Are Hair Extensions Damaging? Separating Fact from Fiction

Here are the extension myths that come up most, and what's actually true. Some are half true. A few are just wrong.

"Extensions make your hair fall out."

Extensions don't make hair fall out. Tension does. A beaded row with beads clamped too tight or too close to the scalp, too little hair in each bead, or baby hairs caught in the beads will pull on the hair every day. A good foundation spreads the weight across the whole row. I go through the four foundation mistakes in this video.

"You can't have extensions if your hair is fine."

You can, the plan just changes. On fine hair I place one row of hand tied wefts low, near the occipital bone, in a horseshoe shaped section, so the wefts don't show. The row is angled a little higher in front so she still feels full around her face. Here's the placement video. K-tips are another option where a row would show.

"More hair always looks better."

Not on every head. Hand tied wefts go in 1 to 3 rows with 2 to 5 wefts stacked on each row, and plenty of clients look best at the low end of that. Too much hair on a fine base reads heavy and is harder to hide.

"You can cut any weft to fit."

Only some. A hand tied weft can't be cut anywhere along the base, so it's stacked whole. A hybrid (genius) weft can be cut to the length each row needs. That's the biggest difference between the two, and I explain it in 30 seconds here.

"Just match the root."

The root matters least. The extensions sit alongside her mid lengths and ends, so that's what has to blend. Rooted shades like Bora Bora or Saint Tropez take care of the top for you.

"Extensions only last a few months."

The install needs moving up as her hair grows, but the hair itself lasts much longer. Ours lasts 9 months to well over a year with proper care.

"Any shampoo is fine."

This one shortens the life of more extensions than anything. Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate, skip Olaplex on extensions, and don't overdo purple shampoo. Keep heat off the band, and if you're wearing Hybrid Deluxe, blow it out smooth after washing or it mats.

"Extensions are just for length."

I've had hereditary hair loss since 2018. For me, extensions are about fullness and confidence much more than length.

Kenzie Moon is a licensed stylist and the owner of Wefts + Waves in Grantsville, Utah. She has lived with hereditary hair loss since 2018 and has been making hair for her own salon clients since 2021.

Keep reading: our K-tip guide and our tape in guide.