Human Hair Extensions and Weaves: Why Indian Hair Is Superior to Other Types

By Elizabeth B Esiguri

When it comes to the hair department, people differ. In some cases, nature has not been generous enough to endow some with the natural style they yearn for. On the other hand, some women are cruel to their hair. In their quest to look gorgeous, a number of them have unwittingly and with all good intentions mistreated and damaged their hair and its cuticles. When the cuticle is intact, it tends to reflect the most light, giving off a healthy appearance. This explains why healthy hair seems to shine more.

Hair Care

Blow drying, straightening, perming, and coloring, are all "great" ways we use to cause damage to our hair and its cuticles. Things are somewhat different in India where women let their hair grow naturally long and mostly straight or curly. They hardly do anything to their hair because it is attached to particular cultural ethics in their society. The fact that it blends perfectly with various hair types is what makes it supreme in the hair extensions and weaves industry.

The Genetic Factor

The painful reality is that your DNA is something which is beyond your control. The length to which every person's hair can grow is genetically pre-determined, and it won't go beyond that organic limit. This is why the average person cannot grow their hair to their knees. The texture of the Indian women's hair is what enables it to grow extremely long. Due to their genetics, Indian women's hair grows faster than that of many women of European or African ancestry.

The Cultural Factor

In the Indian culture, short hair is regarded as "unfeminine" and female beauty is frequently measured based on hair length. Most men will not prefer a woman with short hair for a wife unless she shaved it as a religious donation and not for any other reason. This is why it is quite common for women to allow their hair to grow down to their knees (or even their ankles). In fact most of them do absolutely nothing to their hair throughout their lifetime.

The Religious Factor

There is a ceremony known as Tonsuring performed in some Indian temples where women joyfully offer to have their heads shaved. This is a way of showing one's dedication to the god Vishnu. The Sri Venkateswara Temple is among the temples named as the world's leading barber shops. This particular temple hires a record 600 plus barbers who shave more than 20,000 devotees' heads daily, in the name of Vishnu. The money raised from the sale of this hair is used to cater for the temple's expenses and charitable purposes.

There are cases where temples have been able to fund the construction of schools in their respective localities.

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Famous People and Hairstyles through the Years

By Rachael Taylor

Hairstyles date back hundreds of years and generally reflected what was happening socially at the time. Hairstyles have gone through many changes over the past several decades. The one consistency has been that the hairstyles that were worn by icons of popular culture symbolized what was thought to be the ideal. To find out more about the inspiration for particular hairstyles over the last century, read on.

In the early 1900's wealthy women set the standard of wearing hair jewels and hats with veils and lace. They dusted their hair with gold and silver powders for the nights. Antoine of Paris created a look of hair parted in middle and swept back in smooth bands over the ears. In 1907 the Marcel wave swept the United States and Europe. In 1910 American nurses in Europe cut their hair short to avoid a flea infestation and the women in America began to cut their hair short for fashion.

The Louise Brooks's bob became the popular hairstyle in the 1920's as women began to express their freedom. They also began shedding their corsets to enter the workforce and in 1931 Jean Harlow starred in the movie "Platinum Blonde." This hair color then swept the nation. Also in the 1930's, Shirley Temple's ringlet curls had women of all ages pinning their own hair into tight curls.

During WWII when feminine was ideal, women began copying Hollywood hairstyles. In the 1940's, Rita Hayworth began the hairstyle trend of side-parted finger waves the sexiest style of that time. Veronica Lake and her cascading blonde hair defined glamour.

The 1950's brought a trend of highlighting and Lucille Ball's flaming red hair was an example. Also Doris Day had a helmet like hairstyle that inspired her fans and Audrey Hepburn started the pixie cut.

During the 1960's people were letting their hair down and the rock group The Beatles, wore their hair long. This ended the gender norm in hairstyles. The Beatle look became a very popular hairstyle for men of all ages.

In the 1970's, the musical "Hair" came out during a time of sexual revolution. Angela Davis's afro became a symbol for black pride. One of the most copied hairstyles of the 1970's was the Farrah Fawcett feathered back hairdo.

The 1980's were an economic boom and women began the mall bang trend. Big hair and poodle perms were the big thing.

The 1990's found many women heading to the hair salons looking for the Jennifer Aniston hairstyle. Her hair at the time was an angled, layered, shag haircut. And the millennium brought Sarah Jessica Parker's flowing curly look back into style.

There have been many hairstyles over the last 100 years. They seem to cycle in and out with some variations.


Rachael Taylor
http://www.hairstylejunction.com/famoushairstyles/
For more information about hairstyles please visit our website
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Human Hair Extensions Create Beautiful Long Hair Styles Instantly

By Perriann Rodriguez

As you glance across virtually every print medium such as newspapers, magazines and catalogs, there seems to be one thing in common as far as hair cut styles is concerned. The long hair cut style is everywhere. So what are you supposed to do if you don't have long hair and you really want the long hair cut style? Well, let's see, human hair grows about ½" per
month, so if your hair is at ear level, that would be almost two years to wait for that 'hair cascading down your back' look. And of course by the time you grow your hair out, the short hair cut style will be in.
"Don't limit yourself to just adding length to your hair. Hair extensions offer a simple solution to fine hair and can add a little pizzazz to thick, curly or wavy hair in any color or style."

Rod Sickler
Owner
Images by Rod & Company
Rantoul, Illinois

In today's society, two-year waits are OUT and immediate results are IN. The beauty industry recognized the demand for instant long natural looking hair and thus today's hottest trend was born--Human Hair Extensions. Hair extensions are not only for lengthening your hair, according to Rod Sickler, owner of Images by Rod & Company and Sexy Hair Concepts Artistic Team Member.

"Any hair type can support hair extensions", says Sickler. Sickler makes hair extensions easy by creating cutting-edge hair styles for his clients. Some examples include sleek and straight hair, vivacious ringlets and striking color enhancements with the use of different highlighted and lowlighted hair extensions. He describes the hair extension process as very painstaking and challenging as it requires many hours and various techniques to complete. The rewards are many as he is able to re-invent hair, tweak techniques and fulfill his clients' needs.

One of Sicklers' hair extension clients, Holly Leach of Rantoul, Illinois, says she wanted to get hair extensions because she was ready for a change and wanted Sickler to re-invent her look by adding thickness and length to her thinning hair with European Hair Extensions. She was absolutely amazed at the results. "I came into the salon (Images by Rod & Company) looking one way, and came out looking totally different", says, Leach. Leach has had her hair extensions for about 5 months now, with absolutely no issues and no complaints. She maintains the hair extensions with non-soy based conditioning shampoo and moisturizers from Sexy Hair Concepts, and uses hair dryers and curling irons with no problems. Leach concludes,"Hair Extensions are worth the time and money, when you can get fabulous-looking long hair instantly".

"Hair extensions are a huge self-esteem booster because they give women the opportunity to get the long hair style look without the wait"

Guinevere Werr

Manager, The Spa East Bank Club, Chicago, Ill
Some women are concerned or have heard that hair extensions can cause damage to their natural hair, or even loss of hair. Guinevere Werr, Manager of The Spa at the East Bank Club in Chicago, Ill, says the fusion application method Sickler uses from So.Cap., an Italian company, does not create any damage to the natural hair since it is applied ¼" from the scalp and not directly on the scalp. Werr assisted Sickler with applying brown hair extensions with some highlight extensions to her sisters' hair. She adds that Sicklers hair extension clients have lost almost no hair extensions and have had very little maintenance issues.
So where do you start if you are thinking of getting hair extensions? You must research the different types of hair used for hair extensions, the different types of attachment methods, the hair stylists' education and training, any maintenance schedules and of course the cost.

There are a lot of different types of hair that are used for hair extensions. There is human hair and synthetic hair. Synthetic hair is used to add the high fashion colors, such as pinks and blues. Generally speaking, if you are going for the natural, it grew out of my head, look you should go with human hair. Human hair comes in many different textures and grades. The human hair must be strong and healthy to produce extensions that will last and wear without tangling or drying. European human hair is well- known as quality human hair used for extensions.

There are three basic techniques to attach the hair. They are fusion or strand by strand, weaving and bonding. There are many variations to these techniques and they are sometimes called by different names.
Fusion/strand by strand: This process is done strand by strand in small sections using heated adhesive sticks or glue specifically made for hair extensions. Extension hair is added directly to your own hair. Sickler uses the fusion method from the Italian company So.Cap. Hair is attached about ¼ "from your scalp and looks totally natural. Sickler comments, "No one can visually see that you have hair extensions. It's up to you if you want everyone to know".
Weaving is a process where a corn row or track is created around the head and close to the scalp. Extension hair is sewn on the tracks. Your own hair lies over the tracks for a natural look. Bonding is a process where bonding glue is applied onto the weft of the extension hair and then applied at the root of your hair. A weft is horizontal hair strands attached together at the top of vertically flowing hair strands. Wefts can be machine-made or handmade.

There are some disadvantages to each of these methods. Sometimes if the hair extension application method is not done properly, the hair extensions will simply fall out, or cause damage to your natural hair. Also, with additional pressure to your scalp from the weight of the heavy extensions, there could be some thinning of your natural hair and/or headaches as you adapt to the new weight. There have been some reports of allergies to the chemicals that are used. You should discuss the disadvantages of hair extensions thoroughly with your hair stylist so that there are no surprises.

The hair extension training and education your hair stylist has received is very important to the success of their work. Sickler received his hair extension training from renowned expert, Joseph Accola, and he keeps up-do-date on techniques by attending beauty shows across Europe where hair extensions are more popular than in the U.S. "Hair extension education and training are paramount to successful hair extensions for any hair stylist", says Sickler. If you are looking for a hair stylist to do hair extensions and they don't have the proper training, you could be very disappointed with the results.

After you have your hair extensions in place, you will need to schedule regular maintenance visits to check your extensions. How often you need to go back will depend on the type of hair and the method of attachment that was used. As your hair grows out, some of the hair extensions will need to be removed and replaced or touched up.

On a day-to-day basis you should treat your human hair extensions as you would long hair. Brush, shampoo, condition and moisturize on a regular basis. Some hair stylists will recommend specific high-quality hair care products to use with your extensions. You can also use hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons on most types of human hair extensions. Color treatments can be done on the hair extensions, but you should consult with your hair stylist before considering this. Monthly color touch-ups to your roots will not be a problem, as the hair extensions will not be touched.

Although it doesn't hurt physically to get hair extensions, it may hurt you financially. There really is no way around this factor. To get good hair extensions on your whole head, you will need quality human hair, an experienced hair stylist, at least one assistant and about 6-8 hours of time. The ticket price can vary from $150-$2000 depending on what you are having done. Adding a few highlights or lowlight hair extensions can be quite less as the time and amount of hair needed is less.

In short, here are ten tips to follow after you have decided you want to get hair extensions and have selected a beauty salon. To find beauty salons that do hair extensions, you can look in the yellow pages or search online. The beauty salon directory at http://www.hairresources.com will allow you to search for 'hair extensions in your City, State.

1.After selecting a salon, schedule an initial consultation to discuss what you would like to have done and any concerns that you have.
2. Ask about what hair extension experience your hair stylist has and where they received their training.
3. Make sure the hair stylist listens and understands your needs and concerns. Does he/she communicate well with you?
4. The hair stylist should ask you about your lifestyle, health, hobbies and your normal hair routine
5. An analysis of your scalp and hair should be done at the initial consultation to make sure your hair is in a condition for successful hair extensions.
6. Ask to see before and after photos of hair extension clients
7. Ask for references and be sure to call them
8. Ask how often the average client needs to replace the hair. This is very important for anticipating future costs
9. Get a written estimate for your hair extensions with an itemized list of the services required to achieve your new look
10.Get a written maintenance plan. Plan should include recommendations for products, grooming tools, follow-up appointments and any special instructions.

Hair extensions have many advantages and several disadvantages that should be addressed, but if you want to create an instant long hair style, human hair extensions are the way to go
Perriann Rodriguez is the founder of http://www.hairresources.com and http://www.hairresources.net She is listed in the 2004 Who's Who of Business and Marketing Professionals and U.S. Registry of American Writers. She is the author of the Ebook: 2005's Most Popular Hair Extensions, available at http://www.hairresources.net, and over 100 feature articles.
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