Hair Extension Costs

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Your first question when you start looking at hair extensions will probably be, “Why do they cost so much?” The answer to that is very simple. Hair extensions are a time-intensive, tedious service and the supplies needed for quality extensions are expensive.

Demand

As more and more women rush to the salon to get hair extensions, the supply of good quality human hair becomes less. This of course will drive up the price for hair extension services.

The Look of a Long Hair Style

Heather Graham stunned the crowd with her magnificent hairdo. The long layers, cut through the back and sides, gave her style bounce and encouraged the waves to remain defined. This look is perfect for those with longer face shapes.

 Elle has amazing hair for the woman they call 'The Body'! With this great look she has chosen a feminine and flowing hairstyle which features full shaped layers throughout. This natural look will suit most face shapes and is great for thicker hair.

Time-Intensive

A lot of the hair extension methods require several hours to attach a full head, around 3-5 hours. There is a direct relationship between prices and the time it takes to attach the extensions. The more time it takes, the higher the price. The stylist cannot schedule any other clients during that time. Plus, the stylist has invested a good amount of money to be trained and/or certified for hair extensions.

There are new and improved methods of hair extension that require a lot less time to attach. So, your first thought may be, If it takes less time, it should be less expensive. Eventually, these faster methods will be less expensive. But right now, the stylist has to invest a lot of money for the new and improved machine or tool required.

Location: There is also the factor of location. Getting hair extensions in a big city at a popular salon will cost you much more, sometimes double, than what you will pay at a small town salon. This of course is related to operating expenses. The big city salon has much higher expenses to cover and will need to charge much more for extensions.

Keep in mind that the price comparisons should not be used solely to determine which extension method you use. When a salon gives you a rough estimate of costs, keep in mind that your situation may not call for a full head of extensions. You should always schedule a consultation to get the exact costs for the length and type of hair extensions you want.

Also, some salons will quote the total price, including hair and maybe some maintenance visits or removal, and other salons quote only the attachment fee, without the cost of the hair. Always make a list of what is included when comparing methods and salons.

Some salons and stylists do not like to quote prices since every person is completely different in the amount of extensions they get. For best results, determine which method you prefer and then schedule a consultation to determine the prices.

How long the extensions can be worn

The time frames listed on the comparison chart (see separate download link) indicate how long the system will last. For example, some methods will allow the extension hair to be re-used each time. These time frames DO NOT indicate how long you can wear the extensions continuously. Every type of hair extension requires some sort of maintenance visit, typically from 6- wks to a few months, where the extensions are completely removed and reattached. The stylist may charge the same amount for the initial installation depending on whether the hair is re-used and the amount of time needed to do the removal and re-attachment.

Re-useable human hair

Hair Re-useable: Some of the attachment and removal methods for hair extensions are gentle enough to allow the hair to be reused when reattaching the extensions. Also important to re-using the hair is the quality of the hair. Generally speaking, higher quality cuticle hair will last longer than non-cuticle hair.

There are some hair extension methods that allow for the re-use of the extension hair, yet the time and money required to clean and re-tip the hair may make it more economical or easier to just replace the hair each time the extensions are attached.

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