feather extensions: how much damage do they cause?

[202_bh_rider]

hey guys, sorry to make a completely new thread, but i've been recently toying with the idea of feather extensions to help me get past this growth stage (apl - bsl). i just want to know how much damage you guys think they would cause? they will be attached with a metal crimp bead with a silicon layer on the inside, and then just flattening the bead with the feather and a small bit of my hair on the inside of the bead. if i do get them, i know i'll want a lot of them, but i don't want to kill my hair either. just curious as to what you guys think!

[samanthaa]

I know nothing about feather extensions, but hazarding a guess, I'd say you should probably expect to lose about as much hair in damage as is needed to affix the feather. So if the crimp bead gets affixed to--oh, I don't know--a centimeter of hair, I'd expect to cut off at least a centimeter and maybe a tad bit more (for splits/damage that travel upshaft) once the feathers are removed. A centimeter isn't that much in the long run.

[Deborah]

This sounds terribly damaging to me. I think you would lose lots of hair. If you intend to cut short soon anyway, then I guess it would not matter, but if you intend to stay the same or grow longer I think it would be a very bad mistake.

[202_bh_rider]

I know nothing about feather extensions, but hazarding a guess, I'd say you should probably expect to lose about as much hair in damage as is needed to affix the feather. So if the crimp bead gets affixed to--oh, I don't know--a centimeter of hair, I'd expect to cut off at least a centimeter and maybe a tad bit more (for splits/damage that travel upshaft) once the feathers are removed. A centimeter isn't that much in the long run.

thank you for your input! last time i had them, i don't remember any damage, but that was so long ago. they were easy to get out with the tool, i think, just uncrimping the bead :) my hair is in generally good heath, so i think ill put in one or two!

[202_bh_rider]

This sounds terribly damaging to me. I think you would lose lots of hair. If you intend to cut short soon anyway, then I guess it would not matter, but if you intend to stay the same or grow longer I think it would be a very bad mistake.

i am intending to grow it out, so i'll definitely proceed with caution :) i don't think it was cause so much damage that it will start breaking, as i had them before and don't remember anything i could notice, but thank you for the advice!

[meteor]

[...]they will be attached with a metal crimp bead with a silicon layer on the inside, and then just flattening the bead with the feather and a small bit of my hair on the inside of the bead. if i do get them, i know i'll want a lot of them, but i don't want to kill my hair either. just curious as to what you guys think!

Sounds like those "micro bead" or "micro loop"/"micro ring" extensions? :hmm: I don't know much about extensions, but I would imagine that they can be pretty damaging IMHO, especially on removal (they basically use pliers (http://www.microbeadhairextensions.org/how-to-remove-micro-bead-hair-extensions/) on microbead removal) and you need to be even more cautious around detangling, especially at the roots (though this is a problem with extensions, in general, I think).

Honestly, if I were dead-set on wearing something like that, I'd *much* rather go for a simple wig or Halo extensions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPvJnC1bqKI) (a.k.a. hidden crown / flip in extensions), because the damage potential is lower, especially due to easy removal.
You can even DIY halo extensions pretty easily by sewing/attaching a weft or two to a clear string. Lots of YT videos on how to do that (e.g. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYhWEa9R79g), and I think it's safer, because you can remove it easily every day and wear this only on special occasions, to avoid putting too much pressure on your scalp.

[sumidha]

Just gonna throw this out there regarding perceived damage. Depending on how long you want your hair, things that don't appear damaging at first have a way of showing up years later. For example, I used box dye on my hair and accidentally left it on too long. I freaked out thinking I destroyed my hair, and then relaxed when it wasn't immediately breaking from the bleach... Well, three years later, all that hair that had been dyed is full of split ends and breaks off if you look at it wrong. Just because something doesn't seem to be damaging six months, even a year after you do it, doesn't mean it's not going to show up multiple years down the road as the hair gets longer, older and more fragile.

[lapushka]

Just gonna throw this out there regarding perceived damage. Depending on how long you want your hair, things that don't appear damaging at first have a way of showing up years later. For example, I used box dye on my hair and accidentally left it on too long. I freaked out thinking I destroyed my hair, and then relaxed when it wasn't immediately breaking from the bleach... Well, three years later, all that hair that had been dyed is full of split ends and breaks off if you look at it wrong. Just because something doesn't seem to be damaging six months, even a year after you do it, doesn't mean it's not going to show up multiple years down the road as the hair gets longer, older and more fragile.

Yep. When I bleached my henna out, and box dyed over it, my hair seemed fine at first too, then we decided to touch up the roots, and my hair had had enough (chemical cut & burn). So... Pretty drastic example, but yeah.

I mean, I would get one feather. That's a nice touch and wouldn't be too much, I don't think.

[202_bh_rider]

Sounds like those "micro bead" or "micro loop"/"micro ring" extensions? :hmm: I don't know much about extensions, but I would imagine that they can be pretty damaging IMHO, especially on removal (they basically use pliers (http://www.microbeadhairextensions.org/how-to-remove-micro-bead-hair-extensions/) on microbead removal) and you need to be even more cautious around detangling, especially at the roots (though this is a problem with extensions, in general, I think).

Honestly, if I were dead-set on wearing something like that, I'd *much* rather go for a simple wig or Halo extensions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPvJnC1bqKI) (a.k.a. hidden crown / flip in extensions), because the damage potential is lower, especially due to easy removal.
You can even DIY halo extensions pretty easily by sewing/attaching a weft or two to a clear string. Lots of YT videos on how to do that (e.g. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYhWEa9R79g), and I think it's safer, because you can remove it easily every day and wear this only on special occasions, to avoid putting too much pressure on your scalp.


the same bead type, but the application is a bit different. usually, they are a good bit farther from the roots, although i have seen people wearing them as tight as the pictures on google images! yikes! seems like that would hurt A LOT! thank you for your words of wisdom :)

[202_bh_rider]

Just gonna throw this out there regarding perceived damage. Depending on how long you want your hair, things that don't appear damaging at first have a way of showing up years later. For example, I used box dye on my hair and accidentally left it on too long. I freaked out thinking I destroyed my hair, and then relaxed when it wasn't immediately breaking from the bleach... Well, three years later, all that hair that had been dyed is full of split ends and breaks off if you look at it wrong. Just because something doesn't seem to be damaging six months, even a year after you do it, doesn't mean it's not going to show up multiple years down the road as the hair gets longer, older and more fragile.

totally agree with you! i went through this spurt when i younger with dying/bleaching my hair to a rose gold color, and the damage didn't show up till at least 4-5 months after i had stopped dying. i had to do a big (6 inches or so) chop to get rid of that damage! my goal is hip length, and I am currently a month or so from bsl :) thank you for the information, definitely put this into a new light for me!

[202_bh_rider]

Yep. When I bleached my henna out, and box dyed over it, my hair seemed fine at first too, then we decided to touch up the roots, and my hair had had enough (chemical cut & burn). So... Pretty drastic example, but yeah.

I mean, I would get one feather. That's a nice touch and wouldn't be too much, I don't think.

i believe i will do one in the front at first, and see how damaging that seems to be/how hard it is to manage after a few months, then add more if i feel like it :p

[missmelaniem]

My vote is to stick it out... time flies! Save your money for some cool hair clip or luxurious conditioning treatment. You'll be at BSL in no time!

Join our no trim challenge for 2017!!

[202_bh_rider]

thank you to everyone who responded to me! i was actually very surprised by how many responses it got :) in conclusion, i think i will hold off for a while, and see if i still want one further down the road. thanks again guys!

[202_bh_rider]

My vote is to stick it out... time flies! Save your money for some cool hair clip or luxurious conditioning treatment. You'll be at BSL in no time!

Join our no trim challenge for 2017!!

thanks for the advice, i really appreciate it :) and ive already joined! so excited!

[lucid]

I have just gotten some nice (naturally molted) feathers, but I don't know how I'm going install them... I don't know if I want to use the silicone beads, I'm super afraid of damage, and I don't know if I want them to be that permanent... I can imagine that taking silicone beads on and off can cause some damage, no matter how careful one is...

I'm thinking of making some sort of a feather clip, that can be taken out.. But clips tend to be metal, and that is damaging as well, and can potentially cause more tangles. So I don't really know what the best option is. Silicone beads that I wear probably a week at a time, or a metal clip now and then..

I only want one or two feathers at the time, so it's not my entire head :p

[wo]

I had a few feathers years ago (on hair I no longer have.) I don't know how damaging the extension itself was because I kept short hair at the time, but I remember that any time I ran my fingers through my hair, or a comb, or washing it in the shower, I would always catch the metal piece and it hurt and broke some hairs. It was hard to do anything without getting caught up in the clasp.

[Siv]

I have just gotten some nice (naturally molted) feathers, but I don't know how I'm going install them... I don't know if I want to use the silicone beads, I'm super afraid of damage, and I don't know if I want them to be that permanent... I can imagine that taking silicone beads on and off can cause some damage, no matter how careful one is...

I'm thinking of making some sort of a feather clip, that can be taken out.. But clips tend to be metal, and that is damaging as well, and can potentially cause more tangles. So I don't really know what the best option is. Silicone beads that I wear probably a week at a time, or a metal clip now and then..

I only want one or two feathers at the time, so it's not my entire head :p

Can you make a DIY-halo extension thingy for it? Here's a "real" halo extension video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTqaRQJ3wgU

An I figured that maybe you can make a crown with a fish line only not the hair, and hang the feather(s) off it? If that makes any sense...