As you seek solutions to hair loss, you may be wondering just what goes into making hair replacements. Not the materials, which may be either natural or synthetic – but the process behind them. Here are three basic things to remember about how they’re crafted.
It’s all in the cuticles…
A strand of hair is made up of three main layers: the cortex, medulla, and cuticle. The outermost one, the cuticle, is responsible for giving hair either its shiny or dull appearance. It protects the inner layers that give a strand bulk and strength.
And their careful collection
A cuticle in itself is made up of many layers of cells. Think of a roof or a suit of armor with overlapping tiles and scales – that’s what a cuticle looks like. To craft hair extensions, one must collect strands which have cuticle layers that are all still aligned in the same direction. Alignment matters to reduce tangling and roughness.
Processing is key
Once healthy strands are collected, these are bonded to the hair on your head through three methods: fusion, through heat; taping; and weaving. Typically, in this last method, your natural hair is braided horizontally along your head, and the “new” strands are woven in vertically.
Extension and hair replacement providers proceed with these methods differently. Now knowing what you know, reading reviews about the products of Lucinda Ellery and other companies can help you pick the one that’s best for you.
Source:
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hair Extensions. Allure, December 19, 2013.
Human Hair Extensions. Hair Extension Guide, n.d.