Putting on tape-in extensions is one way of breathing life into your hair. Despite being fake hair additions, they give a realistic look for a splendid makeover.
That being a great perk, you need to know how to keep enjoying it. Getting tape-ins is a beautiful idea, but intensive TLC care will extend their lifespan and the benefits in the long run.
You may think caring for them is something out of this world that you haven’t done before. Yet it’s quite similar to your routine touch-ups to your natural hair, with few differences.
So, here are the easy-to-do care tips for tape-in extensions.
8 Great Tips for Healthy Tape-in Extensions
At this juncture, the following techniques help your tape-ins thrive in your hair.
1. Brush Regularly
This is the general rule of thumb for caring for tape-in extensions. Leaving this out in your tape-in extension care regimen will ruin every other care step you take.
So, ensure that you brush them at least twice daily to get the best plush look out of them. Doing it in the morning and evening could be the most suitable approach for ladies who are always on the go. And for this activity, get yourself a wide-tooth comb or an extension brush designed specifically for hair extensions.
When brushing your tape-ins while in your hair, start from the tips as you work your way up. Hold the roots with your fingers, so the bond doesn’t loosen from constant pulling. The more often you brush the tape-in extensions, the more you minimize the occurrence of tangling.
Moreover, never brush them when they’re wet. Hair extensions are in their most delicate state when wet, and brushing will damage them.
2. Shampoo and Condition Properly
Tape-ins flourish with the right washing routine and salon-quality hair products. When you wash them, use a safe and conducive shampoo for the extensions. They should be residue-free, clarifying, and above all, moisturizing to keep the tape-ins healthy and hydrated.
On the other hand, avoid products with oils, alcohol, sulfates, or ethanol. If you do the contrary, you run the risk of oil residues on your tape-ins, or the extensions get overly dry and brittle.
Not forgetting, the first time you wash your tape-ins should be more than 48 hours after installation. Washing them earlier interferes with the bond as the tapes will not have fully adhered to your hair. Better not go through the hassle of replacing the tapes and re-installing the tape-ins.
While tape-ins should be conditioned, it’s important to be cautious when massaging the conditioner into your hair. It should not reach the scalp or the root area; apply it mid-shaft to the ends. The conditioner can undo the bond and prematurely remove the tape-in extensions.
3. Use Dry Shampoo Occasionally
Washing your tape-in extensions frequently is a bad idea. It over-clarifies your tape-in extensions such that the hair gets stripped of its natural oils. That makes the hair too dry and weak.
If you have to wash them often, or you barely have time to wash your tape-in extensions, dry shampoo is necessary. It helps eliminate grimy buildup accumulating in your hair without wetting it. This is important in getting rid of excess oils on the scalp for the bond to harden.
The application should be once between the washes before the next salon appointment. It could be once weekly or once every two weeks, depending on your frequency of washing the tape-ins. Spray it sparingly; do not flood your scalp with excessive amounts.
4. Do Appropriate Drying and Styling
The safest means of removing moisture from your tape-ins is by air-drying. However, the process itself takes time, and blow-drying may be inevitable. Blow-drying releases harmful heat, and applying a heat protectant spray is advisable.
Styling with heat-styling tools will also require the use of heat-protectant sprays. But as you style, let the heating tools not come in contact with the tabs. Whether it’s the straightener, curling iron, or blow-dryers, they will weaken the bond.
And during styling, keep pressing the extension panels to strengthen the bond. There might be pulling when the styling tools go through the hair strands.
5. Avoid Sleeping with Wet Hair
Now that you already know damp tape-ins are most fragile when wet, you need to consider sleeping in them when completely dry. In the event that you do the opposite, they will be highly vulnerable to tangling.
The turns and tosses in bed roll up the hair, and the aftermath is a matted mess of hair. Even if it’s reversible, the hair will shed heavily when brushing out the tangles and look ugly.
Ensure you gently squeeze out the excess water with a clean, soft cotton towel. After that, dry them with a hairdryer until you can no longer feel any moisture within the mane. Then you can sleep knowing your tape-in hair is out of danger.
For the sake of overall tape-in safety, we advise you to always wrap your hair before bedtime. Tuck it nicely in a quality satin bonnet or cover it with a hair scarf or bandana. Alternatively, put it into a loose braid and lay on pillows covered with satin pillowcases.
6. Refrain from Applying Tape-ins on Damaged Hair
Applying tape-in extensions on damaged hair is a risky affair. If your hair is thinning or weak from bleaching or dyeing, do not fix tape-ins in it. Also, traction alopecia is not solvable by wearing tape-in extensions, or else the condition will worsen.
Remember, installing the tape-in extensions adds weight to already-weak hair. As the tape-ins hang onto the hair, they strain it and pull it down. The weak, damaged hair cannot bear the weight, resulting in it breaking and falling off.
But that doesn’t mean you cannot have thick hair back on your head. Instead of tape-in extensions, opt for wigs to revive your beautiful outlook. Wigs create little-to-no adverse effects on your damaged natural hair.
7. Do Not Exceed the Required Duration of Wear
In this regard, you’ll be taking care of your own hair. Tape-in extensions should be worn for 6-8 weeks. If you wear them for a longer time, you’ll be predisposing your real hair to great damage.
Usually, the hair between the scalp and the attachment area starts to get matted. The longer you leave the tape-ins in your hair, the tangling continues to intensify.
So, you find that when removing them, your hair sheds a lot when brushing out the bad tangles. The tangling may be dire to the extent that you may have to trim them out. In such instances, you may have to shave your hair because of the patches of extremely short hair.
Therefore, keep in mind that you should remove them latest after the eighth week of wear lapses. Also, how you remove the tape-in extensions matters greatly. Always implore appropriate bond removers during a DIY removal at home.
But the safest is to involve a hair extension technician for removal. This way, you’re sure your hair is safe and in the right hands.
8. Stay Strict with Maintenance Appointments
If you still want to wear the same tape-in extensions after removal, you should book maintenance appointments in good time. Tape-in extensions require a professional to re-tape and move them closer to the roots every 6-8 weeks. Doing it on your own may lead to poorly-fixed tape-ins.
And if that happens, the tape-ins tend to show up in your hair. An expert should do the work because they’ll be in a position to view your hair. Then take the correct steps to revamp the extensions and provide the right recommendations.
Wrapping up
Caring for tape-in extensions may look quite arduous when starting out. However, when you get into the swing of things, you enjoy and embrace the beauty of tape-ins. Hopefully, our care guide gives you the knowledge you need for your tape-ins to last longer.
Otherwise, feel free to share with us in the comments below more care tips you may have.
