Sewn-in Extensions: Questions Answered!

When I was getting my extensions sewn-in, I had a ton of questions. When I was wearing them, I realised I had even more. When I tried looking for the answers, some of them were hard to find. Hopefully this will answer those questions for others!

(Haley asked) Does it hurt to have the extensions sew-in?

It doesn't so much hurt as it is uncomfortable. Your hair has been braided very tightly and it takes a bit of getting used to. I found that the first few nights, I couldn't sleep properly because I could feel the pressure of the braids even more as I put my head down on my pillow. You might also get headaches. My hairstylist recommended that I take Advil to prevent this.

(Katie asked) What's the cost of extensions?

Do your research on extensions and prices before you buy them! I made the mistake of not researching and spent over $200 on just the extensions alone (it cost me $50 to get two rows sewn in). These weren't good quality ones either. Although the package said it was 100% Remy human hair (which is supposedly the best type of hair extensions you can get), it wasn't. When I brought the extensions into my hairstylist, she knew right away that they weren't a good brand and she feared that when the hair dryer touched them, they would burn. Fortunately, they didn't. But, poor quality extensions WILL burn the moment heat touches them. After just over a month of wearing them, I noticed the colour of the extensions started fading from brown to black. Again, another sign of poor quality. On top of that, they began to get very matted. Check with your hair stylist before you buy the extensions. They usually have good suggestions on places to purchase them.

(Haley asked) Because the hair extensions are straight and my hair is wavy, would it look really obvious if I didn't straighten my hair everyday? 

If you got straight extensions and didn't straighten your hair everyday, yes, it would look really obvious. I've heard that there are wavy extensions though; I just personally haven't seen them.

Can I tie my hair up when I have the extensions in?

It's not a good idea. You could change the shape of them and damage them.

(Haley asked) Can I wash them like normal hair?

I was told to only wash the extensions using gentle shampoo, like baby shampoo. Try to wash the extensions as little as possible. This was really, really hard for me. I need to wash my hair at least twice a week. It was almost impossible for me to wash my natural hair without washing the extensions at the same time (by almost impossible, I mean I always ended up washing all the hair together). Also, use a paddle brush in the shower.

Can I brush it?

Yes, use a paddle brush. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Be gentle as you don't want to pull on the tracks.

Can I go swimming with the extensions in?

No.

How long do they last?

A month to three months. However, at three months you're really, really pushing it (as I was told). I wore mine for about 6 weeks.

Can I go to sleep with my hair wet?

No. Also, try to let it air dry as much as possible before applying any heat to it.

Will it get itchy?

Yes. It's a pain in the butt. You shouldn't touch the tracks either which means you should resist scratching as much as possible. You can apply coconut oil to the tracks to help.

Will it ruin my hair?

Not if you're very careful with them when you have the extensions in.