The part that protects your own hair
Hair extension care and maintenance
Weft and bead methods need a move-up every 4–6 weeks. Bonded methods - AMFusion, Great Lengths, fusion and K-tip - are removed and re-installed every 3–4 months. Between those appointments, three things matter: how you wash, how you brush, and how you sleep.
Extensions do not damage hair. Tension damages hair, and so does leaving an install well past its move-up window, because the grown-out rows start pulling. Almost every horror story is one of those two things.
Day to day
Four habits that decide how long they last
Wash at the sink, not overhead
Keep the head upright and the hair vertical so the rows do not tangle. Sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner from mid-length down, never at the row itself.
Brush from the ends up
A loop brush, twice a day, working upward in sections and holding the hair above the row so nothing pulls at the scalp.
Dry the rows properly
Going to bed with damp rows is the fastest way to matting and smell. Get the base fully dry even if you leave the lengths.
Braid or tie loosely at night
A loose braid or a silk pillowcase. Not a tight ponytail, which puts exactly the tension we spent the install avoiding.
Common questions
Questions we get asked
Weft hair can last up to eight to ten months with good care and can often be reused across move-ups. The install lasts 4–6 weeks for wefts and beads, 3–4 months for bonded methods.
Correctly installed and maintained on schedule, no. Damage comes from tension, from leaving an install past its move-up window, and from removal done badly. All three are avoidable.
Yes. Wet the hair with clean water first so it absorbs less salt or chlorine, tie it back loosely, and rinse and dry the rows properly afterwards.
Sulfate-free. Sulfates strip both the extension hair and any toner in it. We are an R+Co salon - the core line and R+Co Bleu are sulfate-free and approved for extensions, and you can shop both online (opens in a new window) - but any genuinely sulfate-free line works.
The rows grow away from the scalp and start to pull, which is when tension damage happens. It also makes the next appointment longer and more expensive.
Next step
Book a consultation
Fifteen to thirty minutes with a stylist tells you what you actually need. It is complimentary.