Your hair extensionist - Make sure your hair extensionists is a licensed cosmetologist for a minimum of five years. It is important that your hair extensionists understands all aspects of hair, not just attach it to your head. It is important to understand how colors, textures, placement, cutting, and finishing work fit into the final look that the client is trying to achieve. Make sure your hair extensionists has also taken classes in the method of hair extensions to be used on you. It is illegal for anyone that does not hold a cosmetology license to perform hair extensions for profit. People that hold hair braiding licenses are only allowed to perform braiding & not extensions for profit according to Florida State Law. Check with your state to see who is allowed to perform these services. Above all other things they show you, Make sure you see their license. IT IS ILLEGAL to touch hair for money without the proper licensing. They should be able to produce a certificate of training in the method that they're offering from a reputable continuing education company. Make sure your hair extensionists has done a minimum of 30 or 40 heads in the method she is going to use on you. Also make sure your hair extensionists does several methods of hair extensions. This way, the professional opinion you get from her will not be biased on any one method. Hair extensionists who know only one method have no comparison to form an opinion on. Most hairdressers and extensionists work on commission. Because of this fact, more than likely they will never turned down the opportunity to make a sale. Keeping in mind all of the above, a hair extensionists that only does one method will more than likely tell you you're a candidate for their system, whether or not you are or whether or not you're a better candidate for a different system. Make sure they can do a proper razor or point cut. That is the key to making your hair extension fall naturally. Make sure they have at least a dozen before's& after pictures & ask for at least a few references that you can speak to & look at their hair. Even ask if you can come in while they are working on a client. Go in near the end time so you can see the finished result. Remember to be respectful of the client in the chair as this is her time she has paid for. It is understandable to be excited but do not touch someone or their hair without permission or interrupt the service.

Your own hair - Make sure the finished design they you're looking to achieve is compatible with your own hair. Understand that all extension services may not pertain to you. This is why there is such a variety in hair extension systems. There is a certain amount of acceptance that you have to have with your own hair. Some looks are easier than others to achieve. Maintenance is also a big factor. Understand that if you change your hair color, your hair texture, and receive extensions, the maintenance required to keep looking fresh will probably have you in the salon once every three to four weeks at a great cost. It's a lot of work. Make sure that you are willing to put in the time & money to maintain this look at home with the proper tools & care.

Clients responsibility - It is imperative that you follow your extensionists recommendations. Always brush your hair everyday at least twice a day from scalp to ends to avoid tangles. This is the biggest problem most people seem to have. If you ignore a knot, it will grow into a big knot. When you go to your hairdresser days, weeks or even moths later, by that time, they hairdresser can do nothing but try to brush out most of it but it usually ends up getting cut out. If you take care of a knot when it develops, it can usually be brushed out. There is no reason to not brush your hair. Do not spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on your hair extensions to turn around & buy cheap stuff from the dollar store. Most people who are getting extensions have some sort of issue with their hair already & that stuff does not help. Always use a professional products.

The hair extension system - All hair extension systems were created for different purposes.

Twists, locks, cornrow and braids - can be used to integrate extension hair and were meant to be visible in the final design.

Weaves - are simply on the scalp braids, also known as cornrows, covered up by extension hair sown directly on the braid. Make sure that your extensionist does not use excess tension This can cause hair breakage to the wrong type of hair. It is also very hard to dry the braids under the extended hair properly, & wet hair or very dirty hair will sometimes cause a mildew odor.

Bonding - is used to secure a weft of hair to the client's natural hair temporarily. The good thing about this method is its quick and easy and cheap. The bad thing about this method is a lot of people glue the weft of hair directly to the scalp. Most bonding pieces are made out of latex. There a lot of people out there who have latex allergies and don't even know it. The latex can create small blisters or scarring if attach directly to the scalp with latex allergy or sensitivity. To attach hair directly to the scalp you must use toupee glue. Bonding glue must be used to attach a hair weft to the client actual hair. Latex will also pull your hair out if you do not use patience and a lot of oil and heat. There is also a world of difference between cheap bonding glue & professional grade bonding glue. This is a great system for clients with fragile hair & with the proper installation method.

The strand-by-strand methods - fall into three categories: adhesive-based fusion, heat shrink tubing, and metal tubing (sometimes known as cold fusion).

Tubes/Locks/Rings - These are really one of the best systems out there today. This method has come a long way. If used with the proper rings or tubes, the client will usually get a butter result than from glue. It is easier t move around if needed, you can flat iron over them, they lay flat in comparison to glue & when you use this method, there is a built in consistency in the sizes of the attachment& the strands.

Heat shrink tubing - will not harm your hair but the tubing must have a thermoplastic adhesive lining for additional security. There is not enough adhesive in this system to wear nicely for extended period of time. The problem with heat shrink tubing is once the tube is shrunk down, after a few washings some of the extended hair will start slide out as the only thing holding it the tension from shrinking. You have to use pre bonded hair to avoid this problem. There is not enough adhesive lining to cover all of the hair properly for the best security. Shrink tubing is good for added security to bonding systems. Since heat shrink tubing uses the same adhesive that adhesive-based fusion uses, it makes more sense to forgo the shrink tube and just use the adhesive or the locks. There are a few good systems out now but for the right type of hair

Adhesive-based fusion systems - The only drawback is the more durable the adhesive, the tougher it is to get off the hair. this is where people see damage if the adhesive is too durable. Make sure you know what kind of adhesive is to be used. Some adhesive are made up mostly wax, and since wax has extremely low melting point, will melt when you try to sit under a dryer, blow-dry, flatiron, or curled your hair with a curling iron. Your hair extensionists needs to use a professional grade adhesive from a reputable company with a high melting point to it endure chemical and physical manipulations. Professional adhesives use a remover that dries out the bond to turn it to dust, rather than using oil to pull it out of the hair.

Things to avoid - Run as fast your legs can take you if you see your hairdresser do any of the following. Try to “correct” any differences in color or texture on the hair extensions while they are in your head. Since most hair comes from India, you are already working with two different textures of hair. Extension hair is processed with chemicals that we normally do not use on our own hair. It also can be re colored using an ink rather than regular hair color & can react unpredictably. This is the reason why there are many different versions of hair chemicals out there. Not all hair will fit one texture, chemical or coloring agent. This is almost guaranteed to ruin your hair and is one of the most unprofessional things a hairdresser can do. If you had to go to somebody other than your regular hairdresser to get your extension installed and your regular hairdresser is uncomfortable with that system, do not let them work on your hair. A lot of times, if the hairdresser is unfamiliar with the system, they do not know how to work around it or what concessions had to be made to keep the system from being compromised and can ruin all of that the hard work. If your hair extensionist starts to put in your extensions and you see that she is using makeshift tools instead of professional tools, run. Ask a lot of questions. If they do not give you logical answers or do not make sense or give you vague answers that you're comfortable with, please seek a second opinion. If for any reason, you do not like what you hear, get a second opinion. It is your head and your money. If at any time, anything does not look right, stop the procedure and ask what is going on. Give their work a hard look. If you see any inconsistencies or sloppiness in their work, run. That is a dead give away of a lack of experience. Look at the point of attachments. Each bond must be symmetrical; you must be able to part hair at any point to be able to see the scalp. It should not be pulling the clients hair nor should it be too tight for the scalp, as this will cause uneven weight distribution as it grows out, which in turn causes breakage. A good fusion job should look invisible, even when the hair is in a ponytail or moving around. If your hairdresser says that there is no maintenance involved in their system, run. This is also a sign of no proper education. Since nothing will be as good as your own hair, and there is always an attachment site, there will always be additional maintenance.

Things to do - Always look at the extensionists portfolio. If they do not have portfolio, ask to speak to a client of theirs with similar extensions or ask to come in and see them finishing work on a live client. Make sure your hair extensionists understands exactly what you want. Bring in pictures of hair that you admire. These pictures should show the desired color, texture, finished design, & length. Make sure you get a receipt. Make sure they use name brand supplies, hair, adhesive, tools, etc etc. You are probably paying a lot for this service, so they should use quality supplies to achieve quality results. Be impressed by their work. It should look really good, even when you part the hair to look at the interior. It should be neat & clean & consistent.

Get an estimate - When you go for a consultation, get a written estimate. You want to make sure that the written estimate includes the following: Color of hair, amount of hair to be used, length of extended hair, method used & labor fees. This is your documentation if anything goes wrong or if they try to charge you more money for the work they said they were going to do at the consult. Get an estimation on how long this method will last. These are the most common things that go wrong. If you don't have it in writing, you are out of money. Protect yourself. Find out what steps the hairdresser will take to correct their work if is does not meet your requirements. Ask if there is any extra charges. Document everything. Protect yourself, your hair & your money.

Length of time - NEVER WEAR YOUR EXTENSIONS PAST 3 MONTHS. You must have them removed & cleaned up before putting back in. There are a few systems that will last until the hairdresser removes it which can be past three months. If anyone tells you that lasts longer hen 3 months, then understand that there is maintenance involved. The reason why hair extensions should never last past three months is based on the following things:

Weight distribution - If the extension is too heavy for the hair to hold, after a certain amount of time, the extension will fall out, slide out or break off.

Shedding - Hair naturally sheds. This goes hand-in-hand with weight distribution. Any natural hair that sheds that is attached to extended hair does not fall out of the head, rather it comes out when the extension is removed. Shedding hair while it was in your scalp, was used to hold the extension in. Too much shedding results in not enough hair to hold the weight of the extension. That is why it is imperative that you get your extensions redone at 3 months if not sooner.

Hair growth - Most people's hair grows at a rate of 1/2" per month. At the end of three months, your hair has grown a little over 1 1/2". So when people tell you that system will last for six months or longer, imagine where the attachment point will be in that time. Hair extensions and additions will never be truly “ permanent” the matter what anyone says.

Application time - Varies with each type of extension plus how much attention to detail your hairdresser is willing to give. Make sure your hairdresser is a patient person who is by appointment only for all services. It is not fair to the client to pay lots of money for a high end service, only for the hairdresser to stop working on you to service another client. You will be there a long time, even without interruptions. If a hairdresser says they can do a full installations of any strand by strand system in less than 3 to 4 hours, it sounds like they are skipping important precautions & steps necessary to insure quality work or not doing a full head installation. Quality takes time.