technology is highly advanced and designed to deliver natural results with minimal discomfort and almost no downtime. Here’s what to expect:

The treatment is safe: hair restoration procedures are performed by highly qualified physicians in a clinical setting with advanced medical equipment.

A natural look: AI technology selects the best placement for transplanted follicles to ensure a natural result, and the procedure leaves no linear scarring.

Minimal downtime: since the procedure is minimally invasive, the recovery time is quick, with most people returning to their normal activities in two weeks.

Satisfactory results: a 94% patient satisfaction rating says it all, but you can see the outstanding results for yourself at our before-and-after photo gallery.

In preparation for a hair restoration procedure, you and your provider will discuss your concerns and devise a plan to restore your hair to its full, healthy appearance. The procedure uses Follicular Unit Extraction, a safe and minimally invasive method for transplanting the hair follicles one at a time in the areas where more hair growth is desired. This allows for a more natural-looking result, without the linear scarring that previous methods might have entailed. The newly implanted hair follicles continue the hair growth cycle and can be cut and styled just like the rest of your hair. After a few months, the transplanted hair is indistinguishable from the surrounding hair, giving you back that full, healthy head of hair you’ve been missing. 

To speak to one of our hair experts and begin your hair restoration journey today, use the search field below to find a clinic near you.