Types of Hair Extensions, and Which Ones Handle Miami Life
Salon hair extensions come in four main types: tape-ins, keratin bonds such as K-tips, sewn-in wefts and microbeads. They differ in how they attach, how long the install takes and how often you come back. In Miami it also matters how each one copes with pool water and salt.
Tape-ins are the fastest to fit and need the most frequent visits. Keratin bonds take hours to put in and, along with microbeads, go the longest between visits. Sew-ins and microbeads attach mechanically, a good fit if you’d rather keep adhesive away from your scalp. Whatever the method, weight and tension decide how your own hair copes.
Tape-ins are quick to fit and quick to move
Tape-ins are thin panels of hair with adhesive tape along the top. Your stylist sandwiches a slice of natural hair between two panels and presses them together, sometimes with a heated tool to set the adhesive. A full head goes in within 40 minutes to an hour.
The trade-off is upkeep. Hair grows, the tape moves down with it, and every 4-8 weeks the panels come off and go back on higher with fresh tape. Tape-ins lie flat against the head. If your hair is fine and couldn’t hide a bulky bond, they’re worth asking about.
How do keratin bonds and K-tips work?
Keratin bonds attach strand by strand. Each small strand of extension hair ends in a tip of keratin adhesive, and the stylist melts it around a few natural hairs with a heat clamp. K-tips are the pre-tipped version. Hot fusion is the name for the same idea when the keratin goes on at the appointment.
Fitting every bond separately takes 3-4 hours for a full head. You get a lot back for those hours: the bonds move with the hair, sit close to the scalp and last up to 4 months. They need repositioning every 2-3 months as the hair grows.
Heat is the one thing keratin doesn’t like once it’s set. A flat iron held on the bonds softens them, so keep it on the lengths.
Wefts and microbeads skip the heat at the root
A weft is a long curtain of hair stitched along one edge. In a sew-in, the stylist braids natural hair into tight rows and sews the weft onto them with a needle and thread. No glue or heat touches the hair. Depending on how much hair goes in, it takes 2-5 hours, with maintenance every 6-8 weeks.
Microbeads, also called micro-links, hold each strand in a tiny silicone-lined bead that’s clamped shut with a tool. There’s no heat and no glue at the scalp. They grow out on the same kind of schedule as keratin bonds.
Which type is easiest on your own hair?
The gentlest set is the one sized for what your hair can carry. Weight and tension are what harm your own hair: hair pulled hard for months can thin at the roots. That kind of hair loss is called traction alopecia, and it can be permanent.
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests wearing extensions or weaves for 2 or 3 months at most and then giving the hair a break. That’s shorter than the wear time of a keratin set, so plan a pause between sets if the roots start to feel thin. Come to the install with clean, conditioned hair, since product buildup gets in the way. Between visits, wash as often as your hair needs with a gentle, moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and use hot tools as little as you can. Your own hair stays in better shape for the next set.
Pool water, salt and extensions in Miami
Extension hair gets no oil from the scalp. Whatever the water takes out, nothing puts back. Chlorine strips moisture from the hair shaft, and salt water dries it too. Over a summer of swimming the lengths dry out and tangle, and repeated soaking wears on the bonds and tape.
For lap swimming, wear a swim cap over your extensions. For a day at the beach, a few habits help. Wet the hair with clean water before you swim, since soaked hair takes in less chlorine or salt. Braid the lengths so they don’t tangle around the bonds. Rinse with fresh, cool water right after, and don’t let pool or ocean water dry on the hair. Keep keratin bonds dry as long as possible, and don’t scrub at the roots while they’re wet.
At our beach salon the menu has tape-ins and wefts in 18, 24 and 28 inch lengths, and K-tips in 18 and 24 inch. Doral offers hot fusion. Mention how often you swim when you choose the method. Both salons are on our hair extensions page.
Hair extensions in Miami
See the serviceQuestions we get asked
Can tape-in extensions be reused?
Yes, as a rule. The tape gets replaced at every move-up, while good-quality hair on the panels can last 6 to 12 months with care. Ask at your move-up appointment whether the hair still has another round in it.
Are clip-ins an option for one event?
They are, and they're the one type you put in yourself. Clip-ins attach with small pressure clips, take 5 to 15 minutes and come out before you wash your hair.
How do I know my extensions are too tight?
Pain or a headache after the install means something is pulling too hard. Waiting for it to settle doesn't help. Tell your stylist right away, because steady tension on the same roots is how traction hair loss starts.
