If you have a head of hair and haven’t been living under a rock, you probably have a basic idea – or at least heard of – hair extensions. And while there are many types, the most common and popular are fusion hair extensions. But even with this realm, there are different ways to fuse extensions to your real hair. When you’ve experienced the full range of hair extensions, you typically have a preferred fusion type for what works for your hair type and, quite frankly, your lifestyle. But all considered, there are definitely some pros and cons as fusing is a pretty big (and often very expensive) commitment.
Extensions can give that ultimate Hollywood glamour look, but there are definitely some rules of maintenance. For instance, never fall asleep with your hair wet, don’t pull at them, be judicious with heat styling (and oh so much more!), but here are some of the basic pros and cons of fusing.
Pros:
- Unlike clip-ins, fusion lasts awhile depending on how committed you are to keep them healthy.
- You can get them any style, any length, and any color. There are so many brands and options to choose from that you really can engineer the specific look you want.
- They stay in! Even when you wash, brush, or style your hair – those strands are locked on so as long as you are gentle, they will last a good amount of time.
- They’re gorgeous. And you will likely get a great boost of confidence with your look, especially if you have hair that doesn’t grow fast.
- You can opt for length or thickness (or both!). Some people get them the same length as their real hair, just because they want a boost of fullness.
- If you are fusing human hair (most common) you can still use heat tools, which is a huge plus. And if you have naturally curly hair, a lot of extension brands can mimic your hair texture in case you don’t want to spend a whole lot of time straightening or curling depending on your style.
- They can be worth the money if you are strapped for time, or just don’t have the skills or desire to apply temporary extensions.
Cons:
- The expense can be astronomical, especially if you have color-treated hair. If you’re a brunette and you want to be a long-haired blonde, your hairstylist will have to both color-treat your hair and apply the fusions. Depending on your budget, this may not be realistic for what you want to achieve.
- They require special products such as certain shampoos, brushes and styling products.
- Fusion takes a while, no matter how long or short you want to go – you’ll spend many hours in a salon chair, and oftentimes it’s at least once a month for maintenance.
- Sometimes they fall out… in public. And if you want people to think this is your real hair, it can be a tad embarrassing.
- They feel a little – funky. Regardless of the type of fusion, when you (or someone else) touches the hair close to your scalp, it will be obvious you have extensions.
- If you decide to take them out, it’s a whole process. Your stylist will have to use special chemicals to remove the fusions, which can be damaging, especially with fine hair.
- If you pull them out, you could end up ripping your natural hair out which causes fuzzy awkward spots on your scalp (in essence, don’t pull them out under any condition).
Conclusion
Sometimes the pros outweigh the cons, depending on your lifestyle. It’s important to really think about fusion extensions before you go through with it. Many hairstylists are happy to provide a free consultation and give you all the information you need before you decide. They can also work with you on pricing, which is a huge plus. Just ensure you visit a stylist who has experience in fusing extensions.
