Are extensions real hair?
A. They are 100 percent human hair.
Q. Can you wash them?
A. Yes, you certainly can. They can be treated just as you treat your own hair.
Q. Because I color my hair, I wouldn’t be a candidate for extensions, would I?
A. Wrong. When you touch up your color, you just touch up your root area and not the extensions.
Q. What if I want to change my hair color?
A. Very easy to do. In a consultation, we can discuss and compare your interests and I can assist in guiding you toward your best outcome.
Q. I’ve always wanted long hair, and just could never ever get it to grow and retain its healthy appearance. My hair just looks damaged, wispy, and disconnected.
A. Extensions can be added for various reasons, including, obviously, length. But some people get extensions for body or color enhancement, or to help in growing out a style, for instance.
Q. How long do they last?
A. They are attached close to your roots. You hair continues to grow; all the while, the bond stays where it was originally placed. The extensions “grow” out with your hair, and in approximately in six months, depending on how fast your hair grows, you would then have a “fill.”
Q. Working out is my life. Do I have to stop?
A. Not at all. Once the extensions are in, you can live your life normally. It is your own hair now. You can shampoo, brush, comb, curl, blow-dry, flat-iron your extensions. You can swim, sweat, and the like. It is a seamless transition.
Q. What’s the first step in getting started?
A. There’s a consultation to determine the need and desire for density, length, body, style, and color. First we analyze your facial features and discuss lifestyle and styling options. Then we’ll analyze your hair growth pattern to find the best placement. Finally you’ll learn about the process, including a discussion of protein keratin bonding, the natural base for all human hair. With keratin, there is no use of glue or resin.
Q. How long should an appointment be?
A. Immediately before starting the extensions you hair needs to be detoxed – that is washed 20 times with a special shampoo. You can do it at home or at the salon, but factor that into your scheduling. Once we begin the process, plan on a bit more than an hour per bundle. A bundle consists of 50 bonds. In each bond there are about 50-70 strands of hair. Typically, on the average, a full head requires two to three bundles. Again, consultation would determine the need, shape, style and length.
Q. I am older, and in a very high-profile corporate position. What would people think or say?
A. It truly is amazing, I get this question all the time. Again, the extensions are completely flawless looking. They look and feel very natural. No one can discover you have them unless you divulge. People see flawless, healthy, full, and sometimes longer hair. It’s like your giving yourself what God didn’t.
Mansfield Beauty Academy graduate Susan Grieco, licensed since 1986, has worked throughout Boston, Dallas, San Francisco, Austin and Andover.
Indra Salon
7 Elm Street, Andover, MA 01810