Hair Extensions: Where Does the Hair Come From?
The popularity of hair extensions is growing exponentially, as the trend transitions from the provenance of celebrities to the mainstream. While some still choose to use synthetic extensions, many are embracing the high quality of human hair extensions, with the use of these widespread from Sydney to Perth. Hair extensions are, for more and more women, an essential cosmetic accessory.
But have you ever stopped to wonder just where the human hair for extensions comes from?
Human hair for extensions comes from all over the world – with Asian, Indian, South American, Zand Eastern European donors being most common. Human hair in these places is a valuable commodity that is traded hotly.
Asian hair is frequently harvested from women for whom their hair is the family's main income source. Beautiful, black, and dead straight, Asian hair requires various chemicals and treatments to change its colour and style; these can ultimately be damaging to the hair.
Eastern European hair is sourced by hair dealers from hair collectors. These collectors travel to remote regions and negotiate with poor women to shave off their long hair for monetary payment. Eastern European sourced hair is prized as it has natural blonde and lighter hues, as well as a variety of textures.
Indian hair is commonly thick and lustrous. It represents some of the best quality human hair for wigs and extensions in the world. Much of the hair cultivated in India for wigs and extensions is actually "Temple" hair. As part of the Hindu faith, young women and men have their heads shaved; pilgrims to temples sacrifice their hair (without remuneration) to the god Vishnu – this process is called "tonsuring". The hair is then sorted, washed, and dyed for sale. Much of the supporting revenue for Hindu temples in India comes from the sale of human hair – and is worth millions of dollars per year. Other hair from India is grown by women for the purpose of selling; some Indian women even collect their fallen hair and pool it with others in their village to sell. While some would see the human hair harvesting industry as exploitative, it allows these women to generate income where they might otherwise not be able to.
People who grow their hair to sell treat it as a serious business. Many maintain a particular, strict diet to ensure the hair is as healthy as possible, and do not dye or treat the hair with any chemicals. These treatments are only applied after the hair has been sold.
It's not just hair extensions that require human hair donations; wig-makers for women who lose their hair due to chemotherapy, for example, or suffer from primary alopecia (hair loss) rely on human hair.
Why not use synthetic hair? While certainly cheaper, synthetic hair can't be heat styled, straightened or curled. And up close, synthetic hair stands out for all the wrong reasons.
Salons like Perth hair extensions use only the best quality human hair – do your research and know that you are getting the great quality you're paying for.
But have you ever stopped to wonder just where the human hair for extensions comes from?
Human hair for extensions comes from all over the world – with Asian, Indian, South American, Zand Eastern European donors being most common. Human hair in these places is a valuable commodity that is traded hotly.
Asian hair is frequently harvested from women for whom their hair is the family's main income source. Beautiful, black, and dead straight, Asian hair requires various chemicals and treatments to change its colour and style; these can ultimately be damaging to the hair.
Eastern European hair is sourced by hair dealers from hair collectors. These collectors travel to remote regions and negotiate with poor women to shave off their long hair for monetary payment. Eastern European sourced hair is prized as it has natural blonde and lighter hues, as well as a variety of textures.
Indian hair is commonly thick and lustrous. It represents some of the best quality human hair for wigs and extensions in the world. Much of the hair cultivated in India for wigs and extensions is actually "Temple" hair. As part of the Hindu faith, young women and men have their heads shaved; pilgrims to temples sacrifice their hair (without remuneration) to the god Vishnu – this process is called "tonsuring". The hair is then sorted, washed, and dyed for sale. Much of the supporting revenue for Hindu temples in India comes from the sale of human hair – and is worth millions of dollars per year. Other hair from India is grown by women for the purpose of selling; some Indian women even collect their fallen hair and pool it with others in their village to sell. While some would see the human hair harvesting industry as exploitative, it allows these women to generate income where they might otherwise not be able to.
People who grow their hair to sell treat it as a serious business. Many maintain a particular, strict diet to ensure the hair is as healthy as possible, and do not dye or treat the hair with any chemicals. These treatments are only applied after the hair has been sold.
It's not just hair extensions that require human hair donations; wig-makers for women who lose their hair due to chemotherapy, for example, or suffer from primary alopecia (hair loss) rely on human hair.
Why not use synthetic hair? While certainly cheaper, synthetic hair can't be heat styled, straightened or curled. And up close, synthetic hair stands out for all the wrong reasons.
Salons like Perth hair extensions use only the best quality human hair – do your research and know that you are getting the great quality you're paying for.
Source...