According to the BBC, research by The Trichological Society says that more and more salons are offering hair extensions at a cut price and that some hairdressers don’t have the necessary qualifications to put them in properly.
This is leading to young women suffering hair problems such as bald patches and alopecia.
Dermatologists state that the extensions put such tension on follicles in the scalp that they can become inflamed, causing hair to fall out.
Barry Stevens, from the Tricological society, which represents hair specialists in the UK stated that “There can be quite serious consequences wearing them [hair extensions] for a long period. They are capable of destroying hair permanently.”
Mr Stevens is one of those to call for a ban on hair extensions due to the damage they can cause to hair and the scalp.
Hairdresser Shola Rose, from London, disagreed with the call for a ban, but felt that there should be a governing body for hairdressers and that hair extensions should only be applied by qualified hairdressers.
Claims for this type of injury are becoming more common, with injuries to the scalp affecting people’s appearance and self confidence and often leading to depression as a result of the injury. Some sort of regulatory authority would definitely lead to higher levels of quality control and this is becoming more necessary as the popularity of treatments such as this continues to rise, with recent statistics showing that hair extensions are now worth millions of pounds to the UK economy each year.
If you are having this treatment done, make sure that you visit a reputable hairdresser and try and stick with the same hairdresser so that they are familiar with the treatments that your hair has had and can monitor your hair.
