The advice and guidance you provide to your client in relation to any hair related concern is trusted and can be very influential. It’s important to ensure you’re always providing accurate advice, allowing clients to make an informed decision.
Hair can be so important to a person’s identity and the wrong advice that leads to a big decision such as adding hair extensions can have a serious effect on a person’s self-esteem. Good hair extension advice is more important than ever. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of hair extension techniques, brands and quality standards. Not all extensions are suitable for everyone. Here we have listed some of the top aspects to consider when advising your clients about hair extensions.
- Is the Client’s Lifestyle Suitable? A client with a busy lifestyle will need to be sure they can attend re-fitting appointments; Tape re-fitting is usually between six to eight weeks while Pre-bonded can be re-fitted up to nine months after the original appointment. Make it clear that if the client intends to wear extensions in the long term, they will need to commit to these appointments. If the client has an active lifestyle which involves a lot of swimming in salty or chemically treated water, then suggest they protect their hair with a swimming hat. If they are not willing to do this, then inform them of the implications. Do everything you can to help your client to make an informed decision in relation to if hair extensions are right for them and if so, which method of application.
- Client’s Responsibilities. Your client will need to schedule extra time and care when brushing and washing their hair. Explain how they will need to avoid conditioning around the application attachment as this can encourage the attachment to slip. Also advise your client to invest in a good quality sulphate-free shampoo to keep their hair looking and feeling its best. If you decide that Pre-bonded extensions are the best option, then always inform the client of the home maintenance that will be required, such as separating the bonds regularly to avoid matting.
- Financial Commitment.The initial costs to your client will be for the hair and the fitting, although if the client is planning to wear hair extensions in the long term, the re-fitting and the replacement hair costs may be over-looked. Informing your client in relation to cost and financial commitment will avoid any awkward discussions on their next appointment.
- Fitting Appointment It’s good to talk about the client’s expectations of the fitting appointment, such as the duration, how they need to prep their hair and how they would like the extensions to look once completed. Depending on the quantity of extensions needed, Tape application can be fitted in under one hour, whereas Pre-bonded will require three to four hours. Advise the client to arrive with clean, unconditioned hair. Be sure to allow time after the fitting for the extensions to be cut and blended for a natural looking finish, and time to be styled to their desired look.
- Medical Concerns Lastly a client who has any type of skin or scalp condition should be directed to a trichology professional to seek medical approval. Never suggest hair extensions to somebody who has any sort of hair concern. Fitting extensions could cause any condition to worsen.
Only after a detailed discussion of all these factors can you decide if hair extensions are a possibility for your client. Always remember that the results will reflect your skills and capabilities. So, ensuring the extensions look and feel great for as long as possible is crucial. Ultimately, it is the quality of your advice, which will guide the client to make an informed decision, and they must feel confident and positive about that decision.
