Feb 14 , 2023

HAIR EXTENSIONS AFTERCARE 101

Hair Extensions Care & Maintenance

No doubt, your new hair extensions will require a little extra time each day but with your added TLC, your new hair extensions will look amazing, feel comfortable and stay in as long as possible.

Daily Routine:
Caring for Your Extensions at Home

Be gentle. Be as delicate as possible, especially when brushing and shampooing, and always protect hair from heat.

Brush often.  Keep hair tangle free at all times using a brush made for hair extensions. We recommend the LVH Extensions Brush, made with gentle bristles to glide over the bonds to avoid pulling. Tie hair back on a windy day and secure it in a low pony while sleeping.

Moisturize. Use products that are extra moisturizing and free of alcohol which dries out the hair.

Maintain. Your extensions will “grow” along with your natural hair, so it’s important to come in for any recommended maintenance appointments to keep your bonds invisible and avoid damage to your hair.

Shampoo and Conditioning for Hair Extensions

With head in an upright position, gently wet the hair with lukewarm water (never hot) and apply an extensions-safe shampoo. Bring the shampoo to a lather but do not rub or twist the extensions. Let the water do most of the work, let the lather run from scalp to the ends of the hair. Fingers should gently run through the extensions top through bottom. Reap this shampoo step twice to assure your scalp and hair are free of excess oils and styling product. Rinse well and apply conditioner from mid length to ends only. Never apply conditioner to the scalp or bond area. Leave conditioner in for at least 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water from hair and pat dry with towel. Do not rub or twist the hair

Drying Your Hair with Extensions:

If you use a hairdryer, dry the scalp on the cool setting to avoid overheating and weakening the bonds. You can use a medium setting to dry the rest of your hair. You can allow your hair extensions to air dry, but make sure hair is fully dry before bed. Never sleep with wet hair or else the extensions will tangle with your own hair.

Hair Extensions Styling Tips:

We recommend that you use products specifically formulated for natural hair extensions.

Hair oils are a great way to moisturize your extensions and tame frizz but focus on the lengths. Avoid applying hair oil near the scalp as direct contact with the bonds will weaken them over time. 

Limit the use of curling wands, flat irons and other high-heat styling tools. If you must use hot tools to style your hair, always start with a leave-in serum or cream formulated for heat protection and use a low heat setting. Never apply direct heat to the bond area.

Swimming with Hair Extensions:

It's not advisable to swim in saltwater or in chlorinated pools with your hair extensions as this can lead to tangling, possible discoloration of the hair and/or weakening of the bonds. If you MUST go for a swim, take precautions before getting into the water. Dampen hair first with spray bottle of clean water then apply a leave in conditioner, avoiding the scalp and bond area. This will help prevent your hair from soaking up salt and chlorine. Secure your hair in a low ponytail or wear it up - or under a hat - to avoid tangling.  If you do experience some discoloration.

Every 6 Weeks:
Caring for Your Hair Extensions in the Salon

It will be necessary to come back to the salon at regular intervals, which vary based on the type of bonds you have. We need to inspect your extensions and make any necessary adjustments.

Weft Hair Extensions Maintenance:
The Refit Appointment

Visit due:

Microlinks Weft: 8 weeks

Invisible Weave | L A Weave | Volume Weft: every 6-8  weeks

Traditional Sew-in with or without Leave-out: every 8 weeks (

Move ups: 3-4 weeks

Integration system 4-8 weeks (depending on level of loss and up-keep

Weave extensions should not be kept on longer than 12 weeks to avoid damage to your hair.

Tape In Hair Extensions Maintenance:
The Move Up Appointment

Visit due: every 6 weeks after application throughout the life of the hair extensions. 

As the weeks go by, the position of your bonds will move further from the scalp. We call these followup appointments “move-ups” because we literally remove the extensions and move ‘em up closer to the scalp. We use a special solution to dissolve the adhesive then carefully remove out each band of hair. We clean off the old adhesive and apply new tape. After a shampoo and blowdry, we reapply the same hair extensions and give you a trim to clean up all the ends.

Keratin Bond Extensions Maintenance
The Midway Appointment

Visit due: At the halfway point, around 6-8 weeks after installation.

Fusion extensions require only 1 in-salon maintenance visit at the midway point. Keratin bond hair extensions are a one-time wear, so this maintenance appointment is just a bond check up to address any matting. Even routine brushing and good homecare won’t prevent some hairs from staying behind, especially on the back of the head. After some tidying up, we shampoo and blow dry your hair, and talk about next steps. The next visit, 6-8 weeks later, will be a removal. As long as your hair gets an occasion break from extensions, you’ll be able to get another set.


1 Comments

  • 14 Feb 2023 Eli Richardson

    It’s great that you talked about what kind of products are best for hair extensions. I have a cousin who’s interested in getting hair extensions next week, so I’m positive that she’d like to know how to style them to avoid damaging them over time. I appreciate your information about why we shouldn’t use hair oil near our scalp. http://www.akbeautysupply.com/


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