The numbers at a glance

Your hair	Strand thickness for bondings	Amount as a guideline, up to 60 cm
fine	0.3 to 0.6 g	100 to 125 g
normal density	0.8 to 1.0 g	100 to 150 g
thick or strong	1.2 to 1.4 g	150 to 200 g

Method	Recommended interval for resetting
Bondings	8 to 12 weeks
Tape Extensions	4 to 8 weeks
Wefts	6 to 8 weeks
Clip-ins	not applicable, removed in the evening

Breaks and checks: The American Academy of Dermatology recommends wearing extensions for no more than two to three months at a time and then taking a break. When resetting, have your hairline checked as well. Persistent pain or itching that does not stop after two weeks is not normal: have the fit checked. If your hairline recedes at the temples, have the extensions removed immediately and get it medically evaluated.

We sell extensions, and yet this page does not claim that everything is no big deal. That would be dishonest and would not help you. Extensions are weight that hangs from your natural hair, and weight can pull. Whether it becomes a problem is decided long before the appointment: by the amount, the strand thickness, the rhythm and who does the work. This page tells you what to watch out for, how to recognise when something is wrong, and when extensions are the wrong answer to your problem.

What actually causes damage

Almost all of the damage described in personal reports goes back to the same four causes. None of them is the method itself.

There is a technical term for the damage caused by sustained tension: traction alopecia. It is not caused by extensions alone, but by any sustained pulling on the hairline, including very tight ponytails worn daily. It announces itself, and that is exactly why the section “What is normal and what is not” below is worth reading.

What experts say

Experts see it the same way. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends, for extensions and weaves: have them applied by professionals, loosen them if there is pain or headache, because the fit is then too tight, and wear extensions for no more than two to three months at a time, then take a break. A review by Johns Hopkins University of 19 studies counts extensions among the hairstyles with the highest risk of tension-related hair loss, especially on chemically straightened hair and when adhesive sits directly on the scalp. The focus of this work is on hair care for African American hair.

What this means for you: when resetting, every connection is anyway loosened and reapplied, with tapes every 4 to 8 weeks, with wefts every 6 to 8, with bondings every 8 to 12 weeks. Beyond that, experts recommend giving your natural hair a break without extensions after a few months. Discuss this with your stylist.

Sources: American Academy of Dermatology: How to prevent hair damage from a weave or extensions · Haskin A., Aguh C., Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2016;75(3):606–611, doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2016.02.1162

What is normal and what is not

Observation	Assessment
A feeling of tightness for the first two to three days	Normal. The scalp gets used to the weight.
One to two strands are lost in the first few days	Normal. No reason for a complaint.
A tuft of hair stays in your hand when removing	Normal. These are the 50 to 100 hairs per day from the entire wearing period that got caught in the connection instead of falling out.
Persistent pain, especially at night	⚠️ Not normal. Too much tension or placed too close to the scalp.
Itching that does not stop after two weeks	⚠️ Not normal. Usually residue or a fit that is too tight, less often an intolerance.
Broken hairs of equal length at the attachment point	⚠️ Not normal. This is hair breakage from tension.
The hairline at the temples recedes	⚠️ Serious. Have them removed immediately and get it medically evaluated.
Bald spots at individual points	⚠️ Serious. Too much weight was applied there or removal was too rough.

When it itches, pulls or hurts

Itching in the first week is common and usually harmless. The scalp reacts to the unfamiliar weight and to being washed differently than before. What helps: rinse more thoroughly than you used to, blow-dry the roots completely dry, and brush gently several times a day so nothing gets trapped.

Itching after two weeks almost always has one of three causes: shampoo or dry shampoo residue between the bonds, a fit that is too tight right at the scalp, or the beginning of matting at the roots. Your stylist can check all three in five minutes. Don’t wait for your next regular appointment.

Pain when sleeping means that too much tension sits on certain spots. This is not something you get used to, and it won’t go away on its own. Have the affected strands loosened. A pillowcase made of silk or satin helps additionally against friction, but it is no solution for hair that has been placed too heavily.

⚠️ If itching is accompanied by redness, weeping or swelling, it is no longer a care issue. Then it belongs with a dermatologist, and the extensions come out beforehand.

Extensions and hair loss

This is the question where we have to be the most clear: Extensions do not treat hair loss. They conceal it. If you notice that your hair is getting thinner, you should first have the cause clarified, because diffuse, hereditary and alopecia areata hair loss have completely different causes and courses. This clarification belongs with a doctor, not in a salon and not in a guide.

What can be said without promising anything:

• You need sufficient natural hair. Every bond depends on existing hair. Where barely any is left, there is nothing to attach to, and the attempt puts strain on exactly the hairs that are still there.
• With active hair loss, additional tension is the wrong direction. As long as the cause has not been clarified, waiting is the wiser decision.
• With alopecia areata and clearly defined bald patches, lengthening is not possible at exactly those spots, because the anchor hairs are missing.
• If only fullness is lacking but the hair is healthy, very fine strands with little weight or clip-in solutions are the gentle way. Clip-ins have the advantage that everything is removed in the evening and the scalp is free at night.

Details, including the individual forms of hair loss and the alternatives to extensions, are covered in the guide Extensions for Hair Loss. For fullness with fine but healthy hair, the guide Extensions for Thin Hair is the right starting point.

Advantages and disadvantages side by side

For	Against
Length and fullness immediately, without years of growing out	Ongoing costs for moving them up, every eight to twelve weeks
Reversible, your natural hair remains unchanged	Additional weight at the roots, permanently
Volume without chemicals and without bleaching	More demanding care, especially when washing and drying
The hair can be reused over several rounds	Mistakes in quantity or strand thickness only show after weeks
With fine hair often the gentler option compared to constant backcombing	Not suitable for active or unclarified hair loss

How to keep the risk low

• Choose the amount according to your hair density, not your ideal look. For fine hair, 100 to 125 grams.
• Choose many fine strands rather than a few thick ones.
• Plan the moving-up appointment already at your first appointment.
• Report pain immediately, don’t sit it out.
• Never rip out dry and never experiment with heat or acetone.
• After removal, give your natural hair a few weeks’ break before the next set goes in.

Frequently asked questions