Thursday, March 20, 2014

When hair extensions become dangerous

Met three friends this week who complained about losing their hairlines to hair extensions. Then my friend Laura sent me a link on Facebook about actress Countess Vaughn 's lace front wig  horror story and eventual infection.
Okay ladies here's the deal: There is nothing evil or dangerous about lace front wigs or hair extensions for that matter.  Rather it's the application of the hair that leads to danger . Like everything else there is a right way to apply it and a wrong way.
Applying a hair weave with glue gives a flat, believable look that is void of the bumps and lumps caused by poorly done sew-ins. And I know some of you love gluing your lace fronts for a realistic growing-out-of your-scalp look.
If you swear by hair glue  I am sorry to burst your bubble but the glue is the poison! Some are made of latex so that if you are allergic to latex, you're asking for trouble!
Even if you are latex tolerant,  glue blocks your pores; and if you don't know how to remove it from your hair, you can end up pulling out clumps of your hair along with the glue. Lace wig wearers often have to coat their area with glue to ensure a firmer bond.
Constant use of the glue , according to my research , can  lead to dermatitis and even anaphylactic shock - an extreme and several allergic reaction,   symptoms of which include hives, flushing of the skin, asthma, alterations in heart rate.
 If you're going to use a lace front wig try it without the glue and glue tabs and instead attach wig clips on either side of the ear for a secure fit. If you're doing a weave,  try a sew-in by a professional hair stylist  since he or she will be basically sewing  the wefts of extensions  on cornrows. And by all means give your hair a break sometimes and buy the right products to maintain healthy hair. It makes no sense to take care of store-bought hair and neglect your own.
Look, I love hair extensions as much as you  all do; but there will come a time when we all would want to wear our own hair. What would your hair look like then?
Model Naomi Campbell's hairline prior to wearing lace front wigs

Naomi Campbell's hairline following constant lace front glue use.

Countess Vaughn

If you're trying a weave, do a sew in instead.