Hair used for hair extensions

Hair Used for Hair Extensions - Where does it come from?

There are many stories about where the human hair used for hair extensions comes from. There are literally thousands of human hair suppliers around the world. Some are legitimate suppliers of quality human hair, while others are not. In the end, the human hair market is not regulated and many of the sources of this hair is questionable

Many of the hair extension companies process and supply their own human hair for hair extension purposes, even requiring the hair stylist to purchase the hair from the company. By doing this, they control the quality of the hair.

1. What type of human hair is there?

There are two basic types of human hair, Remi or Cuticle hair and Non-Remi hair. Remi or cuticle hair refers to hair that has been cut off a donors' head and kept together in the exact way that it was cut off. All the cuticles are running in the same direction. Non-remi hair is hair that is collected either from hair brushes, or hair that has fallen to the floor. The cuticles are not maintained in the same direction with non-remi hair. Remi/Cuticle hair is very expensive compared to non-remi hair.

2. Where does the hair come from?

Probably the most common origin heard today for hair extensions is 'European Hair'. Women in various parts of Europe do not chemically alter their hair and this leaves their hair more suitable for use in hair extensions. Other common origins for human hair donors include India, China and Russia. Sometimes women get paid to donate their hair and sometimes they donate their hair to the temple as thanks for the many blessings in their lives. South American donor hair is beginning to grow in popularity as well.

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3. How can you tell the difference between quality human and hair and bad quality hair?

Only a trained professional will be able to tell the difference between good and bad hair. Appearances can be deceiving because of special processing and coating that can leave even non-remi hair silky and shiny to the touch. You will need to rely heavily on the experience and reputation of your hair stylist for using quality hair.

4. How do you know if you have bad human hair?

If the extension hair begins to tangle or matte after only a few washes, then you can bet that you have inferior quality hair. Non-remi hair is usually stripped of its cuticle (since they are going in all different directions) and then coated with a silicone layer to make it appear shiny and silky. After a few washes this silicone layer will wash off leaving the hair prone to tangles and mattes.