Help me get more hair!

July 29, 2009 5:37 PM

I have fine, thin hair (not thinning, just thin) and I want more. I am female, have almost shoulder length hair and was thinking about extensions. Will they look like obvious extensions in my fine hair? In order words, is my fine hair going to conceal where the extensions are put in? I've tried everything to get more fullness....products, different drying techniques, etc. Now I just want MORE hair. Help me!
posted by fresh-rn to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 answers total)

Like you, I have a big head of fine hair, and I used to have it shoulder length. I underwent numerous perms (some horrific), and used all manner of hair products and curlers, you name it, to make my hair look like I thought it should look. Never considered extensions, though.

Now I don't fight my hair much. I keep it short, as in the bottom of my ears. When it is short, the natural curl comes out, and it doesn't adhere to my head as much. I do very little to it: wash it before bed and it dries while I sleep. I actually find that having so-called bed head results in more body than if I washed it in the morning and it dries before I go to work. Blow drying just makes it too frizzy and kills whatever wave there is, and I think people with fine hair should really avoid the blow dryer except for special occasions. I can recommend Paul Mitchell's "The Conditioner," a leave-in conditioner that almost acts as a thickener.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:52 PM on July 29, 2009

I am in exactly the same boat and after months of coaxing by my cousin (who is a stylist and needed the practice putting them in) I tried extensions..... I really do love them actually!

Here's my advise for what it's worth - If you are going to do it, bite the bullet and pay for the good ones. Match your own hair colour as closely as you can and stay as close to the length you have now as possible. If your hair is dark it will be almost impossible to tell. With blond or redish hair you can see a bit where they attach to your own hair if you are wearing it up.

They are more work and need to be treated a bit more carefully but if you look after them they should last about 6 months I'm told. I've had mine for almost 2 months and they were great on holidays where I was swimming most of the time (I now have enough hair for a pony tail that isn't just silly looking)

One thing to note though is that it has doubled my washed, dried and out the door time for work or going out.

hope that helps a bit..good luck
posted by Weaslegirl at 6:41 PM on July 29, 2009

Seconding shorter hair. Your fine hair will look much fuller if you keep it shortish. Plus, extensions require a lot of maintenance. I advise you to consult a good hairdresser about what you want to achieve; he/she will have the experience to tell you what kind of results you can expect from extensions vs. a cut that compliments your existing hair type.
posted by contessa at 6:44 PM on July 29, 2009

My hairdresser told me that the weight of extensions can actually pull hair out of your head. Try getting a shorter layered haircut and using extra body shampoo & conditioner.
posted by debbie_ann at 6:52 PM on July 29, 2009

There are the temporary extensions that are attached to little barrette clips that look like a lot of fun to wear on the days you want to have "more hair" but you can take them out at night, other wise you have these little glue blobs or clips rubbing against your scalp.
posted by hortense at 7:34 PM on July 29, 2009

If you do extensions, make sure they are high-quality and close to the same length as your hair.
posted by radioamy at 7:38 PM on July 29, 2009

Thanks everyone! I'm trying to stay away from short hair as I have a very round face - I should have mentioned that. Maybe I'll try the temporaries first just to see what it's like. As obvious as that seems, I hadn't even thought of it. Thanks, Hortense!
posted by fresh-rn at 7:48 PM on July 29, 2009

Extensions will break your hair. There are a lot of styles you could try, mostly on the short side, with layering. Check out this,
%20%20Photo%20from%20Latest%20Hairstyles">this, and this for examples. Dyeing your hair will also add thickness- even lightening it seems to give mine more texture.

Products will help as well. Thickening creams and/ or hair pomades/waxes do the job well- you just have to experiment to find the right brand and combo that work best for you.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 7:55 PM on July 29, 2009

Ack something went wrong with one of my links. A third example that could work w/ a rounder face...
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 7:57 PM on July 29, 2009

The people on the skin care/beauty board I frequent seem to have had some luck with these DIY extensions. I'd advise reading the whole thread, and then visiting the website manemaxx.com. One person who seems to be a veteran of hair extensions agrees with the FAQ about the bonding process, and says it doesn't damage the hair. Caveat emptor, and all that, though.

Good luck! I have thin, fine hair which I've been losing since I began dieting. I might try these in the future when I get the shed under control.
posted by Issithe at 8:43 PM on July 29, 2009

Basically you get what you pay for when it comes to hairpieces. If you get expensive hair it'll look awesome and be styleable and durable; if you get cheap fake hair it'll look cheap because they'll tangle and mat and get kind of kinky at the ends. The barrette extensions are made to be cheap and temporary, so they aren't a great representation of how good real extensions can look, but they're for sure fun to try.

A good friend of mine wore cheap extensions for years and recently upgraded to really good extensions- the difference is really remarkable. Human hair is amazing if you can afford it, and the extension pieces can last for over a year if you care for them right. But even lower priced extensions can look good, especially if they match your colour and are cut nicely.

If you decide to take the plunge, your best bet is to get them put in, then get a haircut that blends the fake and real hair really well. And resist the urge to get really long extensions, as the length is usually what looks super-fake. But short ones- like the ones on Paris Hilton & Jenny McCarthy in this pic- can look awesome.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 2:30 AM on July 30, 2009

Just so you know, Paris has her own hair extension product line "Dream Catcher$" with small plastic cylindrical clips that are only $old and installed in registered $alons,
posted by hortense at 9:33 AM on July 30, 2009