How Not to Make a Mistake Using Tape in Hair Extensions.
Your days of short, thin and dull hair have finally come to an end thanks to tape in hair extensions. This type of extensions can change your life in minutes, however, if not properly applied, this process can go really wrong and turn into a nightmare. Below are some common application mistakes that you should avoid in order to have a perfect experience without damage to your hair and without any discomfort.
INCORRECT CLEANING
There is nothing more embarrassing than being in public, running your hands through your hair and feeling one of the hair pieces falling into your hands. It should not, but it can happen, and one of the main reasons is not doing proper cleaning of the scalp and the base of the tape extension during maintenance. The double adhesive tape is water proof, but it is not oil proof. Therefore, use a good anti-residue shampoo and pay special attention to the tape base if you use oil-based remover. Wash thoroughly and remove any oily residue before applying the new tape. To avoid this problem, we recommend the use of non-oil based removers.
TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE HAIR
How much hair should I put between the tapes to make the sandwich? Too much hair will prevent the opposing adhesives from contacting each other and not providing adequate adhesion. Now, if you put a few strands between them, this can, with day-to-day brushing, make the sandwich rip out of your head with your hair, root and everything else! This is because the few strands will not have enough force to hold the weight of the tapes being brushed. So, what is the ideal portion? The ideal is a thin line of hair that is still transparent, but is strong enough to hold the weight of the pair of tapes.
BAD PLACEMENT
Tape in hair extensions, if properly placed, do not cause any pain. However, if you feel pain, it is because it was applied too close to the root, which causes traction. Over time even a minor irritation can become unbearable. Then, if you feel any discomfort at the time of the application, notify the professional to redo it. Another important point is to get the baby hair out of the way with the help of a metal-tipped comb and a hair pin. Baby hair bother at the time of placement and can cause a certain discomfort later.
IMPROPER POSITIONING
Regarding the placement of the tapes, it is important to note that enough hair – about 2 fingers – should be left on the sides of the head and neck, so you can tie the hair smoothly without letting the tapes appear. Another crucial place that needs a lot of attention is the top of the head, especially if there is some swirl, because if you put the tape too close to it, you risk the tape being very apparent.
IMPROPER ADHESIVE TAPE
There are several types of adhesive on the market, from the ones that only withstand the first wash (usually the made in China ones) to those that stick together in such a way that not even the strongest remover can remove them and you end up ripping your hair at the root in the desperation to remove them (usually those made in Germany). Run away from these two types. The ideal is to choose the ones that last from 2 to 3 months, which are usually those that are manufactured with American technology.
Other mistakes often made regarding the adhesive are:
Applying Iron to the Tape
In the old days, when there were still no good adhesive tapes for extensions, it was necessary to leave the hot iron on the base for a few seconds. However, the same heat that made the glue last longer also melted it and it ended up dripping through the hair, leaving the strands sticky. Today, the good adhesive tapes do not need heat, or at most, require application for less than a second, just to give a “fright” and activate the adhesive.
Touching the Adhesive
Every time you put your fingerprints in the glue of the adhesive you risk decreasing the length of the adhesive due to the oil, sweat and other dirt that can be on the fingers, so avoid it!
NOT VISITING A CERTIFIED STYLIST
It is absolutely crucial to make sure that the professional who installs your tape extensions knows what he/she is doing. Why is that so important? The method is easy but requires experience. If your hairdresser has not been trained properly in this method, your perfect hair dream can turn into a nightmare very quickly. Above are just a few of the mistakes that can be made but there are still many others that can make your experience very painful and damage your natural hair, so always ask for directions!