How to Repair Hair Extensions

Co-authored by Gina Almona and Amber Crain

Last Updated: December 2, 2022 References

Human Hair

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Synthetic Hair

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Using Boiling Water

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

If your hair extensions are looking dry, frizzy, or lifeless don't toss them out just yet! There are few easy things you can try to restore human hair and synthetic extensions to their former glory without spending a ton of money. First, we'll walk you through a few quick fixes to treat human hair extensions that are dry, tangled, or frizzy. We'll also touch on caring for synthetic hair extensions so they look great for as long as possible. If these techniques fail, the boiling water technique can revive both human and synthetic hair extensions so they look healthy and smooth again.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Human Hair

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Apply a hot oil treatment to repair split ends and seal the cuticle. Instructions vary by brand, so check the packaging for details! In general, heat the oil in warm water or your microwave. Then, massage the oil into the extensions and run a wide-toothed comb through the hair to distribute it. Put on a plastic shower cap and wait 5-15 minutes. Rinse out your hair with warm water, blot it gently with a towel, and let it air-dry.^{[1]
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- Avoid putting oil on the bonded part between your scalp and the extensions! This can weaken the bond and make your extensions fall out.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Gina Almona
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 12 December 2019.}
- Hot oil treatments are easy to find at drug stores, beauty supply stores, and online.^{[3]
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2
Use a deep-conditioning treatment to restore dry or tangled extensions. Apply your favorite deep conditioner and run a wide-toothed comb through the hair to distribute it evenly. Then, put on a shower cap or wrap the hair in a plastic bag and wait 5-10 minutes so the conditioner can soak in. Rinse the hair well with lukewarm water and let it air-dry.^{[4]
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- Look for paraben- and sulfate-free products since those are gentler on extensions.
- Don’t get any deep conditioner on the bonds of your extensions. ^{[5]
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3
Try a coconut oil hair mask to boost hydration and smooth frizz. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil and pour it into a bowl along with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey. Stir the ingredients together and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Saturate the extensions with the mask and wait 30 minutes so it can soak in. Then, rinse your hair with lukewarm water and style it as you normally would.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Synthetic Hair

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Apply detangler and brush out your extensions every day. Tangling is a common problem with hair extensions. Spray a good detangling product all over your hair each day before you style it.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Gina Almona
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 12 December 2019.} Then, brush out the hair with a wide-toothed comb or boar-bristle brush to keep it soft and tangle-free. Toss the comb or brush in your bag so you can get rid of tangles or knots when you're on the go.^{[8]
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- Take your time as you brush through your extensions since the hair can get tangled really easily! Even rough brushing can cause knots.^{[9]
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- To prevent tangling, try sleeping on a silk pillowcase at night.^{[10]
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- If your synthetic extensions shed a lot when you brush them, it's time for a replacement set.^{[11]
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2
Wash synthetic extensions every 2 weeks to keep them in good shape. Synthetic hair picks up dirt, debris, and odors just like human hair. If your synthetic extensions are looking lifeless or stringy, hop in the shower and wash them with a gentle shampoo formulated for synthetic hair. Follow up with a conditioner made for synthetic hair, then blow dry your hair thoroughly. Make sure you dry your roots and natural hair under the extensions so mold and mildew won't develop.^{[12]
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- If you exercise a lot, wash synthetic extensions once a week or use dry shampoo in between washings to keep your extensions clean and bouncy.
- If you're wearing clip-in extensions, remove them to wash them and hang them up to air-dry.^{[13]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}
3
Avoid heat styling tools to prevent unnecessary damage. Most synthetic extensions are pre-styled, so the style pattern (wavy, curly, straight, etc.) is permanent and bounces back after you wash the hair. Don't use heat styling tools to change the style or you'll burn the synthetic hair.^{[14]
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- If you have heat-friendly synthetics, these can be gently styled with low heat to enhance the current style. You can't change the overall style pattern of the hair, though. For example, you can't flat iron curly extensions to make them straight, but you can flat iron straight extensions to make them look sleeker. These extensions will be marketed as heat-friendly, so check the packaging or manufacturer's website if you aren't sure what you have.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Boiling Water

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Fill a sink or a bowl with warm water and add a few squirts of shampoo. Start with a clean tub or basin and fill it up with warm water. Add a squirt of sulfate-free shampoo and swish your hand around in the water to disperse the shampoo evenly and lather it up a bit.^{[15]
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- Rinse out the shampoo thoroughly! Residue can make your extensions look dull and lifeless.^{[16]
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- If your extensions are synthetic, use shampoo formulated for synthetic hair. Boiling water shouldn't damage synthetic hair the first time. Synthetic hair probably can't withstand more than 1 boiling water treatment, though.
2
Submerge the hair and run your fingers through it to clean it. Wash each weft individually so the hair gets nice and clean. Put the hair in the water and gently massage the hair with your fingers so the shampoo can penetrate, taking care not to tangle the hair. Rinse the weft with warm water and drape it over the edge of the basin or lay it flat on a clean towel.^{[17]
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- Washing individual wefts may seem time-consuming, but it ensures the hair gets squeaky clean and prevents knots and tangles.
3
Refill the basin with boiling water and mix conditioner into it. Drain the soapy water and refill the basin or bowl with boiling water. Be careful not to burn yourself! Then, add 2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of your favorite conditioner and stir the mixture with a spoon.^{[18]
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- Boiling water opens up the hair cuticle so the conditioner can soak in.
- For an extra dose of moisture, stir in 1 drop of silicone serum.
- If you don’t have serum on hand, add a few drops of a natural oil, like olive oil or coconut oil.^{[19]
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4
Submerge the extensions in the hot water and wait 15-20 minutes. Carefully place your extensions in the hot water, taking care not to burn yourself. Use a spoon to dunk the extensions under the water so they’re completed submerged. Leave the hair in the water for up to 20 minutes so the conditioner can penetrate the cuticle.^{[20]
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5
Take the wefts out of the water and lay them out flat on a clean towel. Lay a clean towel out flat on a nearby surface and place each weft carefully to the towel, taking care to lay the hair out flat so it doesn't tangle. You don’t need to rinse out the conditioner or squeeze out the excess water! Move the hair straight from the basin onto the towel.^{[21]
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- If the water is still hot, use a spoon or tongs to grab the wefts and wear plastic gloves to handle them.
6
Saturate the hair with a nourishing hair mask and wait 30 minutes. Pick up each weft and saturate the lengths of the extension with your favorite hydrating hair mask. Lay the wefts out flat next to each other on the towel. Once you’ve saturated every extension, set a timer for 30 minutes.^{[22]
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- Hair masks are deep conditioning treatments that moisturize and repair your hair. You can get them at most drug stores and beauty supply stores.
- Look for masks with nourishing ingredients like vitamin E, Argan oil, keratin protein, B vitamins, coconut oil, and strengthening lipids.^{[23]
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7
Rinse each weft with cold water and lay them out flat on a towel. Fill the basin or bowl with cold water or use cold water straight from the tap. Pick up each weft separately and rinse the hair to remove all of the conditioner. Gently squeeze the lengths of the hair to get rid of excess moisture and lay each weft out flat on a towel.^{[24]
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- Never wring out your wet extensions! Always squeeze out the water and blot the hair gently with a towel to remove excess moisture.^{[25]
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- Cold water closes the hair cuticle and locks in the moisture.
8
Run a wide-toothed comb through the hair to detangle and smooth it. Leave the hair out flat on the towel. Start at the ends of the hair and gently work your way to the opposite end of the weft with a wide-toothed comb. Detangle each weft individually before moving on to the next one.^{[26]
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- You'll start noticing how effective this treatment is as you're detangling the hair. It will feel much smoother and softer than it did before!
9
Let the extensions air-dry on the towel overnight. To add an extra dose of moisture, you can spritz each weft lightly with a silicone product before letting the hair air-dry. Make sure the hair won’t be disturbed as it dries since this could cause tangles.^{[27]
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- When the hair is totally dry, comb through each extension once more. Then, they’re ready to wear!
10
Flat iron human hair extensions if the hair is straight to make it shiny. For a super glossy finish on straight hair, coat each weft lightly with a heat protectant spray.^{[28]
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Expert Source

Gina Almona
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 12 December 2019.} Then, run a flat iron over the hair from end to end to lock in moisture and complete the restoration process.^{[29]
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- Don't heat style synthetic extensions because the heat will damage them. Synthetics come permanently pre-styled, so you can't change the style anyway. The only exception is if you have heat-friendly synthetics; those can be gently styled with low heat to enhance the style pattern. You can't change the style pattern, though (for example, you can't flat iron curly extensions to be straight.)^{[30]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

What should I keep in mind when washing my hair extensions?

Gina Almona
Professional Hair Stylist
Gina Almona is the Owner of Blo It Out, a New York City-based hair salon. With over 20 years of beauty training experience, Gina's work has been featured in People Magazine, Time Out New York, and Queens Scene. She has been able to keep a fresh perspective in the industry by demonstrating and participating in trade shows and workshops like the International Beauty Show. She received her cosmetology training from the Long Island Beauty School, Astoria.

Gina Almona

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

It's important that you avoid washing the bonds where the extension is put in, as washing can loosen them. When washing your hair, gently lift the extension, rub on the scalp, and rub under the extension.