Hair Extension Aftercare: What to Avoid
Jul 04, 2025
Your Philocaly weft hair extensions are an investment, and like any valuable asset, they require proper care to maintain their longevity and luster. Both your daily habits and the products you use can significantly impact their health. Establishing a consistent hair extension maintenance routine not only protects your wefts but also ensures they continue to look and feel luxurious.
To ensure your extensions stay in top condition, here's a breakdown of what to avoid:
Care Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Hair Extensions
Rough Brushing: Aggressively brushing, neglecting to separate rows, and pulling on tangles can stress the attachment points, leading to shedding and damage.
Brushing Wet Hair: Hair is most vulnerable when wet. Vigorously brushing extensions when damp can cause breakage and loosen the wefts.
Excessive Heat Styling at the Attachment: Applying heat tools directly to the weft bonds can melt or weaken the adhesive or stitching, causing slippage.
Over-Washing: Washing your hair and extensions too frequently (more than 3 times a week) can strip them of moisture, leading to dryness, tangling, and a shortened lifespan.
Scrubbing the Ends While Shampooing: This rough action can dry out the delicate ends of the extensions, causing frizz and damage.
Applying Conditioner/Mask to the Roots/Attachments: Conditioner can contain oils and ingredients that can break down the weft attachments, causing them to slip.
Air Drying Wefts: Philocaly wefts are designed to be blow-dried. Allowing them to air dry can put tension on the attachments and lead to matting.
Sleeping with Wet or Damp Hair: This is a major cause of tangling and can weaken the attachment points.
Ignoring Tangles: Letting tangles build up makes them harder to remove and increases the risk of damage when you finally do brush.
Not Protecting Hair While Sleeping: Tossing and turning can cause friction, leading to tangles and potential damage to both your natural hair and the extensions.
Skipping Heat Protectant: Failing to use a heat protectant spray before styling with heat tools leaves the extension fibers vulnerable to damage and dryness.
- Harsh Environmental Factors: Prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight without protection can potentially fade or weaken the extensions over time. Similarly, hard water with high mineral content can sometimes affect the hair's texture and color.
Small, mindful steps in your daily routine—like loosely braiding your hair before bed or using silk pillowcases—are simple yet powerful ways to reinforce effective hair extension maintenance.
Products That Can Harm Your Hair Extensions
Heat tools are your best friend for styling, but they can also be your extensions' worst enemy if you're not careful. Let's keep that heat damage on lockdown:
Products Containing Sulphates: These harsh detergents strip the hair of their natural oils, leading to dryness, frizz, and a reduced lifespan for your extensions.
Products Containing Alcohol: Alcohol can dry out the extensions, making them brittle and prone to tangling. This includes many drugstore-quality hairsprays, gels, and some serums.
Oils and Alcohol at the Attachment Points: Applying these directly to the weft bonds can break them down, leading to slippage.
Drugstore Quality Hairsprays: These often have a high alcohol content that can be damaging.
Products Not Designed for Extensions/Color-Treated Hair: These may contain harsh chemicals or ingredients that can strip color or damage the extension fibers.
Heavy Silicones (Dimethicone, etc.): While they provide a temporary smoothing effect, heavy silicones can build up on the extensions, preventing moisture from penetrating and leading to dryness and a waxy feel over time.
Mineral Oil: This can create a barrier that prevents moisture absorption and is difficult to wash out properly.
Certain Sunscreens (with Avobenzone): Avobenzone can cause lighter-colored extensions to turn a salmon pink hue.
Spray Tans, Tanning Waters, and Tanning Foams: These products can directly stain the hair extensions, often permanently.
- Products with Keratin Protein (in excess): While some protein can be beneficial, overusing protein-heavy products can make extensions brittle and prone to breakage. Extensions are already processed and don't need excessive protein.
Choosing products carefully is one of the most important aspects of hair extension aftercare. Opting for salon-quality, extension-safe formulas will help preserve softness, shine, and manageability.
By being mindful of these care practices and product ingredients, you can significantly extend the life and maintain the beautiful quality of your Philocaly weft hair extensions. Always prioritize gentle handling and use products specifically recommended for extensions or color-treated hair.
If you’re ever unsure how to take care of hair extensions, consult with your stylist for personalized guidance that can give you confidence in your routine and protect your investment long-term.
