Where to Find the Best Hair Extension Prices

by Elizabeth Clark, Beauty Consultant

Do you often wish you could change your hairstyle as easily as you change your clothes? For example, today choose a short and wavy hairstyle, and tomorrow switch to long and silky?

Actually, changing hairstyles and hair colors isn’t as hard as it seems. With a set of high quality hair extensions, your wish can become reality!

Best Hair Extensions: What You Need to Know

Do you wish for longer and fuller hair? Or perhaps you’d like a different color or added highlights? Hair extensions applied in the proper manner can help you achieve a variety of hairstyle goals.

The success of hair extensions depends on hair quality, color matching, and the method by which the extensions are attached. The best hair extensions will seamlessly blend into your own hair strands and look completely natural.

Natural Hair vs. Synthetic Hair

If you buy a quality set of hair extensions and have them applied by a professional stylist, they should last for at least several months – sometimes longer. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for – cheap hair extensions tend to deteriorate rapidly and will need to be removed much sooner.

Many people don’t realize that human hair comes in a variety of grades. Human hair extensions of lower quality tend to become dry and brittle quickly, while higher-grade hair will maintain a healthy shine and luster for a longer period of time.

If you can’t afford to spend a lot, then synthetic hair extensions are available. They do cost less, but unfortunately won’t allow you to style your hair any way you want.

That’s because synthetic hair can’t be treated with heat, which means you can’t curl or blow dry your synthetic extensions. Artificial hair extensions also look different than human hair, so they won’t be an exact match.

Understanding Hair Extension Prices

The cost of hair extensions will depend on what type of hair you choose, how much hair you want, as well as how the extensions are applied. The quality of hair you choose is the biggest factor in determining hair extension prices.

Virgin human hair – hair untouched by chemical treatments – is the most expensive and in the highest demand. But virgin hair extensions also last the longest and look the best. The amount of hair used, as well as how long it takes to apply it, will also have an effect on the price.

Hot Fusion Bonding

With this method, hot glue or resin is used to attach the hair extensions to your own hair. It is one of the least-expensive options for hair extensions, with prices ranging from $300 to $500 or more.

Hot fusion hair extension is one of the oldest methods for extending hair. Individual strands of your hair will be bonded to the extension hair using a melted keratin resin. Keratin is a natural protein found in human hair, and is the strongest yet gentlest attachment resin currently available.

Cold Fusion Bonding

Instead of using hot glue or resin, cold fusion bonding employs a keratin-based polymer to attach the hair extensions to your own hair.

Cold fusion bonding is a lot more expensive than hot fusion, with prices starting at about $1,500 and sometimes reaching $4,000 or more.

While more costly, this method is better for your hair, with results lasting up to six months. Cold fusion is designed to eliminate the two major causes of damage to your hair: glue and heat.

Cold fusion is a gentle and efficient way of applying single strand hair extensions. The cold fusion method of application is ideal for women with thin or very fine hair who desire more volume. Cold fusion results in a small, flat bond that allows the extensions to look and feel completely natural.

Clip In Hair Extensions

Hair extensions are quite popular among women because they can give you a completely new and different look. Hair extensions can be made from real human hair or from synthetic hair and come in a variety of colors, lengths and textures.

Hair extensions blend well with your natural hair and also increase the volume of your hair. Most of the time, hair extensions are done at hair salons by professional stylists.

The downside is that hair extensions at salons are expensive and require a lot of maintenance. They can also cause damage to your hair if not done properly.

Fortunately, clip in hair extensions are basically hassle-free, low maintenance and don’t cost a lot. You don’t even have to go to a salon as clip in extensions can be attached to your hair at home.

Clip in hair extensions are attached by using a clip and are available in the lengths of 14, 16 and 18 inches. They can be made from human hair or from synthetic hair.

It’s a basic truth that clip in hair extensions made from human hair look more natural than clip in hair extensions from synthetic hair. Clip in hair extensions will not damage your hair as they are attached by using only a clip and without the use of any harsh chemicals or bonding materials.

Clip in hair extensions can be attached quickly and effortlessly. They give you the ability to change your appearance almost instantly and will help you to look more glamorous.

Hair Extension Weave

This method involves braiding the hair extensions directly into your own hair. This technique for attaching hair extensions takes a lot of time, and consequently can cost from $1,000 to $2,000 or more, depending on how much hair you want.

Hair extensions will also vary in price depending on where you live. Hair extensions in NYC are going to cost more than hair extensions in Chicago, for example.

And regardless of what you pay in the beginning, keep in mind that hair extension maintenance visits to your salon will cost around $100 every month or two. Get yourself some hotpants, and your makeover will be complete! Hair extensions allow you to change your look to match your clothes or your mood. You’ll be amazed at how gorgeous you can look and feel!

(published May 19, 2011)