Which is better, Synthetic or Human Hair Extensions?

You know you want to add length or volume to your hair by using hair extensions but may be confused about whether synthetic or human hair extensions will be the best choice for you. Do you keep it real or fake it?

Human Hair Extensions Provide Natural Appeal

Synthetic hair is made up of fine plastic filaments and its structure is very different from natural human hair. Although they have the ability to blend with your natural hair, the extra shine and silkiness of synthetic hair extensions makes them appear unnatural and unlike real hair, synthetic hair is also unsuited for long flowing hair.

In comparison, human hair extensions are made from real human hair which is donated by individuals for money or spiritual reasons. Since they are made from natural human hair, they blend well with your own hair, so unless you touch the root of the hair, there is no way to tell it is not real. Human hair extensions gives you the same feel and softness of real human hair, owing to the way they are made. This has the added benefit of adding to the confidence of the wearer as well as feeling and looking good.

Benefit From More Styling and Colour Choices with Human Hair Extensions

Synthetic hair extensions have a better ‘memory’, so a pre-set hair style will stay the same under most circumstances, including when subjected to rain and humidity. However, synthetic hair is heat sensitive so applying heating tools to synthetic hair will be a disaster. The synthetic hair will melt, even if light heat is applied. This limits your styling options so you will be left with the same style until you remove the extensions.

In contrast, human hair extensions are better for styling as they are receptive to heat styling with a curling iron or a straightener and they can also be blow dried without losing their natural feel. When styling with hot rollers or curling tongs, simply wash and dry the hair as you would your natural hair. Human hair extensions are so versatile that you can style them different ways on different days without damaging the hair. However, human hair extensions do not retain their style for long so will need to be restyled every 3 to 6 months. Human hair extensions, such as ‘virgin Remy hair’, may be coloured, just like your own hair, but these are not cheap to purchase. The cost of Remy hair extensions ranges from £900-£2000 for a full head of hair, but they will last for a year. It is not advisable to colour-treat your extensions too many times as it will damage the hair, as human hair extensions have already been coloured and chemically treated in the factory.

Overall human hair extensions will give you greater versatility and flexibility than synthetic hair extensions. They will look and feel good, giving you confidence but synthetic hair has its place in the fashion world too, especially if you are on a budget.