Do Tape-In Hair Extensions Damage Hair?

Are tape in extensions bad for your hair? Like many other hair procedures and accessories, most hair extensions cause your hair some damage to a certain degree.

That said, it doesn’t mean that you have to haphazardly risk your hair every time you want to use hair extensions. Hair extensions have a range of benefits, of course – you just have to know how to minimize the risks.

Still, you may want to know: do tape in extensions ruin your hair? Or is tape in extensions bad for your hair? Let’s find out.

How tape-in hair extensions work

Tape-in hair extensions work by adding hair strands to your own hair through the use of glue or some sort of adhesive. They’re pretty effective at adding volume to your hair instantly, especially if you opt for a full head of extensions.

The glue usually weakens or even comes off on its own after a few weeks or so, but you’re free to remove and replace tape-in hair extensions any time you wish, though it’s not recommended. 

Do tape-in hair extensions damage hair?

So, do tape in extensions damage your hair? To say it simply, yes, it can. That doesn’t mean they will, but the risk is definitely there.

Tape-in hair extensions are easy to use and they’re usually hassle-free to put in your hair, but unfortunately, they only last as long as your natural hair growth. The moment the tapes become noticeable, you’ll have no choice but to move them up, and that means ripping them off (gently, we hope) your hair and replacing them to a higher position.

It takes just a fortnight or so for the average person to get enough hair growth that they’ll need to move the tape-ins up, but even this infrequent moving up can be quite stressful and even traumatic for your strands. That’s why it’s important to never, ever remove your tape-ins unless you absolutely have to, and even then, you have to do it really carefully to avoid damaging your hair.

What damages can tape-ins cause?

• thinning hair, possible eventual hair loss
• weakened hair that’s prone to breaking
• dry, frizzy hair due to stress

When should I use tape-ins?

 If you really want to minimize the damages caused by tape-in hair extensions though, there’s one important question that you need to ask yourself: do I really need tape-in hair extensions? Or will my hair be better off with clip-ins / halo hair extensions?

There’s not strict guide on choosing hair extensions, but you do have to keep in mind the following:

When to use tape-in hair extensions

• You need thicker, longer hair for more than a month
• You only need a few sets here and there

When not to use tape-in hair extensions

• You need a volume boost for just a few days
• You need to cover your whole head with extensions

How long do they usually last?

Tape-in hair extensions, when cared for correctly, can last anywhere from six to ten weeks, but it does depend greatly on a lot of other factors, such as the quality of your extensions, your natural hair growth, your daily haircare regimen, and so on. For a more comprehensive answer on how long they usually last, check out this article.

Now you’ve got your answer for, “Are tape ins bad for your hair?” You know that tape-in hair extensions are safe to use, but you do need some caution when using them. Remember, if you only need a temporary volume boost, you can always check out other kinds of hair extensions such as clip-in hair extensions or perhaps ZALA Halo hair extensions. These two are more expensive than tape-ins but they do a gentler job at giving you the volume you need ASAP.

For more hair extension tips and tricks, check out the ZALA blog!