This is going to be a long forum letter, I am sorry. If it's length overwhelms you, please skip past it, I tend to go on.
Wow. Intense thread! Lol. As an extentionist/licensed cosmetologistt who has grown up around the trade from birth, I thought I'd give potential clients/readers a third opinion on many of the issues discussed in this forum. I take no sides, these remarks come from my own experiences and education, and there are many ways to work with extensions. However, like all skilled trades, there are basic rules to follow... And unlike some skilled there is ever-changing technology in regards to removal/application and supplies.
I first off want to say that it seems there was quite a few misunderstandings on the thread. I do not believe that Valencia was in any way trying to insult Sophia. It sounds as though she was offering advice from her perspective as an African American client. Sophia sounded a bit defensive about that, but part of this industry is receiving critique and rolling with the comments. You are a much more efficient stylist when you take advice for what it is, advice. I tend to listen to everyone, and then choose myself whether to later act on it or not, whatever forum that advice is delivered in.
I work with all ethnicities of hair. I was trained by some wonderful Caucasian instructors, African American instructors, East Indian instructors and I am Native American. I have also had much experience with Asian hair, as my father is Philipino. I am EXTREMELY grateful for my knowledge of different hair types. I have only my peers, instructors and clients to thank for that. I also work in a variety of extension systems, as I feel that knowing ALL types of extensions, whether you offer them or not, is MANDATORY. It allows you to treat many situations in appropriate ways for each client. I work with cancer patients/terminally ill patients/people with alopecia/people with healthy scalps, etc. (www.trinityhair.com.) There is not one single method of hair addition that would work the same for all of these clients. The more you know about cosmetology, the better you will understand the hair/scalp/conditions/style/cut & downfalls as a whole.
Okay, that being said, a few of the topics from my perspective:
I have worked with more bond systems than I can count. These systems are poly waxes, latex bonds, keratin bonds, pre-made tips, self-rolled tips, Monkey Barz sticks, Great Length system bonds, SoCap bonds, Generic Bonds and Balmain bonds. Bonds have changed since the 70's greatly in their strength and structure, but they are not all equal. Some are definitly sturdier then others, some are softer. Some set harder. Some you can color over, some you can't. Some you can bleach/relax over, some you can't. Some handle oil fine, some do not... and they can ALL vary depending on your clients hair type/history/care/ethnicity and lifestyle.
One thing they do all have in common : They can all be broken down for removal with basic acetone (alcohol) and needle nose clamps for flattening the bond. This + patience is a safe, effective way of removing fusion. Each company tends to carry their own removal products/care lines/tools. What you will find with almost EVERY system is that it's remover has a high alcohol content. This dries the bonds out. Obviously some bonds dry out easier than others, but this WILL work on keratin, wax, glues, etc.
Applying oil and heat to the head is an older method of removal. The oil would help the fusion slide out of the hair. It was an uneffective way to remove, however, because it caused MUCH tension on the scalp and natural hair. It involves a lot of pulling because many bonds (unless they are made of a high latex content) do NOT break down well with oil, they merley slide.
Caucasian women tend to have silkier hair. This can sometimes lead to more shedding. It can be harder to combat shedding in fine, silky hair. Although they claim the system stops it, I have even seen this with "Great Lengths" clients. You MUST find a good hair/bond type for EACH client. Knowing more than one system offers clients this benefit. Caucasian women (or anyone) with this type of hair (you see this often with Asian and Native American hair as well) do better to use low or no oil products (no oil products DO exist. I use them) because this helps stop slippage. However, the natural hair should ALWAYS be the main area of concern.
Many African American women (especially those with relaxed or chemically treated hair) MUST use some type of oil. This does not MEAN directly on the bonds, but to preserve the hair's integrity and prevent scalp problems, at the scalp and on the natural hair. (Again, depending on the client) some women's scalps produce enough oil that they do not have to add much directly to the scalp. Their natural hair will become extremley brittle if not allowed to use an oil based product. Extremley curly/kinky hair has a tendency to break because of it's structure. As most people know, a straight hair has a round cuticle. It is more or less solid. Depending on your ethnicity and hair color, your hair strand may contain more or less cuticle (which can effect how well you can lighten/color your hair or break through it with chemical services.) A very curly/kinky piece of hair has a flat cuticle. At each curl, there is a bend point, and the hair is weak at that point. Even when relaxed, you still have these points in the hair. Relaxing hair does not change the cuticle shape, which is why over-relaxing can cause such dreary flat hair.
Most keratin bonds can easily withstand oil without breaking down... And since Curly/Kinky hair has more texture (even relaxed) there tends to be less slipppage if oil is used then with straight hair.
ALL hair, African American, Caucasian or otherwise should ALWAYS be stripped with a clarifying/stripping shampoo before application to prevent substances on the hair that could create a bad bond. What you apply in 24-48 hrs after (depending on how long your system takes to set) should have much less effect on the bond. Overtime, oil may cause some slippage, but even if maintenance comes a bit sooner, the condition of the natural hair should be the most important aspect.
In regards to removing extensions, I see valid points made by both Sophia and Valencia. If a client lives in your area or is available to come in for removal, yes, you should always offer your services as a trained professional. You obviously have more control over the process. (RUN from a stylist that will not take out the work they did on you themselves! This is a simple service if you are coming in for your maintenances on time, and to refuse it is a huge warning sign of problems to come.)
However, if you have a client in a situation similar to Valencia's (the soldier who will be stationed in Iraq with no ability to come back, or a client who flew in and is telling you it is unlikely that they will have the funds to return) you do not want this client trying removal of any kind without instruction!
Yes, there are various removers, yes there are various systems, and yes, there IS a sense of "dependency" that many extentionists rely on in their customers to suceed. But removal is not brain surgery. It takes a few things: An acetone product, a comb and PATIENCE. I have seen MANY clients who have ripped bald patches out trying to remove their own extensions without guidance. The response that I usually get from other extensionists is "they should have come in. It's a professional sevice. They have no right to do it on their own." This is an easy aditude to have, but it does so much damage to the industry. #1. In becoming a stylist/extentionist, isn't it our moral duty (and should be natural passion) to keep natural hair as healthy as we possibly can?! #2. Clients remember the bad, and whether you removed them or not, they WILL tell the horror stories of their bald patches and hair loss with extensions. This hurts EVERYONE #3. Do you want YOUR name on someone who has removed their extensions themselves without instruction, because they HAD no other CHOICE?
This issue is so similar to sex education in high schools. Yes, we may not prefer that clients try this, but as the people who are supposed to care about their hair, shouldn't we arm them with protection when we know a certain person will try it anyway? It is a stylists personal judegment call.
It is always better to have a client come in (TO THEIR OWN APPLICATION EXTENSIONIST) for removal, and we should suggest this, but at times this is not an option and we want to protect our clients. I believe THIS is what Valencia was trying to say.
Last but not least, remi hair IS the best hair on the market. There IS no argument for that. It will not shed more, it will not tangle more (true remi hair is supposed to be gathered with all roots at one end so the cuticle runs in one direction. This is actually what prevents long-term tangling. If your remi hair is tangling badly I would doubt whether it was actually remi.) Shedding has little to do with the hair brand/type/quality and EVERYTHING to do with the bond being used and how the natural and extension hair is prepped and applied. The main difference with "remi" hair is the way that it wears (dryness/breaking/build-up) NOT it's bonding power. THAT is the BOND.
Thanks for reading my book. Lol. Again, I wanted to give some perspective from a third (neutral) party.
Good luck everyone!
AnnSimone
www.annsimone.com
