Should hair extensions be banned?

SHOULD glued hair extensions be banned? Trichiologist, Steve O’Brien from the London Centre of Trichology thinks they should after reporting a 15 per cent increase in women seeking help over bald patches caused by extensions. But are they really that dangerous?

Victoria Beckham has, in the past, been spotted with a bald patch after wearing extensions, as has Katie Price who has reportedly spent £50,000 on hair extensions since January 2010.

Experts such as O'Brien, believe the bonding from the glue used for some hair extensions as well as the weight of the extra hair, can cause traction alopecia. This type of hair loss causes hair to be ripped from the roots creating small bald patches.

It’s not the first time the issue has been in the news. In fact, the London Centre for Trichology has been spreading the word about the dangers of these hair extensions since 2008. This only serves to question why they are yet to be banned. If they really are that harmful, surely the appropriate authorities would have stepped in and implemented a restriction by now?

The fact that this hasn’t happened, suggests this may not be as black and white as the London Centre of Trichology are making out.

Tatiana Karelina, owner of Tatiana Hair Extensions salons in London and Manchester believes the call for a ban is “quite absurd”.

She said “Mr O’Brien’s claim that the bonds in glued extensions are responsible for causing traction alopecia is obviously written to scare, influence and mislead the public.”

A bold statement, but is it justified?

She continued: “The real debate should not be whether glued extensions should be banned but whether this industry needs to be regulated”.

She is aware that damage can occur, but believes that proper installation of extensions by experienced and qualified people should result in no injuries.

At both of her salons, Karelina opts to use micro ring hair extensions as opposed to glue to avoid any damage, but believes glue itself cannot cause traction alopecia.

At Nu-Style North West in Whitefield, hair replacement specialist David, however, is in total support of the ban. “I’d be very happy about it,” he said, “It is known that hair extensions can stress the scalp and cause alopecia.”

At his specialist clinic, he has had many young women come in with bald patches, allegedly because of the weight of glued hair extensions and the strain on the scalp.

Whilst many women long for the lucious locks of celebrities, it seems they themselves are walking advertisements for the ban.

Victoria Beckham has, in the past, been spotted with a bald patch after wearing extensions, as has Katie Price who has reportedly spent £50,000 on hair extensions since January 2010.

So is a ban the solution?

Possibly. There certainly seems to be strong arguments against glued hair extensions and if women are flocking to salons to get them done without knowing the potential damage, something certainly needs to change.

Whether that be an outright ban or, as Karelina suggests, a way of regulating the people who put in hair extensions, is still to be seen.