Hair extensions continue to grow, and along with it the varieties of medium used for hair extensions, and available styles.Triggered as  a vision of a 2000s pop darling at the VMAs rocking was an obvious fake piece, but that has now given way to modern, high fashion hair extensions that blend smoothly with natural hair. As a fact, many celebrities, and influencers wear hair extensions as an addition to their everyday look.

Human Hair Extension Vs. Synthetic Hair Extension: What’s the Difference?

Human hair extensions are made from numerous types of human hair, from Asian to Indian to European. There are different categories of human hair depending on how the hair has been collected, treated, and sorted. The most affordable type of human hair is the remy hair which is commonly used by many for various types of hair extensions.

What is remy human hair?

Remy hair is referred to hair of which the cuticle has been kept intact, not stripped, and aligned in one direction which ensures that the hair will remain smooth, shiny, and relatively tangle-free throughout its lifetime. The hair is chemically treated at a facility for color, nonetheless, for the most part, the morality of the hair remains. The reason that this  type of hair is the most desirable is because it is literally made of the same material as natural hair—keratin. It not only achieves the most natural blend, but also has many more advantages.

What Are Synthetic Hair Extensions?

Synthetic hair extensions are made from a variety of artificial materials and contain no human hair at all. They are made from acrylic, nylon, or polyesters, which on heating are sent through  tiny micro tubes to imitate the look and feel of hair strands. Since synthetic hair is made from artificial material, it may never truly look like human hair, can be rigid or move differently, have an unnatural shine, and be more distinguishable as a hair piece.

How to Distinguish Fake Synthetic Hair and the Genuine One?

Synthetic hair extensions may be referred to as:

• Vegan synthetic fiber from Japan
• 100% high heat synthetic fibers
• NextGen faux fiber

These are all just a fancy way of making sake “fake fibres.” Some companies tout their synthetic hair extensions as heat resistant, moreover, unless using very low heat, synthetic hair extensions cannot be heat styled as they will damage quickly.

What is the cost of these hair extensions?

The key advantage of synthetic hair extensions is their low pricing range. As these extensions are made from plastics and other artificial materials, they are produced at a low cost. While synthetic hair extensions are inexpensive, it is required to replace them more often than human hair extensions and can hit the pocket a bit hard in the long run.

Human hair extensions, on the other hand, costs more than synthetic hair extensions, but as far as it goes, the investment in higher quality extensions that last longer and looks better is certainly worth it.

How Long Do Synthetic Hair Extensions Last?

Synthetic hair extensions have an average lifespan of 1 to 3 months, while the average lifespan of human hair extensions can be up to a year or longer, depending on their use and how they are being cared for.

Can Synthetic Hair Extensions be Heat Styled?Extensions?

It is not possible to style synthetic hair extensions using heat. Some hair extensions come pre-styled with curls or waves, and you are limited to that style. Applying heat on synthetic hair, it will melt and damage the product.

Human hair extensions, as the name suggests, can be styled just as natural hair can.

How Versatile Are The Synthetic Hair Extensions?

They are not very versatile because you cannot heat style synthetic hair extensions, and will be limited to wear them as they come.

Can Styling Products Be Used On Them?

When styling products are used, it tends to have product buildup, which is the main cause for the hair to tangle. While human hair extensions can be washed to remove this buildup, synthetic hair cannot. As using styling products on synthetic hair extensions will cut their lifespan down notably, therefore is it not recommended.

Is it Possible to Dye Synthetic Hair Extensions?

Synthetic hair extensions cannot be dyes as they are made with plastics, nylons, polyesters or other fake fibres that cannot be chemically treated.

Human hair extensions, on the other hand, can be dyed darker to suit any changes made tio the natural hair color. They can also be dyed in fashion styles and colors, such as pastels, ombré, etc.

Do They Look Natural?

While technology has come a long way and some synthetic hair extensions may look close to the real hair, upon closer inspection, they will look different than your natural hair. Additionally, once the extensions begin to wear out after a few wears, it  becomes even more noticeably fake.

Are They Washable?

Synthetic hair extensions are not washable, but human hair extensions are.

Hair extensions can be a little hard to care for as they need to be kept clean and untangled for them to have a longer lifespan, however, application may not be as difficult if you have chosen the one that suits your preferences. Hair extensions come in various types and do require professional help when wearing them.

Hair extensions: Human Hair vs Synthetic