Discover the Least Damaging Hair Extensions for Healthy Locks
Not all hair extension methods are created equal. Some can seriously damage your natural hair, leading to breakage, bald spots, or long-term thinning.
In this guide, we’ll review the most popular hair extension methods and
rank them from most damaging to least damaging so you can choose the
least damaging hair extensions for your hair and lifestyle.
Ranking Hair Extension Methods: From Most Damaging to Least Damaging
#1 – Most Damaging: Tape-In Hair Extensions
Tape-in hair extensions are exactly what they sound like:
small sections of extension hair with adhesive tape at the top that are pressed directly onto your natural hair.
While they might seem convenient, tape-in hair extensions are one of the most damaging methods.
The adhesive adds weight and strain to your roots. When you add in brushing, styling, and everyday wear,
that constant pull can lead to:
- Breakage at the root
- Thinning over time
- Bald spots where the tapes were attached
If you are adding a lot of length and volume, you may be adding over 5 ounces of extension hair —
roughly the weight of a billiard ball — pulling down on your natural hair and scalp.
#2 – Highly Damaging: Micro-Link / I-Tip Hair Extensions
Micro-link hair extensions go by many names:
- I-tip hair extensions
- Micro ring hair extensions
- Micro bead hair extensions
- I-link hair extensions
- Loop hair extensions
- Cold fusion hair extensions
Regardless of the name, the method is the same. Each strand of extension hair has a small metal bead on it.
Your hair is threaded through the bead and it is clamped shut, linking a small section of your natural hair to the extension.
These beads come in aluminum or copper, sometimes with a silicone lining, and are applied in large numbers across the head.
Many salons claim that when applied correctly, micro-links do not cause damage.
The reality is that they create a great deal of tension on very small sections of hair.
Because your natural hair sheds 80–100 strands per day, fewer and fewer hairs end up holding each bead over time.
By the time you come in for removal or reapplication, the bead may be hanging on by just a few fragile hairs,
increasing the risk of those hairs being ripped out from the scalp.
Other common issues with micro-link extensions include:
- Prone to falling out when conditioner or oils are used near the beads
- Can become severely knotted and matted over time (read one woman’s experience here)
- Very expensive due to long application times (up to $2,500)
- Uncomfortable or painful to sleep on
- Application can take up to 5 hours or more
#3 – Damaging: Keratin Bond Hair Extensions
Keratin bond hair extensions are another individual extension method.
They use a keratin-based glue that is melted with a heated tool and fused directly to your natural hair.
Because the bond is attached directly to small sections of your natural hair, the weight of each extension pulls at the root.
When that strain is applied day after day, breakage and damage are almost guaranteed.
Like other individual methods, keratin bonds are also more prone to matting and tangling.
Once matting occurs, brushing becomes difficult and removal is long, tedious, and often damaging.
#4 – Damaging: Braid and Sew Hair Extensions
Braid and sew hair extensions are one of the oldest and most traditional methods.
Unlike individual bonds, this method uses a weft — a curtain of hair sewn together at the top.
First, your stylist creates tight braids (rows) across the back of your head. Then the weft is sewn into the braid.
The braid itself places tension on your natural hair, and once the weft is attached, that tension increases even more.
Over time, this can cause severe bald spots along the braids, especially if the rows are too tight.
Even though this method uses a weft, it should not be confused with modern, low-tension weft methods like the Glamour Locks Hair Extension System.
#5 – Safer: Beaded / Sew-In Weft Hair Extensions
What Are Beaded Weft Hair Extensions?
Beaded weft hair extension systems (also known as
sew-in weft hair extensions or invisible weft hair extensions) are a newer category of methods that use a hair weft sewn into a row along the back of the head.
A row is a clean parting created by your stylist across the back of your scalp:
A hair weft is a bundle of hair sewn together horizontally at the top, creating a curtain of hair that drapes down:
Your stylist sews the weft onto the row using small beads and thread. All beaded weft methods follow this basic structure,
but the tools and support systems used can dramatically change how much tension is placed on your natural hair.
Beaded weft systems are less damaging than the individual methods above,
but the amount of strain on your hair still depends on how the weight of the weft is supported.
#6 – Least Damaging: Glamour Locks Hair Extension System
Non-Damaging and Safe Hair Extensions
The Glamour Locks Hair Extension System is the only
patented and guaranteed non-damaging hair extension method available today.
It was designed to keep all of the benefits of extensions — length, fullness, volume — while removing the
damage-causing elements like direct tension, glue, and heat.
Glamour Locks introduces an additional safety step in the application: a patented tool called the
Tension Strap, which acts as a barrier between your natural hair and the weight of the extension hair.
First, a Glamour Locks Certified Stylist gathers your hair to create a row across the back of your scalp.
Then they create a Glamour Track using the Tension Strap and lightweight beads.
The Tension Strap bears the weight of the extension hair, not your natural hair.
This means:
- Minimal stress on your scalp
- No pulling on fragile strands
- Comfortable, long-term wear
- Truly non-damaging hair extensions
So What Makes Hair Extensions Non-Damaging?
To summarize, non-damaging hair extensions are those that do not place direct stress on your natural hair.
Any method that anchors extension hair directly to small sections of your own hair (especially using glue, beads, or tight braids)
can lead to:
- Breakage at the root
- Bald spots and thinning
- Long-term damage that can take years to repair
Methods that distribute the weight of the extensions across a support structure — like the Glamour Locks Tension Strap —
offer the least damaging hair extensions option available.
If you are interested in trying the Glamour Locks Hair Extension System,
you can schedule your consultation here.
Where Do Your Hair Extensions Come From?
Another important factor in hair health is the quality and origin of the extension hair itself.
We’ve broken down the pros and cons of hair imported from different regions around the world in a separate guide.
To learn more about our patented, non-damaging system
click here.
For those who need volume or length on the top of the head,
learn more about our Crown Fusion Hair Extensions here.
