December 16th, 2022

Are Clip-in Extensions Damaging to Your Hair?

By Tatiana Montano


A question we tend to get asked a lot is,are clip-in hair extensions damaging to your hair? And the answer is, no! It is a common misconception that  clip-in extensions damage your hair, especially for daily use. The only time clip-ins can be damaging is when they are used incorrectly.

Think of Clip-in Extensions as a Really Pretty Bra

woman running fingers through her hair

We like to think of clip-in hair extensions, like a really pretty bra. It has a purpose and provides support, but you don't want to wear it 24/7. Similar to clip-ins, they aren't made to wear 24/7. This allows your hair, and your scalp to get a break from all of the weight of the hair extensions. Hair can be very heavy. Being able to take off your extensions at the end of the day when you're going to go to sleep, or when you're just lounging around in the house and you don't need to be all glammed up, is a great feature about clip-in hair extensions, that also makes them much safer as opposed to  tape-ins or sew in extensions.

You also can remove your natural clip-in extensions before you get in the shower or you go work out. Not having to wear clip-in hair extensions 24 hours a day, seven days a week is such a great luxury for comfort to allow you to not have to worry about tugging or pulling them when you brush or wash your hair, and is one of the reasons why it makes clip-in hair extensions so safe.

Avoid Teasing

hairstylist teasing hair

For example, you're really not supposed to tease your hair before clipping in hair extensions. This is because whenever you tease your hair before  clipping in the hair extensions, you're putting some traction in your hair so that the clip-ins don't slide out right? Well, the problem is that the clip-ins cannot slide out and if pressure is applied to them, that tension is going to do damage to your own hair.

So we highly recommend clipping your extensions in without teasing and just allowing them to slip if they are pulled on. Then you can just reach in, fix your clip-in and get on with your day. A lot of the time, hair stylists will recommend that you tease your hair before clipping in the  hair extensions, this is okay for special occasions where you don’t want to have to worry about re-positioning or re-adjusting your clip-ins, however for everyday use, we recommend keeping the teasing to a minimum.

Don't Wear Your Clip-ins Too Tight

woman pulling extension clips applying them too tight and incorrectly

Another tip to avoid causing damage to your hair when wearing clip-ins is you don't want to wear your hair extensions too tight. This means the distance between the clips shouldn't be pulling on your hair in any way. It should feel comfortable and natural. You want to make sure that when you're clipping them in, you're not clipping it in too tight and the clips are not pulling against each other because this could put a lot of pressure on your hair and your scalp and end up causing bald spots or hair loss on the long run. If your clip-in extensions begin to feel uncomfortable, something you can do is to try clipping in your clip-in hair extension a little bit below the part.

This allows for the clips to be able to grab onto a little bit more hair and the actual metal clip is not right up against your scalp. It's really important that you clip in your hair extensions the correct way so that you're not doing any damage. If you're experiencing any discomfort, pain, or even hair loss, remove the extensions immediately, and please consult with a physician. If you have any questions about how to properly wear the hair extensions, you can always contact us at info@cashmerehairextensions.com. We typically respond within 24 hours and we are happy to help you in any way that we can!