Wading Through Your Options

For many ladies — whose natural hair simply isn’t capable of being as thick or long as they wish — extensions are the only way they can realistically achieve the locks they’ve always dreamed of, like the ones seen here on singer Jessica Simpson. But as Wagner says, extensions can be used for more than just getting down-to-there hair, and they come in multiple styles and materials. “They can be temporary — just worn for an evening, such as clip-ins — or more permanent, using either adhesives, sewing, braiding or other attachment systems,” he explains. He adds that, for the highest-quality extensions, it’s best to go with extensions made from human hair, “but other materials, such as synthetic hair, horse mane or yak hair may be substituted.”